Muslim Engagement and Development

MEND is a not-for-profit company that was founded to help empower and encourage British Muslims within local communities to be more actively involved in British media, politics and democracy. British Muslims have remained on the margins of public and political debate about their religion and place in modern Britain for too long and the level of Muslim participation in media and politics remains woefully low. MEND seeks to enable British Muslims to engage more effectively with political and media institutions and play a greater role in British politics and society by instilling confidence, competence and awareness. Enhancing mainstream participation by communities that are under-represented and vulnerable is an important step towards deepening and strengthening our democracy. MEND will encourage voter registration and political engagement by British Muslims so that through civic involvement Muslims can responsibly exercise their duty in working for the common good. MEND aims to equip Muslims with the skills, resources and materials necessary for them to play a more active role in society. MEND believes that all citizens have a responsibility to contribute to the positive and sustained development of a Britain in which all members of society are valued and respected whatever their religious, racial or ethnic background, gender or sexual orientation. MEND endeavours to enable active citizenship and participation by British Muslims in furtherance of its aims to create a more inclusive and tolerant Britain. MEND aims to provide commentary and analysis on the high volumes of news content and coverage that maligns Islam and Muslims and foments Islamophobia in the UK and across Europe. MEND aims to work with Muslim and non Muslim organisations to ensure that anti-Muslim prejudice is regarded just as socially unacceptable as anti-Semitism and other forms of racism and xenophobia.