This was announced by the Chairman of the All-Ukrainian Association of Public Organizations "Alroid" - Seyran Arifov during a press conference in Ukrinform.

In 30 years, Ukraine has gone from being a "spiritual concentration camp," which it was under Soviet rule, to becoming one of the world's leaders in the realization of human rights to freedom of religion and its practical realization.

Over the years, believers of various denominations, including Muslims, have been able to practice their religion freely, thanks to Ukraine's independence. Most Islamic organizations operating in Ukraine have initiated the creation of a new platform - the NGO "Congress of Muslims of Ukraine".

The understanding of the need for such an association as the "Congress of Muslims of Ukraine" arose among Ukrainian Muslims several years ago. A representative of the Muslim religious community in Dnipro noted the reasons for creating such an association:

"Muslim organizations have been developing in Ukraine since the beginning of its independence, and the period of the revolution in 2014 greatly influenced the processes of cohesion and the processes that arose in the Islamic environment", - Pavlo Fedosov said.

He explained that the main slogans that sounded during the Revolution of Dignity were supported by the majority of Muslims because they are natural principles of Islam.

"Our organizations have constantly helped to defend the rights of the state, and it is from that period that the active formation of Muslim communities begins. The event that accelerated this process was the temporary occupation of Ukrainian territories and military aggression by Russia. The occupation of the territories historically inhabited by Muslims, namely Crimea and eastern Ukraine, has led to a certain imbalance in the Muslim environment. There are still powerful Muslim centres in the TOT, which have ceased to function, as the occupiers have resorted to repression against Islamic culture", - was informed by a representative of the ICC.

We will remind, on December 5, 2016, in Kyiv, the declaration of the Muslim communities of the country on principles of mutual relations of Muslims, society and the state was signed. The Charter of Muslims of Ukraine was approved by the authorized representatives of 35 Muslim communities of Ukraine. Most of the country's Islamic organizations and associations were involved in drafting the document. The document is a description of the principles and understanding of Islam by Muslims in Ukraine.

At the same time, Muslims of Ukraine abide by Ukrainian law and recognize all the rights and obligations of Ukrainian citizenship. Muslims of Ukraine, as active citizens, are allowed to participate in the political life of the country, because citizenship presupposes political activity in terms of participation both in voting and in the political institutions of the country (institutions of power). Muslims of Ukraine recognize the sovereignty of Ukraine, its independence, and fully support its territorial integrity.

"It is active social participation that distinguishes those organizations and those leaders who signed the Charter of Ukraine, because we do not gather in caves or our own communities, but try to be with this society because we are part of it", - was informed by the representative of the Islamic Cultural Center in Dnipro. Pavlo Fedosov.

Principles according to which the platform of the "Congress of Muslims of Ukraine" will operate:

 • Association and follow-up should be on an equal footing for all Islamic scholars and ethnic groups.

 • Share the principles of moderation.

 • Reject any form of radicalism and extreme views of intolerance.

 • Focus on achieving harmonious relations both within the Islamic community and throughout Ukrainian society.

 • Active participation in the development processes of Ukraine and local communities.

 • Rely on the principles of the Charter of Muslims of Ukraine.