The Group of Strategic Vision ‘Russia – Islamic World’ was established in 2006 under the leadership of Yevgeny Primakov and Mintimer Shaimiev after the Russian Federation joined the Organization of Islamic Cooperation as an observer. The Group has already held its traditional sessions in such cities as Moscow, Kazan, Istanbul, Kuwait, Jeddah and Ufa.
The Group comprises 33 famous state and public figures from 27 Muslim countries, including current and former prime Ministers, former Ministers of Foreign Affairs, a number of prominent theologians of the Islamic East from Indonesia, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Kuwait and many others. One of the most active members of the Group and a regular participant of the dialogue between Russia and the Islamic world is Doctor Mohammed Bechari, Deputy Chairman of the International Union for the Consolidation of Peace in Islamic Communities.
Doctor Mohammed Bechari was born in Morocco. He is a leading public figure in European Islam. He leads many organizations that strive to represent French and European Muslims in an objective and inclusive way in society at large, as well as working to empower their own communities.
Bechari is Secretary General of the World Council of Muslim Communities based in the UAE, and President of the French Natuonal Federation of Muslims, one of France’s leading Muslim organizations. He is also Secretary General of the Islamic Eurasian Conference, which aims to be a united organization representing European Muslims at the global level. Bechari, among other things, is also the founder of the Avicenna Institute in Lille and a member of the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID) in Vienna.
Through his daily work, whether through public organizations or academic publications, Mohammed Bechari seeks to return Islam from the distorted image portrayed by terrorists to its true meaning and significance. Participating in one of the traditional international forums ‘Muslim Journalists Against Extremism’ held by the Group of Strategic Vision ‘Russia – Islamic World’, Bechari paid special attention to the problem of extremism spread among the general public.
‘We know that there is a jihadist current within Islam that preaches the old ideas in an extremist way and promotes holy war in an extremist way. We know that electronic influence has to be countered in every possible way. And we know that the Minister of Internal Affairs said that Russia, together with its different regions, was combating different manifestations of extremism. In fact, we are going through a very serious stage right now. We know that in the Emirates, in the countries of the Persian Gulf, it is said that now there are a number of different centres that are now countering the information war, including in Maghreb, where new centres are emerging that consciously and thoughtfully act against extremism, against political spread of ideas of extremist Islam, and try to counter the involvement of young people in extremist religious organizations. All this calls for serious reflection,’ Bechari noted in one of his speeches.
In Mohammed Bechari’s opinion, only by uniting with the Muslim community Russia can save the youth of all countries from the pernicious influence of extremism.
As far as his awards and scientific research are concerned, Bechari has written a lot of books and held the posts of visiting professorships at several international universities. He was awarded the King Abdullah II Prize for Oustanding Achievements, first class, as well as the Medal of Science and Art, first class, of the Arab Republic of Egypt.
Ilmira Gafiyatullina