Born in Baghdad in 1968, Anas Altikriti settled in the UK in 1970. Professionally, Anas Altikriti has been a post-graduate lecturer in Translation and Interpreting studies at Leeds University since 1995 and at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh between 2000 and 2003.
Anas has been involved in a number of campaigns to eliminate the rising trends of Islamaphobia and racism in the UK and was at the forefront of the Anti-War movement, which emerged in 2001. As spokesman (1997-2005) and then President (2003-2004) of the Muslim Association of Britain (MAB), Anas Altikriti co-organised and led the demonstrations against the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Israeli occupation of Palestine and against the rising trend of Islamaphobia in the UK and Europe. The highlight of this was to chair the historic 2-million strong demonstration against the war in Iraq on the 15th of February 2003 in Central London.
In December 2005, Anas Altikriti risked his life and visited Iraq to negotiate the release of British hostage Dr Norman Kember and his fellow Christian Peace-makers. In March 2007, Altikriti led a live public appeal on Al-Hiwar TV in London for the release of BBC journalist Alan Johnston who was held captive in Gaza.
Anas Altikriti is an international speaker and lecturer, and appears regularly in the Arab and international media commenting on Arab, Muslim and International affairs. He appeared on the BBC’s Hard Talk in June 2004 and also on BBC World’s Doha Debates in May 2005, both with Tim Sebastian. Anas writes for The Guardian’s online ‘Comment is Free’. Presently, he is the CEO of The Cordoba Foundation and fronts a weekly one to one show “Jusoor” (Bridges) on Arab TV satellite station Al-Hiwar. Anas is a founding member of the British Muslim Initiative. |
