A proposal from the United Kingdom aims to combat Islamophobia through education and dialogue

With hatred towards Muslims reaching alarming levels in the UK, Better Communities Bradford (BCB) has launched Project Unity, an ambitious national initiative aimed at educating people about Islamophobia, tackling harmful myths and creating more welcoming communities. 

This project comes at a crucial time. Although Muslims make up only 6.5% of the UK population, they account for 42% of all victims of religious hate crime, according to a Home Office report. By 2024, Islamophobic attacks have risen by a staggering 74%. 

A recent analysis found that there is 400% more negative coverage of Muslims than other groups in the media. 

In the workplace, 40% of Muslims report experiencing discrimination in performance reviews and promotions, while 60% of Conservative Party members believe that Islam ‘threatens British life.’ 

Anti-Muslim prejudice has become alarmingly normalised in public life, the media and politics. Project Unity seeks to reverse this trend by creating spaces for facts, humanity and dialogue to replace suspicion and division. This is not just a problem in Bradford. It is a national challenge, and we believe it deserves a national solution," said Abbas Najib, chief executive of Better Communities Bradford. 

Over the next 12 months, Project Unity will offer free interactive workshops and interfaith dialogues across England, reaching schools, universities, community spaces, public sector organisations and workplaces. Each session is designed to debunk harmful myths, challenge media narratives and empower people to engage thoughtfully and honestly. 

Workshops include: Myths and Misconceptions about Islam; Islam, Extremism and the War Narrative: How to Separate Dominant Beliefs from Extremist Ideologies; The Truth about Gang Harassment: Challenging the Search for Racial Scapegoats with Facts and Context; Does Islam Oppress Women? Exploring women's rights, autonomy, and misperceptions; Islam, terrorism, and security: Understanding Islam's stance on justice and violence; Media and political narratives: How bias and misinformation influence public opinion. 

The workshops are context-specific, evidence-based and delivered by facilitators with both practical and professional experience. The Unity Project is more than a response to rising hatred. It is a proactive call to organisations across the UK to become visible allies in the fight against Islamophobia.