Warga Singapura diiktiraf di UK kerana usaha galak keharmonian

Publication: Berita Harian, p 4
Date: 25 April 2009
Headline: Singaporean Honoured in the UK for Her Efforts in Promoting Racial Harmony
Please scroll down for translation
Warga Singapura diiktiraf di UK kerana usaha galak keharmonian kaum
SUARANYA yang lunak bak seorang penyanyi
sering berkumandang di
corong radio.
Tetapi jangan salah tanggap, suara Cik Shereen
Aziz-Williams bukan untuk memikat pendengar
tetapi lebih bertujuan bagi
menggalak keharmonian
kaum dan agama.
Cik Shereen, 26 tahun,
sebenarnya merupakan
pengacara radio Internet
Radio Salaam Shalom - sebuah radio pertama
masyarakat Islam dan
Yahudi - di United Kingdom.
Seminggu sekali Cik
Shereen akan berkumandang di udara untuk membincangkan usaha-usaha bagi mengeratkan hubungan
antara kaum, termasuk
topik mengenai usaha memupuk hubungan dan persefahaman antara masyarakat Islam dengan Yahudi.
Selain daripada menjadi
pengacara radio, beliau juga membantu menubuhkan
beberapa persatuan yang ana sumbangan beliau semenggalak hubungan ant- bagai seorang Muslim kepaara kaum di samping mem- da masyarakat Britain, sebantu usaha mengumpul lain daripada sumbangan
dana $3.3 juta sejak beliau dalam menjalin kehannonitinggal di Wales pada 2005. an agama dalam persatuan,
Cik Shereen, Pengarah seperti Swansea Faith Fo(Wales) Majlis Pertubuhan rums dan Radio Salaam
Sektor Sukarela Minoriti Et- Shalom.
Menurut Cik Shereen,
nik (Cemvo), berada di sabeliau
terkejut apabila dipina selepas bernikah dengan
lih
sebagai
calon anugerah
suaminya, En& h e r Willitu.
iams, 34 tahun.
"Saya tidak sangka menDi atas sumbangannya,
jadi
anugerah tersebeliau menjadi anak watan but. calon
Kini,
saya
antara peSingapura pertama me- menangnya.
menangi Anugerah Uth"Saya juga terharu
man Dan Fodio dalam diberi anugerah yang saKecemerlangan Pemban- ngat berprestij kepada
gunan Masyarakat bulan la- masyarakat Islam United
lu.
Kingdom ini," ujar beliau
Anugerah tersebut dalam e-melnya baru-baru
diberikan oleh The M u s h ini.
News, sebuah akhbar hariMenceritakan usahanya
an masyarakat Islam di mahu mengeratkan hubuUnited Kmgdom.
ngan agama di United K q Ini kali kesembilan dom, Cik Shereen berkata
anugerah itu diadakan di selepas serangan penggaUnited JGngdom dan meru- nas di London pada 7 Julai
pakan anugerah Muslim 2005, usaha bagi meningpaling lama di Britain.
katkan keharmonian anCik Shereen terpilih ker- tara masyarakat berbilang
agama dan kaum agak
dar.
"Isu keharrnonian antara kaum sering dijadikan
bahan perdebatan media.
"Setelah kejadian 7 Julai itu, perpaduan masyarakat .meniadi antara keutamaan masyarakat Britain.
"Identiti dan kesetiaan
umat Islam masyarakat Britain pula sering dipersoal,"
ujar Cik Shereen, yang kini
merupakan penduduk
tetap United Kingdom.
Beliau berkata, suaminya, Encik Omer, yang juga bertugas dalam sektor
sukarela, sering menggalak
beliau melakukan kerja-kerja sukarela untuk mengisi
masa yang terluang.
"Pengalaman melakukan keja-ke j a sukarela
mendatangkan kepuasan.
Ia juga dapat memberi banyak manfaat, terutama
dalam memupuk hubungan
antara kaurn," kata lulusan
perakaunan dari Universiti
Pengurusan Singapura
(SMU) itu.
I
SUMBANGAN DIIKTIRAF:
Cik Shereen merupakan
warga Singapura pertama
yang memenangi anugerah
daripada akhbar The Muslim
News di United Kingdom.
Bersama Cik Shereen ialah
para pemenang lain. - Foto
ihsan SHEREEN
AZlt-WILLIAMS
Source: Berita Harian O Singapore Press Holdings Limited. Permission required for reproduction.
Publication: Berita Harian, p 4
Date: 25 April 2009
Headline: Singaporean Honoured in the UK for Her Efforts in Promoting
Racial Harmony
Singaporean Honoured in the UK for Her Efforts in Promoting Racial
Harmony
Her rich voice similar to that of a singer is often heard on the airwaves.
However do not be mistaken, the voice of Ms Shereen Aziz-Williams is not there to attract listeners
but is there to encourage racial harmony and greater interfaith understanding.
Ms Shereen, 26, is a presenter on Radio Salaam Shalom- the first online Muslim Jewish community
radio station in the UK.
Once a week Shereen will be on air to discuss current efforts and projects aimed at improving race
relations , including increasing understanding between the Muslim and Jewish communities.
Other than being a presenter, she has also founded and established a number of orgnaisations that
is aimed at fostering better race relations At the same time she has also raised approximately
$3.3million in terms of funding for community groups since her move to Wales in 2005.
Ms Shereen, Director (Wales) of the Council of Ethnic Minority Voluntary Sector Organisations
moved to Wales after her marriage to Mr Omer Williams, aged 34.
As a result of her efforts, she has become the first Singaporean to win the Uthman Dan Fodio
Award for Excellence in Community Development in March 2009.
The award was given by the Muslim News, a Muslim community newspaper that is published in the
UK.
This year was the 9th anniversary of the awards and is currently the longest-standing Muslim awards
in Britain.
Ms Shereen was selected due to her contributions as a Muslim to the communities of Britain, along
with her work in encouraging racial harmony and interfaith understanding though organisations such
as Swansea Faiths Forum and Radio Salaam Shalom.
According to Ms Shereen, she was shocked when she received the news that she had been
shortlisted for the award.
“I did not think that I would be short-listed in the first place, and now I am an award recipient”.
In a recent email Ms Shereen said, “I am extremely humbled and honoured to have been given the
award as it is the most prestigious one given by the Muslim community in the UK”.
Whilst telling us the story of her efforts in improving interfaith relations in the UK, Ms Shereen said
that after the atrocities that took place in London on July 7th 2005, it was difficult to encourage inter
faith dialogue.
Source: Berita Harian © Singapore Press Holdings Limited. Permission required for reproduction.
Publication: Berita Harian, p 4
Date: 25 April 2009
Headline: Singaporean Honoured in the UK for Her Efforts in Promoting
Racial Harmony
“The issue of racial harmony has constantly been a source of debate for the British media and after
7/7 community cohesion became a priority for the people of Britain. In addition, the identity and
loyalty of British Muslims are also constantly questioned” added Ms Shereen who is now a
permanent resident in the UK.
Her husband, who also works in the voluntary sector has always encouraged her to volunteer her
free time.
“My experience of voluntary work has been positive and brings about a sense of achievement that I
have been able to contribute to the improvement of race relations” says the Singapore Management
University (SMU) Accountancy graduate.
Caption:
Ms Shereen is the first Singaporean to win an award from the Muslim News, a UK based publication.
Shereen is featured here with other representatives at the launch of the new All Wales Convention
leaflet.
Source: Berita Harian © Singapore Press Holdings Limited. Permission required for reproduction.