Light Inc. Documentary movie Photographic report, debates Socio-anthropological perspectives

Light Inc. Documentary movie Photographic report, debates Socio-anthropological perspectives

Abstract The Muslim population in Poland is one of the smallest in the world: at most less than 0.1% in 2012 but offers a thought-provoking diversity: immigrants from different countries, Poles embracing Islam and Tatar families settled since the 14th century. More than describing the centuries old Muslim legacy in Poland and presenting the current challenges for the Polish society, Polish Muslims explores the building of bridges in a multicultural society. Social experts, Muslim organizations leaders, non-muslim Poles, scholars and worshippers try to understand the keys for social harmony. This project is not only about Muslims but most about ourselves and the way we look at the Other.

Aim The aim of this project is to build bridges in the European diversity for mutual social enrichment. The socio-political and economic context of the Muslims in Poland offers a mirror from which much may be discovered and learned. Context Since the last twenty years, after the collapse of the Eastern Bloc, Poland has been undergoing significant economic, social and ideological changes (Górak Sosnowska 2011). Today, the old relics of the communist era are being wiped out by the modern skyscrapers competing in size and architecture. The once coal dust covered small skelp (small shops) are being replaced at a phenomenal pace by gigantic shopping malls. Also, even though Catholic religion is still very much grounded in the polish culture, unprecedented questions such as the place of the cross in public schools are being debated by secular groups nowadays. The Muslim population in Poland is one of the smallest in the world- at most less than 0.1% in 2012 (Górak Sosnowska 2011) but offers a thought-provoking diversity. On a macro-level, three main groups may be identified: Migrants, Reverts and Tatars. The recent migrants arriving mainly after the collapse of the Eastern bloc (Pędziwiatr 2011) are found to be well-integrated and active in the market economy. Second, a growing number of Poles, men and women, are choosing Islam as their faith and building a new perception of the being Polish. The Tatars, an officially-recognized ethnic minority, are part of the polish society since the fourteenth century and much engaged into solidarity non-for-profit local associations. This work focuses on three cities in Poland: 1) Warsaw, with the largest Muslim population; 2) Bialystok and its surroundings, culturally testifying of the Tatar-Polish history through the presence of centuries old wooden mosques and cemeteries; 3) Katowice, a city of the industrial region of Silesia, mainly constituting of migrants developing the polish Halal industry. Our research question is threefold. Who are the Muslims in Poland; how do they perceive their belonging to the Polish society; and what are the issues they are engaged into? > Night prayers in the Warszawa mosque, Ramadan 2012.

> Tatar mosque in Kruszyniany, region of Podlasie (North-Eastern Poland) The Media Project The research-work, available in Polish, English and French, shall be presented into three media: a) a film-documentary; b) a photographs and; c) a scientific research paper. Movie screening shall be followed by debates and testimonies. Priority is given to Universities and NGOs. The documentary film of 54 minutes, shot with a 35mm FullHD, depicts the research undertaken through interviews with social experts, Muslim organizations leaders, non-muslim Poles and scholars. The first part was shot in the month of Ramadan (August 2012). The second part was shot in December 2012. Polish translation of the Quran meanings >

The multidisciplinary team William Baryło, PhD student under the supervision of Prof. Nilüfer Göle at the EHESS (Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales) in Paris, is the filmmaker and project director. His graduate research, entitled Islam, a motor for active citizenship?, focuses on the perception of faith and commitment to citizenship amongst Muslim volunteers in solidarity associations. William also piloted a photographic documentary about the Bushi Nengué people of French Guiana (2008) and won the Défi Jeunes contest of the French Ministry of Youth and Sports for this initiative. Also, the documentary movie features the following researchers : Dr. Konrad Pędziwiatr (Tischner European University, Kraków) Dr. Katarzyna Górak-Sosnowska (University of Warsaw) Dr. Michał Łyszczarz (University of Silesia, Katowice) The movie has been shown in different places across Europe : Plateforme de Paris, April 2013, France University of Warszaw, May 2013, Poland Krakow School of Economics, May 2013, Poland University of Olsztyn, May 2013, Poland University of Oxford, May 2013, UK University of Cambridge, June 2013, UK University of Wroclaw, October 2013, Poland Brussels, ENORB meeting, December 2013, Belgium > Inside the Tatar mosque of Bohoniki

Light Inc. Initiated in Roissy-en-Brie under the impulse of two research students and a dynamic businessman, the organization won the Envie d Agir contest of the French Ministry of Youth and Sports for its first report in Guyana. The Light Inc. team assigns itself to three goals: - Intercultural dialogue through social exchange. - Conservation of Natural, Human and Social dignity through critical-reasoning and sustainable actions - Sharing through the production of educational tools. The association s field methodology which can be summarized in three key steps: - A local immersion study, providing a better grasp of the culture, history and language, - Building long term symmetrical cooperation with local actors - Sharing of experiences and knowledge acquired On the whole, the association engages in a work in which any partner institutions, associations or other, is free to be actively involved and are most welcome! The Cordoba Foundation The Cordoba Foundation is an independent public relations, research and policy think tank promoting intercultural dialogue and positive coexistence among civilisations, ideas, cultures and people. It is an advocate of dialogue and action to promote understanding and acceptance of inter-communal and inter-religious issues in Britain, Europe, US and beyond, in particular looking to bridge the gap of understanding between the Muslim World and the West and vice-versa. It seeks to do this by engaging with a variety of stakeholders in society such as practitioners, researchers, journalists, policy makers and religious leaders. The Cordoba Foundation helped finalizing the English version of the movie and organizing events in the UK. Contacts William BARYŁO Light Inc. - CEO william@light-inc.org 07 741 490 729 Abdullah FALIQ The Cordoba Foundation Head of Research abdullah@thecordobafoundation.com 07 947 787 222

Photos Khutba at the Islamic Centre of Katowice > Dars during the Night of Destiny, Bialystok Tatar mosque > 102 years old Imam Jasinski, with one of his handwritten books.

Iftar in the Warszawa mosque > Warsaw mosque with artisitic lighting > Old graves, Muslim cemetery in Kruszyniany