Abdul Adil
Women took centre stage at the twentieth The Muslim News Awards for Excellence, claiming 73 per cent of the accolades.
More than 500 guests assembled for the gala dinner in the heart of London on June 24, to honour the remarkable achievements and contributions of British Muslims, as well as those from non-Muslim backgrounds to society.
Among the remarkable women celebrated was Congo-born youth activist Hawa Haragakiza, who established a community interest company to tackle youth issues after her 15-year-old son, Tamim, tragically fell victim to knife crime. She actively advocates for change by delivering speeches to local authorities and councils. Also honoured was trailblazer Jawahir Roble, the first Black British female hijab-wearing football referee, who overcame Somalia’s war-torn background to achieve the distinction of becoming a National League referee.
Educator Dr Asyia Kazmi, OBE, was recognised for her exceptional contributions to education policy. Her career spans key roles in UK Government departments, including senior education adviser in DFID, project director in the UK’s Department for Education, and Senior Her Majesty’s Inspector in Ofsted. She currently serves as the Global Education Policy Lead at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and previously managed the £800 million Girls’ Education Challenge Fund at the Department for International Development.
However, amid the celebration of the Muslim community’s achievements, the evening also paid tribute to the innocent civilian Palestinians killed in Gaza. Approximately 120 journalists and their teams were killed by Israeli forces, many of them losing family members, yet they continue to persist in their mission to inform the world. “This marks a sombre milestone in conflict history, with an extraordinary number of journalists killed in a short time,” remarked Ahmed J. Versi, Editor of The Muslim News, in his welcoming speech. He also referenced the Coalition for Women in Journalism, which noted that 67% of all female journalists killed throughout 2023 were Palestinians.
In recognition of these immense sacrifices, The Muslim News created the ‘Valour Award for Palestinian Journalists in Gaza.’ Versi presented the award to the Palestinian Ambassador to the UK, Husam Zomlot, on behalf of all journalists in the enclave.
Accepting the award, Zomlot said, “It is an honour to receive this award on behalf of real heroes, the Palestinian journalists who have heroically decided to convey to the world what is happening, and you know many have been killed. But the stories they brought out—the heroism, the bravery, the commitment to their profession and the truth—have given the profession of journalism a new level of nobility, and I am so proud of every Palestinian journalist.”
In his heartfelt speech, Zomlot expressed his hope for a free Palestine. “It’s hard, it’s traumatic, it’s sad; one feels rage and anger, but one feels hope and determination. I want to assure you that out of the darkest moment comes the light and dawn, and it feels like dawn is about to break out. It feels like Palestine is about to be free, Jerusalem is about to be free, and Inshā’Allāh, we will all celebrate together. The next occasion will be held in a liberated Jerusalem, on the beautiful beaches of Gaza, and Inshā’Allāh these wounds will heal, and the place will be peace, justice, and prosperity.”
Catherine West MP, Shadow Minister of Asia and the Pacific, noted the evening was in two parts: the first was to “celebrate the award winners and the journalists who give their lives, to tell the truth on all sides in battles and conflicts and to celebrate the grassroots, Muslim organisations in our communities who help to support newly arrived communities who share lots of support for families.”
West expressed her hope to convey to Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy that “regardless of what is going on, we can sit side by side in this country and we can work together for that hopeful vision which Husam has outlined this evening.”
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, acknowledged profound empathy for the suffering in Palestine, stating that the Palestinian Ambassador “represents 3 million people in the West Bank and 2 million people in Gaza. We have empathy for the suffering in Palestine; he is living it because he has lost members of his family and his wife’s.”
Khan, himself a target of persistent anti-Muslim campaigns, expressed that awards are “the antidote to the hatred that many of us suffer every day by the simple virtue that we are people who practise the faith of Islam, we are Muslims, and because of the colour of our skin. And this is one chance we can celebrate excellence that isn’t celebrated often in the mainstream media. So please enjoy this wonderful occasion; please celebrate the success of our brothers and sisters that otherwise do not get recognised.”
Dawn Alford, Executive Director of the Society of Editors, said, “In a world often overshadowed by challenges and strife,” the shortlisted individuals “remind us of the profound difference one person can make. Their relentless efforts and compassionate hearts inspire all to strive for a better and more just world.”
Hina Bokhari, Leader of the London Assembly Liberal Democrats Group, said, “There are so many amazing people here, particularly seeing amazing Muslim women. It is important to highlight the fact that Muslim women are achieving so much.”
Daniel Levy, President of the US/Middle East Project, was “deeply moved by being here tonight to join in all the glorious diversity of your community. I believe nothing more can represent my understanding of the Jewish tradition. I grew up with the universal edict that I took from my family’s experience of immigration and persecution, standing up for the value that all life is created equal, whether that is Palestinian or anyone else.
So when we stand for justice and equal rights, for the end of the occupation, and an end to this brutal horror taking place in Gaza, we stand for our basic shared humanity. When so many in your community led the call for justice, accountability, and a ceasefire, I am proud to say that for this Jew, it is something that should unite us and not divide us in our common humanity.”
Welcoming the guests, Versi said, “Tonight we mark a remarkable milestone: the twentieth The Muslim News Award for Excellence, a major feature in the British Muslim calendar.
When the awards were launched, it marked a “significant moment as the first event organised by British Muslims to honour their contributions to British society.The stories you’re about to hear offer a counter-narrative to the numerous negative portrayals of Muslims and Islam perpetuated daily by the media,” Versi said.
The evening featured Kalia Lyraki, a singer and multi-instrumentalist playing Latva (Turkish lute), and Nay and Khaled Hakim accompanied her on daf. Each winner received a beautifully and intricately crafted brass Astrolabe, an iconic Muslim-designed instrument of navigation.
The astrolabe, celebrated for its precision, was historically employed across the Muslim world to measure the altitude of stars and planets. By the eighth century, the Astrolabe was used for navigation, determining the direction (qiblah) towards the Ka’bah in Makkah, calculating lunar calendars, and assessing meteorological conditions.
Central photo: Ahmed J. Versi, Editor of The Muslim News, presents the Valour Award for Palestinian Journalists in Gaza to Ambassador Husam Zomlot, Head of the Palestinian Mission to the UK. Credit: Abdul Datoo/The Muslim News). Women celebrated. Centre bottom: Professor Farieda Fortune. (Left Column) Lubna Choudhury, Akhtarun Nessa, Hanan Ashegh, Dr. Asyia Kazmi OBE. Right column: Noushin Aslam Raja, Jawahir Roble. Shahina Chandoo, and Hawa Haragakiza.
