The project MAGIC, co-funded by the EU, will train Muslim communities, Muslim women, and civil society organisations to stand against gender islamophobia in public narratives

The kick-off meeting of the project was held on March 24, 2021. The members of the project consortium -led by the European Institute of the Mediterranean (IEMed)- participated in the event. 

In the span of two years (2021-2023) the project will map gender islamophobia in Belgian and Spanish newspapers and equip Muslim communities’ leaders, Muslim women, and CSOs working on diversity with skills and tools to recognize and stand against stereotypes against Muslim women in public narratives. MAGIC will also promote inclusiveness of Muslim voices in the media. It will do so not only through training and supporting awareness campaigns but also by enhanc ing knowledge, dialogue, and mutual cooperation among those groups and media practitioners.

These activities will involve at least 60 Muslim communities’ leaders and Muslim women, 60 representatives of NGOs/CSOs, and 60 representatives of media circles. Joint activities and continuous exchanges between these groups will ultimately lead to the creation of MAGIC, a Coalition of Muslim women and communities Against Gender Islamophobia in society. The envisaged role of this coalition will be to pursue the goals of the project beyond its duration and geographical framework.

This project is co-funded by the European Union’s Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme (2014-2020)

Project’s team

The MAGIC project is coordinated by the European Institute of the Mediterranean.

The consortium is formed by four organisations:

• The European Institute of the Mediterranean 
• Media Diversity Institute Global. MDIG is a non-profit organization, based in Brussels, which unlocks the power of media to lessen conflict, advance human rights and support a deeper public understanding of social diversity. 
• Fundación Al Fanar para el Conocimiento Árabe. Based in Madrid, it has a long track record of both working with Spanish media outlets and engaging with combating anti-Muslim hatred. 
• Collectif contre l’Islamophobie en Belgique. A Brussels-based non-profit association that works with Muslim communities in Belgium against Islamophobia and to sensitize citizens about this form of racism.