The Arab Community Conference in Britain
About the Conference: An initiative launched in June 2023
The conference is an initiative launched by the "Arabs of London" platform in mid-2023. It was well-received and encouraged by activists who attended the first meeting—members of the Arab community elite in Britain, including intellectuals, media figures, politicians, and legal professionals. Over the course of two full years, the preparatory committee held several preliminary meetings and workshops, and succeeded in forming the Founding Committee of the conference. This committee includes activists from various Arab communities across the UK and has since evolved into a permanent Advisory Council.
Following the Israeli aggression on Gaza, the Advisory Council of the Arab Community Conference managed to send letters to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who responded with a letter addressed to the Arab community in Britain. These communications were unprecedented, as the British government had never before addressed the Arab community as a unified body with official representation. The Council continued its correspondence with Sunak's successor, Keir Starmer.
The Advisory Council also achieved a significant milestone during the 2024 general elections in the UK, as three of its members ran for seats in the British Parliament. Additionally, members of the Founding Council worked to encourage Arab voters and their allies to participate in the elections and to support candidates whose political stances align with Arab causes.
The "Arab Community Conference" aims to be a unifying platform—a general congress that consolidates the efforts of the Arab community in the UK. Its broader goal is to form an influential Arab lobbying group that can serve as a collective voice for Arabs in Britain, both in matters concerning their local rights as British citizens of Arab origin and in UK foreign policy regarding their countries of origin.
The first official session of the conference was held on Sunday, June 29, 2025, under the theme: "A Tribute to Friends of Palestine." The guest of honor was Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, a prominent Palestinian national figure and head of the Palestinian National Initiative movement.
The "Arab Community Conference" is designed to be an annual gathering and research forum that invites representatives from the Arab community across the UK, with attention to geographic representation. Through pre-prepared research papers, the conference discusses the key issues and challenges facing the Arab community. It includes panels and workshops where representatives gather around one table to study these matters, propose effective strategies, and publish an annual declaration outlining the most pressing challenges, methods of addressing them, and key achievements. The conference also produces a general declaration and an annual report.
Regardless of the exact number of Arabs in the UK, they represent a significant minority—not only in terms of population but also in their professional presence across medical, scientific, and financial sectors.
Annual Forum:
In order for the community to begin taking shape and to play a role that matches its importance in various fields, it needs to organize itself. To start organizing, it requires a general conference that brings it together annually at one table for discussion, dialogue, diagnosing problems, and proposing solutions.