Fearless Fighters For Faith Freedom
www.5fnow.org
Religious tension - both within the Muslim community and between different religious communities - seems to be growing every day in Egypt and throughout the region. Sometimes discrimination takes legal forms, when minorities find their civil rights restricted. But more often tension comes on the social level. A Christian boy falls in love with a Muslim girl he can never marry. A Muslim customer refuses to pay for a soda at the store of his Christian neighbor. A growing movement of religious extremism exacerbates these problems, challenging Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
We are a group of young Egyptians from diverse backgrounds who want to build a more tolerant society. Our differences, we believe, should be a source of strength and not division. Therefore, we are launching the “5F Initiative” - Fearless Fighters for Faith Freedom – to confront the influence of extremists on Egyptian society and encourage Egyptians from different backgrounds to say in public what they discuss behind closed doors. Securing a healthy atmosphere of interfaith dialogue is the first step towards ending sectarian tension in Egypt and respecting every Egyptian as an equal citizen regardless of his or her religion.
We will not complain or merely record incidents of intolerance. We will focus on stating facts, analyzing them, discussing them openly with the purpose of reaching a reasonable compromise. We will fearlessly fight intolerance by encouraging honest and open dialogue.
The 5F initiative will start from this blog. Every Egyptian from 7 to 70 years old is encouraged to submit their views regarding religious freedom in Egypt and to share their personal experiences of discrimination and hope. Sharing stories and viewpoints will help provide us with a better understanding of sectarian tensions and the how we can overcome them.
The 5F initiative will then move from cyberspace to the real world. We intend to publish the best articles in a book distributed to government officials, students, activists, and ordinary citizens. In addition, we intend to organize seminars, outdoor social gatherings, and shared celebrations of holidays.
If you believe in religious tolerance and Egyptian society’s need to build a better future, please join us today by filling out the following form (See attached or you can do it online: www.5fnow.org).
