3 September 2010
Oliver McTernan Co-Founder and Director
Oliver McTernan, has an established background in conflict resolution and interfaith relationships. He was a Visiting Fellow of the Weatherhead Centre for International Affairs at Harvard University 2000 -2003. He is a Senior Associate Fellow of the UK Defence Academy. He was responsible for initiating the first post-conflict talks between NATO and the former Yugoslav government. His latest book Violence in Gods Name explores the role of religion in an age of conflict. He broadcasts regularly on the BBC. Read more...
Huda Jawad Programme Manager for the Nyon Process
Huda Jawad, was born in Iraq. She has a masters degree in International Studies and Diplomacy from the University of London School of Oriental & African Studies. She also holds a bachelors degree in Psychology and Sociology. Before joining Forward Thinking, she was working on Middle Eastern civil society reform at the Foreign Policy Centre.
Nosheen Karim Özcan Administrator
Nosheen Karim Özcan is a graduate in International Marketing and French, with a strong corporate background in various management positions in the communications and travel industry.
Yusuf Tai Community Empowerment Officer
Yusuf Tai, is a graduate in Politics with Social Policy. Working with communities on the ground and giving them a voice is something Yusuf strongly believes in. Part of Yusuf's work involves working with harder to reach groups to give them access services and opportunities that are available to others.
Shaykh Michael Mumisa Faith Adviser
Shaykh Michael Mumisa, is a highly respected Muslim academic and Theologian. He was awarded his Alimiyya (Al-Azhar University graduate degree equivalent) in Islamic classics and classical Arabic Literature with distinction from Dar el-Ulum after six years of training. He went on to graduate cum laude with a BA Honours degree from the Department of Semitic Languages at the Randse Afrikaanse Universiteit. He did his MPhil research at the University of Birmingham and he is currently a PhD pursuing PhD research in Literature and Contemporary Literary and Critical Theory as a Special Livingstone Scholar at Trinity Hall, University of Cambridge. He has taught at the University of Birmingham, University of Cambridges Institute of Continuing Education, Newman University College, and Markfield Institute of Higher Education. He is author of a number of studies including Islamic Law: Theory & Interpretation (2002).
Iftikhar Malik Faith Adviser
Iftikhar Malik, is the Director of the Luqman Foundation. He has served as adviser on Muslim student affairs for London Metropolitan University and has also been the director of the Community Centre in Finsbury Park where he implemented a number of innovative programmes. Born in Pakistan, he has devoted the major part of his life to promoting a better understanding of faith in contemporary society.
Yusuf Desai Regional Director
Yusuf Desai has been an active leader within the British Muslim community for the past 40 years. He enjoys unique access to a wide variety of communities throughout the UK. He has an extensive knowledgeof the different theological and cultural groups that make up the diversity of the Muslim communities.
Yael Banaji Middle East Adviser
Yael Banaji, is based in the UK and also consults on fundraising.