Moazzam Malik

Moazzam Malik CMG is Director General at the UK Department for International Development, overseeing country teams around the world. He was previously the British Ambassador to Indonesia, Timor Leste and ASEAN. He began his career as an economist and has also worked in academia, business and the NGO sector. He grew up in London, but is a passionate Liverpool FC and Pakistani cricket fan. Moazzam is speaking at the conference in a personal capacity.

Travels in Indonesia: freedom, Islam, and takfir

Over almost five years as the British Ambassador in Jakarta, Moazzam explored Indonesia’s faith landscape, drew inspiration from Indonesia’s diversity and pluralism, challenged voices urging conservatism and a move towards ‘majoritarianism’, and was excited by the possibilities of Muslim communities around the world sharing lessons and new perspectives. All the time, he asked himself why Indonesia felt special? He discovered the answer at an old madrassa in Central Java.