Kritische Islamkonferenz

By contrast, they should rely on the "model of transcultural society" in which "each individual, on the basis of secular values, has the opportunity" to "shape their lives autonomously", and thus experience "a cultural diversity that is actually an enrichment, rather than a threat".

[2] On 31 May and 1 June 2008 in Cologne,[3] the following speakers held lectures: Mina Ahadi, Michael Schmidt-Salomon, Ralph Giordano, Hartmut Krauss, Philippe Witzmann, Stephan Grigat and Klaus Blees.

The slogan of the first Kritische Islamkonferenz was "Aufklären statt verschleiern" (loosely translated: "Enlightening instead of disguising"; the latter can both mean "to obscure" and "to cover oneself (with a veil)").

The following speakers presented: Hamed Abdel-Samad, Mina Ahadi, Lale Akgün,[5] Necla Kelek, Lukas Mihr, Michael Schmidt-Salomon, Arzu Toker and Ali Utlu.

This resulted from a supposed need for an alliance between secularist and liberal religious forces to defend the "open society" against the "double threat of political Islam and chauvinistic xenophobia".