Bio
Maajid Nawaz's current work and passion is founded by his early years spent as a leader of the global Islamist group, Hizb ut-Tahrir. His imprisonment in Egypt allowed him years of study, and marked his transformation towards more anti-extreme thought and democratic values and ideology leading to his adoption as an Amnesty International "prisoner of conscience.'
Human Rights, education, economic empowerment, and a respect for individual liberty are matters close to Maajid's heart and he is now a leading critic of his former Islamist ideological dogma, while remaining a Muslim. Maajid has become a prominent counter-extremism consultant and a regular writer, debater and sought after public commentator. In this regard, he has been called upon by heads of state, statesmen and international bodies for his professional opinion.
Nawaz is Co-Founder and Chairman of Quilliam " a globally active think tank focusing on matters of Integration, Citizenship & Identity, Religious Freedom, Extremism and Immigration. He is also the 2015 Liberal Democrat candidate for the constituency of Hampstead and Kilburn in North-West London, where his party came in third by 841 votes in 2010, just 1.6%, making this one of the closest election contests in the country.
An advocate of peaceful discourse, education, and tolerance Maajid shares with audiences his deep understanding of radical Islamist thought, and how his journey toward democratic awakening has inspired his beliefs on how we can, and should, move away from extremism around the globe.