MPV Logo
August 2015 - In This Issue:

A Month of Youth Empowerment

 Omair Paul, Muslims for Progressive Values' Representative to the United Nations, at a Plenary session of the Global Forum on Youth, Peace and Security (GFYPS), raising the point that it is imperative to engage socially inclusive faith-based organizations in changing hearts and minds, and in countering violent extremism.
This Month in Pictures
MPV's first podcast episode Hosted by Bangladesh' Monica Islam is on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and features Rand Jarallah, a Young Leader at Women Deliver and the Co-founder, Deputy Director, and Youth Ambassador (Palestine) of the organization named Youth to End Sexual Violence.
Omair Paul representing Muslims for Progressive Values as a Youth Delegate at Global Forum on Youth Peace and Security
A group photo of the 100-plus participants of the Global Forum on Youth, Peace and Security from across the globe. Participants included academics, activists and advocates, UN agencies, and even those individuals who have escaped conflict as refugees to tell the world about their harrowing experiences.
Register now to take part in MPV's 9th Annual Retreat! Do you have any ideas for the upcoming MPV National Retreat on October 9, 10, 11, 2015? Please contact kelly@mpvatlanta.org and share your thoughts!
MPV Australia and Malaysia meeting up!
MPV-Malaysia (KMU) and MPV-Australia are meeting up! Meet Program Directors of both chapters. RSVP required. 
MPV Malaysia or known as KMU Malaysia held a Capacity Building Workshop on the 8th and 9th of August 2015. In this picture, participants were listening to Christopher Dekki, UN representative about Advocacy 101. Visit KMU Malaysia's website for more information.
Trina Jackson of MPV-Atlanta has been selected as a Grand Marshall for the Atlanta Pride Parade on October 11. The Grand Marshals are comprised of individuals and organizations, residing or based in Georgia who are recognized for their outstanding working advancing LGBTQ equality in Atlanta and across Georgia. MPV will be marching in the Pride Parade in support of Trina and our continued commitment to LGBTQ rights.
MPV wholeheartedly supports the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights as their leader speaks truth to power on flagrant human rights abuses around the world. See more here.
August Recap
Muslim Youths on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
On the occasion of International Youth Day, MPV launched its exclusive Podcast Series, created by youth for youth. This Podcast Series provides youth a platform to express themselves freely on all matters that interest them: from music to freedom of expression, from politics to sexual and reproductive health and rights and from religion to the arts. Produced by Monica Islam, hailing from Bangladesh, the MPV Podcast Series serve to empower youth and to raise their voices!

The first podcast's topic is on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), features Rand Jarallah, a Young Leader at Women Deliver and the Co-founder, Deputy Director, and Youth Ambassador (Palestine) of the organization named Youth to End Sexual Violence.

Check it out here.
Global Forum on Youth, Peace and Security
On August 22-23 2015, the Global Forum on Youth, Peace, and Security, was hosted by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan under the Patronage of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, and was envisaged as a turning point towards a new international agenda on Youth, Peace and Security. Stemming from the thematic debate organized by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan during its presidency of the Security Council in April 2015, the Forum built on continuing efforts by a multiplicity of actors to decisively step-up global attention to young people's contribution to peace and chart a common agenda. For the first gathering of this kind, young people, youth-led organizations, non-governmental organizations, governments and UN entities will came together to agree on a common vision and a roadmap to partner with young people to prevent conflict, counter violent extremism and build lasting peace. 

MPV's United Nations Representative Omair Paul participated, and directly contributed to the outcome document of the forum, entitled the Amman Declaration, ensuring that youth in all of their diverse identities as well as socially inclusive faith-based organizations and faith leaders will be considered as part of the global peace and security debate.
Arria Formula Meeting on violations of LGBTQI rights in Daesh-held territories
Upon returning from the Global Forum on Youth, Peace and Security, Amman, Jordan, our UN Representative Omair Paul was able to make an intervention at the first ever Arria-Formula Security Council Session at UNHQ in New York on violence against LGBTI demographics in Iraq and Syria. The gathering was convened by the governments of the United States and Chile, and featured jarring and heartbreaking presentations from two men who escaped violence and persecution in Iraq and Syria, as well statements from our friends at the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission. MPV's intervention was well received by the room, and can be found here.
MPV in the News
Ani Zonneveld's Op Ed on WorldPost garnered over 85,000 readers. Read them in English, German and Korean.
Update from MPV Chapters and MPV Offices
MPV Atlanta
  • Join MPV Atlanta at Sunday Zikr at 5pm in Midtown Atlanta. Contact kelly@mpvatlanta.org  for more information.
  • We are looking to restart Friday prayers in the Atlanta area this fall! If you are interested in participating in any capacity - call to prayer, khutbahs, leading prayers, etc. Please contact kelly@mpvatlanta.org. Everyone is welcome to participate!
  • Our very own Trina Jackson, an MPV-Atlanta board member, is a Grand Marshal for Atlanta Pride in October! Learn more here.
MPV Australia
  • MPV Australia will be hosting an evening with members of MPV Malaysia on Thursday 3rd of September in Melbourne. The dinner will provide members with an opportunity to exchange ideas, discuss shared challenges and possible future collaborations.
  • On Tuesday 25th of August MPV Australia launched its new website and a twitter account on @MPV_Aus. Follow us!
  • If you are interested in volunteering with MPV Australia, please contact us on info@mpv-australia.org. We are seeking expertise in a wide range of areas to support our progressive Muslim communities across Australia.

MPV Malaysia (KMU)
  • Please visit KMU's website to stay informed with KMU's activities and relevant news!
MPV Bangladesh
Feature
Climate Change Initiative
Check out this non-MPV initiative that we're excited to support: Islamic Declaration on Global Climate Change.

One particular verse that stands out to us is the following:

He raised the heaven and established the balance
So that you would not transgress the balance.
Give just weight - do not skimp in the balance.
He laid out the earth for all living creatures.
Qur'an 55: 7-10

Children's Book
Salim's Secret is a heartwarming children's book about an Indonesian Muslim boy who shares his story about being gay, about love and compassion. It is a "book for Muslim parents who would like to introduce tolerance and to explain what homosexuality is to their children."
Please support MPV's human rights work! We need your help!

Muslims for Progressive Values
1626 N. Wilcox Ave., Suite 702,
Los Angeles, CA 90028 USA
+1-323-696-2678
+1-323-842-2869 [media inquiries]

Muslims for Progressive Values (MPV) is the only American movement that advocates for egalitarian expressions of Islam, for women, for LGBTQI rights, for freedom of expression, and for freedom of and from religion and belief. MPV does this by creating inclusive spaces for religious discourse, the arts and social activism.