Islamic cultural centers in Latin America wind up meeting in Buenos Aires
Regional, Religion, 5/23/2001

The heads of Latin America Islamic cultural centers and associations recommended, at the closing of their first meeting held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the setting up of a regional Waqf (Islamic endowments) foundation and a body to gather all associations in Latin America.

A statement of the Rabat-based Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) which took part in the meeting says the recommended body is meant to enable its member associations to be represented at regional and international meetings and before local authorities.

They also recommended the setting up of a committee entrusted with book writing, translation and publication, in a bid to promote Islamic cultural action in Latin America. Recommendation was also made to create a research institution specialized in the elaboration of educational and cultural programs as well as Fiqh manuals adapted to Muslim minorities in that part of the world.

The heads of Latin America Islamic cultural centers and associations stressed the need for Islamic associations to allot further attention to Muslim communities in Cuba, and urged ISESCO to award scholarships to Latin America Muslim students and to hold training sessions for teachers in the region.

The participants also invited ISESCO to co-ordinate action with Islamic countries and specialized organizations with a view to translating into Spanish and Portuguese books and studies addressing the values of Islam.

They highlighted the importance of correcting the image of Islam and Muslims in the Western media.

The forthcoming meeting of the heads of Islamic associations and centers is scheduled in Caracas, Venezuela. The Meeting of the heads of Islamic associations and cultural centers in Latin America was recently held in Argentinean capital, Buenos Aires, as part of cooperation between ISESCO and the World Islamic Call Society, and in collaboration with the Islamic Organization for Latin America.

Previous Stories:
  Chairmen of Cultural Centers and Islamic Associations in Latin America Meet in Buenos Aires   (5/18/2001)
  A tripartite initiative on protecting holy sites   (5/1/2001)
  Number of American mosques grows by 25 percent, study   (4/28/2001)

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