World-Class Speakers

Cyrus McGoldrick is a Muslim activist, artist, and academic of Iranian and Irish descent, born in the United States and now based in Istanbul. He graduated from Columbia University and worked for a number of Islamic organizations, including the New York chapter of CAIR, the Coalition for Civil Freedoms, and the Islamic Leadership Council of New York. In 2015 he moved to Istanbul to study at Ibn Haldun University, where he completed an M.A. and is currently completing his Ph.D., while continuing to advise Islamic movements in the US and abroad. He is also a published poet and contributor to several edited volumes on Islam and politics.

Dr. Farah El-Sharif is a writer, public historian and scholar of Islamic intellectual history and colonialism. She earned her PhD in Islamic Studies from Harvard University's Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations. She holds two master's degrees in Islamic Studies from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley and Harvard, as well as a bachelor's degree from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service. She has studied with scholars in Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, Jordan and the US. Dr. El-Sharif served as the Associate Director of the Abbasi Program in Islamic Studies at Stanford University. She taught at Harvard, Stanford, Lighthouse Masjid, MCC East Bay and Iman Center. Her Substack, which centers themes of Islam and the quest for justice, has been widely recognized by respected platforms such as the Thinking Muslim Podcast and the Chris Hedges Report. Her writings have also appeared on CNN, Maydan and Newlines Magazine.

Imam Tom Facchine is a Muslim intellectual, political strategist, and community organizer. He works at Yaqeen Institute as a Research Director, where his work focuses on Islamic political thought and modern ideologies. He is also a co-founder of Tamkeen, a youth-led organization dedicated to Islamic political activism, education, and mentorship. He also teaches Tafsir and Islamic History at Legacy International Online High School. He holds a BA in Political Science from Vassar College (2011) and studied in Madinah from 2015–2020, where he obtained a BA from the Faculty of Shariah at the Islamic University.

Leanne Mohamad is a British Palestinian human rights activist, born and raised in London. A passionate advocate for justice, she made history in the 2024 UK General Election, running as an Independent Parliamentary Candidate for Ilford North – a constituency in London. She came within just 500 votes of unseating senior government minister Wes Streeting, the current Health Secretary, at only the age of 23. Leanne’s activism journey began at the age of 15, and since then, she has been a powerful voice for human rights. She has spoken at numerous rallies, conferences, universities, and fundraisers over the years, and her influence has extended internationally. In 2016, Leanne won the UK Redbridge Regional Jack Petchey “Speak Out” Challenge with her compelling speech, Birds, Not Bombs. Delivered with passion, the speech highlighted the struggles of her homeland Palestine and the injustices faced, especially by Palestinian children. Despite facing a barrage of abuse and attempts to silence her, Leanne's resolve has only strengthened, further cementing her role as a leading activist in the fight for human rights. Find out more via Leanne’s social media channels via her Instagram, X, Facebook and YouTube

Mohamed Hassan is an award-winning writer, journalist and poet from Auckland and Cairo. He is the creator of Miles From Nowhere, a scripted TV comedy about love, music and mass surveillance from SKY Originals and Red Arrow Studios International. The show had its world premier at the Red Sea Film Festival and aired in 2024 to critical acclaim. He is currently a senior presenter with Al Jazeera's celebrated digital news team. Hassan's debut poetry collection National Anthem was shortlisted for the 2021 New Zealand Book Awards, and his bestselling essay collection How To Be A Bad Muslim was published by Penguin Random House in 2022 and shortlisted for a NZSA Heritage Award. In 2015 he won the NZ National Poetry Slam and placed 2nd at the UK National Poetry Slam in 2021. He has performed his work at TEDx, Auckland Writers Festival, The Cheltenham Literature Festival, WOMAD, Love Supreme Jazz Festival and the International World Poetry Slam. His poetry films (Un)Learning My Name and Customs: A Love Story have been shared widely online, and are taught in hundreds of schools internationally. As a journalist, Mohamed was awarded the Gold Trophy at the New York Festivals Radio Awards for his podcast series Public Enemy on the impacts of social and security policies on Muslim communities in New Zealand, Australia and the United States. His video reports and mini-documentaries for TRT World and Middle East Eye have been watched by millions globally. Over the last few years, he has covered the Middle East and Africa, receiving two Lovie Awards for his digital coverage of the region.

Reshad Strik is an Australian-Bosnian actor, filmmaker, and presenter based in Istanbul, Türkiye. A graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney, he has appeared in Australian television, international productions, and major films including Don't Look Up, as well as the globally popular Turkish historical series Diriliş: Ertuğrul. In recent years he has focused on Islamic historical storytelling and documentary filmmaking, producing and presenting projects that explore the history, heritage, and civilizations of the Muslim world. He is married to Turkish actress and humanitarian Gamze Özçelik.

Sami Hamdi is the Managing Director of the International Interest, a global risk and intelligence company. He advises government institutions, global companies, and NGOs on the geopolitical dynamics of Europe and the MENA region, with significant expertise in advising on commercial issues related to volatile political environments and their implications on market entry, market expansion, and management of stakeholders. Sami is a frequent guest on Al Jazeera (Arabic and English), Sky News, BBC and other major international outlets.