King praises Islamic studies centre's commitment to ‘international co-operation'
'I need hardly say I am extremely heartened that the centre continues to play such a significant role in that globally critical endeavour.'
The King meets schoolchildren during a visit to the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (Darren Staples/PA)
His comments came as the Middle East remains mired in conflict, with Israel fighting on multiple fronts from its continued bombardment of the Gaza Strip, recent strikes on Syria and the attack on Iran.
Speaking to invited guests and supporters, who included former home secretary Jack Straw and former attorney general Dominic Grieve, Charles, who is the centre's patron, praised its 'unfailing work to broaden our understanding of the Islamic world in the United Kingdom'.
Farhan Nizami, the centre's director, has been instrumental in its development over the decades, and said about its work today: 'The ability to bring scholars from around the world in a safe space where they can exchange ideas – we can agree to disagree when need be – but also to encourage the students to come into Oxford to read for Oxford degrees.
'I think the very presence of the centre is a statement of inter-faith.'
He also praised the King's support for the centre since becoming its patron in 1993, hosting celebratory events at various anniversary milestones and delivering the centre's inaugural lecture, Islam And The West, that year.
The director said Charles' 1993 speech 'still has a tremendous resonance and is still quoted – the call for better understanding of peoples and cultures.
'But as he put it then, that Islam was part of us in Britain and Britain is part of the Muslim world, and we should get rid of any prejudice and ignorance that might exist, to do that through good scholarship which is the basis for building bridges'.
During the visit the King cut a ribbon to officially open a wing renamed the King Charles III Wing.
It will host a programme named in his honour which consolidates activities inspired by him, from the Young Muslim Leadership Programme to conferences focused on global issues like the environment and sustainability.
Mr Straw, who sat on an advisory committee for the centre for a period, said: 'The fact it has developed in this way over 40 years is absolutely extraordinary.
'The patronage of now the King, then the Prince of Wales, has also been profoundly important because he was very much ahead of his time and it wasn't necessarily a popular cause.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald Scotland
38 minutes ago
- The Herald Scotland
Nicola Sturgeon says she still misses Alex Salmond
Following a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh in 2020, Mr Salmond was cleared of all 13 charges, which included attempted rape and sexual offences. In an exclusive interview with ITV News before the publication of her memoir Frankly on Thursday August 14, Ms Sturgeon said she misses the relationship she used to have with her mentor. Alex Salmond died in October last year (Robert Perry/PA) And she said she was hit by a 'wave of grief' after hearing of his death in October last year. Speaking to ITV News at Ten presenter Julie Etchingham, she said: 'Even today I still miss him in some way, the person that I used to know and the relationship we used to have. 'But I thought I had made my peace with it, that I'd got to a point where I felt nothing. 'And then I got a call to tell me that Alex Salmond had died. I started crying on the phone and I just was hit by this wave of grief… and it was complicated because obviously we weren't just no longer friends, we were political enemies. 'There was no prospect I was going to be able to go to his funeral or anything like that and it was a kind of strange, strange feeling.' Mr Salmond went on to become leader of the Alba Party, which became a frequent critic of his former party the SNP. He died suddenly of a heart attack in October in North Macedonia at the age of 69. Ms Sturgeon, who succeeded him as Scotland's first minister in 2014, said: 'At the point he died, I hadn't spoken to him for years. 'I felt really deeply the loss of the relationship with him. I suddenly didn't have him. He wasn't there. I couldn't talk to him. And I went through this period of I would still talk to him in my head. 'I would have vivid dreams that we were still on good terms. And then I'd have this feeling of such sadness when I remembered the reality. 'So, I went through that process. I still missed him in some bizarre way.' During the interview Ms Sturgeon is also asked by Ms Etchingham about her description of Reform UK leader Nigel Farage as 'odious' in her memoir. Nicola Sturgeon debating with then Ukip leader Nigel Farage in 2015 (Stefan Rousseau/PA) She said: 'This is my impression, other people might have a different view of him. He just comes across as somebody who's got a very, very fragile ego. 'Somebody who's not particularly comfortable, particularly around women. 'In the 2015 leaders debate just before we went on air that night, I just remember hearing him tell somebody how much he'd had to drink, in the green room area beforehand, and it just felt this kind of bravado and just not very pleasant.' Reform UK has been approached for comment. Nicola Sturgeon: The Interview will broadcast on Monday August 11 at 7pm on ITV1, ITVX & STV. An extended version of the interview will be available on ITVX in the following days.
Western Telegraph
40 minutes ago
- Western Telegraph
Nicola Sturgeon says she still misses Alex Salmond
The pair formed one of the most successful political partnerships in UK history however their relationship deteriorated and then broke down after sexual misconduct allegations against him emerged. Following a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh in 2020, Mr Salmond was cleared of all 13 charges, which included attempted rape and sexual offences. In an exclusive interview with ITV News before the publication of her memoir Frankly on Thursday August 14, Ms Sturgeon said she misses the relationship she used to have with her mentor. Alex Salmond died in October last year (Robert Perry/PA) And she said she was hit by a 'wave of grief' after hearing of his death in October last year. Speaking to ITV News at Ten presenter Julie Etchingham, she said: 'Even today I still miss him in some way, the person that I used to know and the relationship we used to have. 'But I thought I had made my peace with it, that I'd got to a point where I felt nothing. 'And then I got a call to tell me that Alex Salmond had died. I started crying on the phone and I just was hit by this wave of grief… and it was complicated because obviously we weren't just no longer friends, we were political enemies. 'There was no prospect I was going to be able to go to his funeral or anything like that and it was a kind of strange, strange feeling.' Mr Salmond went on to become leader of the Alba Party, which became a frequent critic of his former party the SNP. He died suddenly of a heart attack in October in North Macedonia at the age of 69. Ms Sturgeon, who succeeded him as Scotland's first minister in 2014, said: 'At the point he died, I hadn't spoken to him for years. 'I felt really deeply the loss of the relationship with him. I suddenly didn't have him. He wasn't there. I couldn't talk to him. And I went through this period of I would still talk to him in my head. 'I would have vivid dreams that we were still on good terms. And then I'd have this feeling of such sadness when I remembered the reality. 'So, I went through that process. I still missed him in some bizarre way.' During the interview Ms Sturgeon is also asked by Ms Etchingham about her description of Reform UK leader Nigel Farage as 'odious' in her memoir. Nicola Sturgeon debating with then Ukip leader Nigel Farage in 2015 (Stefan Rousseau/PA) She said: 'This is my impression, other people might have a different view of him. He just comes across as somebody who's got a very, very fragile ego. 'Somebody who's not particularly comfortable, particularly around women. 'In the 2015 leaders debate just before we went on air that night, I just remember hearing him tell somebody how much he'd had to drink, in the green room area beforehand, and it just felt this kind of bravado and just not very pleasant.' Reform UK has been approached for comment. Nicola Sturgeon: The Interview will broadcast on Monday August 11 at 7pm on ITV1, ITVX & STV. An extended version of the interview will be available on ITVX in the following days.
South Wales Argus
44 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
Nicola Sturgeon says she still misses Alex Salmond
The pair formed one of the most successful political partnerships in UK history however their relationship deteriorated and then broke down after sexual misconduct allegations against him emerged. Following a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh in 2020, Mr Salmond was cleared of all 13 charges, which included attempted rape and sexual offences. In an exclusive interview with ITV News before the publication of her memoir Frankly on Thursday August 14, Ms Sturgeon said she misses the relationship she used to have with her mentor. Alex Salmond died in October last year (Robert Perry/PA) And she said she was hit by a 'wave of grief' after hearing of his death in October last year. Speaking to ITV News at Ten presenter Julie Etchingham, she said: 'Even today I still miss him in some way, the person that I used to know and the relationship we used to have. 'But I thought I had made my peace with it, that I'd got to a point where I felt nothing. 'And then I got a call to tell me that Alex Salmond had died. I started crying on the phone and I just was hit by this wave of grief… and it was complicated because obviously we weren't just no longer friends, we were political enemies. 'There was no prospect I was going to be able to go to his funeral or anything like that and it was a kind of strange, strange feeling.' Mr Salmond went on to become leader of the Alba Party, which became a frequent critic of his former party the SNP. He died suddenly of a heart attack in October in North Macedonia at the age of 69. Ms Sturgeon, who succeeded him as Scotland's first minister in 2014, said: 'At the point he died, I hadn't spoken to him for years. 'I felt really deeply the loss of the relationship with him. I suddenly didn't have him. He wasn't there. I couldn't talk to him. And I went through this period of I would still talk to him in my head. 'I would have vivid dreams that we were still on good terms. And then I'd have this feeling of such sadness when I remembered the reality. 'So, I went through that process. I still missed him in some bizarre way.' During the interview Ms Sturgeon is also asked by Ms Etchingham about her description of Reform UK leader Nigel Farage as 'odious' in her memoir. Nicola Sturgeon debating with then Ukip leader Nigel Farage in 2015 (Stefan Rousseau/PA) She said: 'This is my impression, other people might have a different view of him. He just comes across as somebody who's got a very, very fragile ego. 'Somebody who's not particularly comfortable, particularly around women. 'In the 2015 leaders debate just before we went on air that night, I just remember hearing him tell somebody how much he'd had to drink, in the green room area beforehand, and it just felt this kind of bravado and just not very pleasant.' Reform UK has been approached for comment. Nicola Sturgeon: The Interview will broadcast on Monday August 11 at 7pm on ITV1, ITVX & STV. An extended version of the interview will be available on ITVX in the following days.
