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Anouar Majid, Ph.D., vice president for Communications and Global Affairs, founding director of the Center for Global Humanities, was invited to speak about Islam and the West on MPBN’s “Maine Calling” program, on November 30, 2015.

During the program, Majid had the opportunity to respond to comments and questions from community members regarding extremism, diversity and Islam’s relationship with America. Majid was joined on the program by Former Ambassador Lawrence Pope, who served as ambassador to Chad from 1993 to 1996.

During the discussion, the two guests delved into the American model for government and religion. Responding to the contention that ISIS is to Islam what the Ku Klux Klan is to Christianity, Majid rebutted, “Christianity operates in the U.S., but it’s not the official religion…they do not have control over the government. They are kept at arm’s length by a very solid constitutional provision that protects freedom of religion and freedom of speech. That’s why, to me, the American model is absolutely indispensable. It’s keeping religion out of government…These are the kinds of values we should never be compromising on.”

Majid also took the opportunity to address the issue of safety in Morocco, where he currently serves as the general manager for UNE’s Tangier Campus. “The United States, and Western media as well, tend to overlook the parts of the Arabic-Islamic world that seem to be working fine, and one of these places is Morocco. It’s a modern nation; it has a monarchy, but it also has an elected government…there is also a debate going on in Morocco that is sort of pushing the envelope a little bit; trying to push back against those very strong, traditional beliefs. If you look at Morocco, they promote a liberal kind of Islam.”

He continued, “I think Morocco is doing more or less the same thing that is being recommended in the United States…all the mosques are being monitored by the government…the mainstream Muslims of Morocco are taking the threats of what’s being called ‘radical Islam’ very seriously, so it’s not just Western nations that are doing that.”

Ultimately, Majid argued, there is a need to bring diversity into Arab-Islamic regions, to help foster conversations that will open communities to free discussions without resulting to violence. “For most people in the Arab Islamic world…very few people get to experience diversity...So, they tend to theorize. They talk about tolerance, they talk about coexistence, but always in the abstract. We need to find a way to bring different faiths, different cultures, civilizations. We need women to assume roles of leadership, including in matters of religion.”