Page 84 - Pure Life 23

The Role of Cyberspace in Religious Dialog… J. Kraus / 83

Shias in Czech Cyberspace It is a relatively new project
A Shia community in the while Adday himself has been
Czech Republic is very small trying to develop and
compared to other European consolidate local Shia
states; Moreover, Shias in the community for the last couple
Czech Republic are highly of years.
passive in matters of religion. With the Ahlulbayt Center,
There is very weak he targets not only Shia
association tendency among community, but also Czech
them, and if so, it is based society.
mainly on ethnic or national According to an author’s
level instead of religion. interview with him, the main
From this perspective, the goal of the Center is to develop
Shia community in the Czech a mutual understanding
Republic is constituted mainly between Arabian and Islamic
by Iraqis, Afghanis, Lebanese, culture and the Czech society
Syrians (Alawites), and which should lead to a
1
Iranians. rapprochement of both.
The only Czech-Shia Main activities of the Center
organization so far created is can be described as an
the Ahlulbayt Islamic Cultural education, cultural lectures,
Center in a city of Brno. holidays celebration, language
It is run by Abdulrahman courses etc.
Adday, Iraqi Shia and local Nevertheless, the Center
businessman, and has its doesn’t provide so much
residency in Brno since 2016. mentioned activities targeting
Czech society so far.
1. Unfortunately, there is still no It focuses mainly on small
research on Shia community in the Shia community willing to
Czech Republic, which would participate and visit it
identify the representation of
different nationalities among Shias. sporadically.
Above mentioned estimation is based Although there has been a
only on the author’s judgment and couple of events and lectures in
his personal experiences and survey.