Peter Sanders, a British convert to Islam and leading photographer of the Muslim world exhibited his Art of Integration collection at the British Council Brussels and the University of Antwerp in March 09. 

 

Sanders' photographs depict British Muslims in everyday life and illustrate the enormous contribution Muslims have made to the UK.

 

When embarking on the project Art of Integration, William Blake’s poem Jerusalem inspired the photographer’s vision: to portray a spiritual place where people of all faiths could live in harmony:

And did the Countenance Divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here
Among these dark Satanic mills?

 

The two exhibitions were introduced by Sanders himself and followed by interactive debates on the subject of integration led by panels of British and Belgian experts.  Some participants highlighted the need for Belgium to be more open and accepting of other communities, whilst others believed that it was the immigrant community that needed to make more of an effort to integrate.

Watch this space for the next exhibition/debate and have your say!

Many thanks to our panel members:

 

Mr. Dave Prodger, Deputy Head of Mission, British Embassy

Prof. Dirk Jacobs, Associate Professor ULB

Prof. Marco Martiniello, Research Director FMRS/ULG

Mr. Navid Akhtar, Executive Director FAIR (Forum Against Islamophobia & Racism)

Ms. Birsen Taspinar, Psychologist

Mr. Abdelmajid Choukri, President of Student Focus Group, Antwerp

Mr. Kwaku Acheampong, President of Anglophone Africans

Mr. Kristof Bossuyt, Advisor, Keulen Cabinet