Press Conference to launch Written Declaration
European Parliament Strasbourg (23rd February 2005)
Speech presented by Halima Chergui On Behalf of Assembly for the Protection of Hijab
 

Dear Respected Panel, Ladies and Gentlemen

On behalf of Assembly for the Protection of Hijab, please allow me to gratefully thank Caroline Lucas MEP, Baroness Sarah Ludford MEP, Claude Moraes MEP, Phillip Bushill-Matthews MEP and Alain Lipietz MEP who have worked very hard to bring this Written Declaration to fruition.
Without their dedication and unending optimism, we will not be launching this campaign today.

Assembly for the Protection of Hijab as a network of organisations and supporters across Europe and the world worked hard and will continue to work hard to achieve one specific aim that is freedom to wear the Islamic headscarf (Hijab) for those who chose to wear it, we worked with other faith followers such as Sikhs, Jews and Christians in addition to human rights organisations in order to achieve religious freedom and tolerance across Europe.

Each one of us present here today strive for one of the greatest causes of modern times; that is the freedom of religious thought, expression and value.
It is important to reiterate that Hijab is NOT a symbol, it is indeed an expression of my faith, my beliefs and my conviction,,,,,,, it is part of my identity, my personality, and my characters.

It is imperative that the Written Declaration receives the requisite signatures, as this is a way to ensure that European policy moves positively towards religious tolerance away from the slippery slope towards which it now ventures.
Assembly for the Protection of Hijab will carry on this campaign together with other organisations and lobby consistencies throughout Europe; this is the first step but not the final one in the European Parliament arena.

Finally, I urge all freedom loving and justice seeking people to take part in this campaign, to lobby their MEPs and to make an historic difference to Europe.

Ladies and Gentlemen:
We can reverse the ban. We will all reverse it. And we will not tire in our work until we reach our goal.
 

Thank you.