Prince Charles Celebrates British Muslim Talent

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LONDON: Muslim communities have "enriched Britain in every sense", Prince Charles said as he attended an award ceremony for talented British Muslims alongside Jordan's Princess Badiya bint El Hassan.

The Mosaic Talent Awards have been newly created in conjunction with one of the heir-to-the-throne's charities, Mosaic, which offers mentoring to help raise the aspirations of disaffected young Muslims.

"I was fascinated to hear the views of the imam of the Leeds Makkah Mosque (in the north of England) on how, through a wide range of initiatives including Mosaic, Britain seeks to integrate rather than isolate its minority communities and offers real freedom of choice and of expression," the prince said.

"I have to say that it is this acceptance -- indeed, this welcome -- of diversity which makes me rather proud to be British."

Among the winners was Imran Hakim, 30, from Bolton in northwest England, who was given the science and technology award for his iTeddy, an interactive teddy bear that he is now selling worldwide.

"I'm proud to be a positive role model for young Muslims -- there can be a lot of negative stereotypes in the press, so it's great to have the prince here tonight talking about something positive," Hakim said.

British authorities have sought to engage more with Muslim communities since the suicide bomb attacks on London in 2005, which saw four British nationals blow themselves up on the city's transport network, killing 52 others.


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