A meeting held with the organisers of the Commonwealth Games has explored ways in which Muslims can engage with the games when they come to Glasgow in 2014.

The summit with a variety of different types of Muslim organisations was facilitated by the Scottish-Islamic Foundation.

It explored various aspects of engagement including helping with the process of organising the games themselves from volunteering to procurement for businesses.

The meeting also discussed sporting attainment of Muslims at some length. There was keenness to ensure that young Muslims had the opportunity to train and be developed as potential participants. More widely it was also felt that as a legacy, the games provided a great opportunity to engender more participation in sport amongst Muslims, thus also promoting exercise to combat health issues.

Commenting, Gordon Arthur, Director of Communications at Glasgow 2014 said:

“It is important for the Organising Committee that we have effective engagement with all sections of the community in Glasgow and across Scotland as a whole. This initial meeting with representatives of the Muslim community was very informative and we hope it will form the basis of ongoing engagement with this important section of the community as we move forward in the detailed planning of the Games.”

Osama Saeed, Chief Executive of the Scottish-Islamic Foundation said:

“The Games being held in Glasgow means a huge deal for the city and the country. It’s imperative that Muslims maximise their own contribution to this event.

“As well as the normal ways everyone can get involved, there are unique contributions that Muslims can make too. Many of the participants and spectators will be from Muslim backgrounds and countries. There is a huge opportunity for global cultural exchange. As well as input, there are no doubt substantial benefits from involvement too, primarily in the areas of health and sport.

“The first meeting contained valuable insights and will act as a great springboard for future actions. It is important to have a unified and cross community approach to engagement with the Games, and that’s why we brought together a range of people and organisations for this meeting. It is no doubt just the start of an ongoing process and we’ll meet again to take forward the recommendations in due course.”

[ENDS]

Blog: Glasgow 2014 meeting