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The Executive Board of BARAZA e.V.

President Prof. Dr. Anke Weber
Anke was born in Saarbrücken, Germany, and studied economics at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, with an exchange stay at the New School for Social
Research in New York, US. She wrote her dissertation on the impact of ethnic diversity on education in Africa at the University of Zurich, Switzerland and spent over five months conducting field research in Kenya and Tanzania. As a guest lecturer, she taught micro- and macroeconomics at the National University of Rwanda in Butare. In addition, she worked the US and in Switzerland as a consultant in the Human Development Department of the World Bank. From 2011-2014, she worked as research officer in the econometrics and applied statistics department at the Joint Research Center (JRC) of the European Commission in Ispra, Italy. There, she was responsible for the development of education indicators.
Before taking up her professorship for "Intercultural Research Methods and Statistics" at Hamm-Lippstadt University of Applied Sciences in 2016, she worked as a statistician for Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Commission in Luxembourg, where she developed health indicators to compare progress in EU countries.
Her research currently focuses on multicultural teamwork, intercultural onboarding, and social sustainability.Contact: presidentbarazango

Vice President Georg Popp
Founding member and Vice President of Baraza as well as Managing Director of Arabia Felix Synform GmbH. As an experienced artist and photographer, Georg has a wealth of experience of working with the Sultanate of Oman and its people. Since 1992, he has produced ground breaking artistic works, publications and exhibitions relating to Oman.
Georg founded the communications company Arabia Felix Synform GmbH in 1999 and has published several articles and books on the Sultanate including ‘Oman’ - the first German speaking guide of the country which is now in its 8th edition and published in English in 2010 by Odyssey Guides as ‘Oman: Jewel of the Arabian Gulf’.
Georg has advised journalists, consulted on various film projects and worked on documentaries himself covering many different topics related to Oman. Since 2001, in collaboration with various Omani government ministries, Georg produced various exhibitions for and about Oman for presentation in over 30 countries worldwide. Since 2010, he was responsible for the concept and management of the pioneering global project ‘Tolerance, Understanding, Coexistence: Oman's Message of Islam’ which has been present in five continents and in 132 different venues. Georg is a charter member of the non-profit German-Omani Association – an officially recognised, bilateral non-governmental organisation for whom he was Cultural Advisor (2001 – 2009) as well as Secretary-General (2009 – 2018). - Contact: infobarazango

Vice President Juma Al-Maskari
Originally from the Sultanate of Oman, Juma is an Information Technology specialist now living in Germany. He served on the Advisory Board for Communications of the German-Omani Society and is a founding member of Baraza. Juma has been active in cultural mediation between the Islamic and Western worlds since the 1980s. He is Consultant to the project ‘Tolerance, Understanding, Coexistence - Oman's Message of Islam’.   - Contact: infobarazango

 

Vice President Catherine-Kanthar Thiounn
Appointed as Vice President of Baraza in 2022 and since 2018, a Board member of the Association of Friends of Master Chin Kung at UNESCO (PAHD) of The World Fellowship of Buddhists (WFB) which is based at and recognised by UNESCO. The Association runs activities which contribute to building peace and harmony in the world through inter-religious education.
Catherine is an experienced global operator who served in UNESCO’s secretariat in Paris, France as an Executive Assistant. She worked in the social and human sciences department and with various Presidents of the General Conference. Catherine has extensive knowledge of UNESCO and UN systems including organising high profile international conferences. Catherine lives in France and has a Cambodian background. She has studied medicine in both Cambodia and China. Contact: infobarazango

Secretary General Riaz Ravat
Served as Advisor to Baraza since its inception in 2017 and subsequently appointed as Secretary General in 2020, Riaz is responsible for programme coordination and partnerships. In 2010, Riaz organised the Sultanate of Oman’s first ‘Tolerance, Understanding, Coexistence’ exhibition in the UK.
Riaz is Deputy Director of St Philip’s Centre (UK) leading on religious and belief training and education to police, armed forces, fire services, local government and educational bodies. Work includes programmes creating intercultural relationships, tackling radicalisation and promoting child safeguarding. He has contributed to national consultations and several publications on interfaith including co-authoring a book ‘Living Well Together – Case Studies in Interfaith Diversity’ which was described by one review as “a contender for the best interfaith book of 2017”. Riaz is a member of UK Government’s Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group, HM the King’s Public Service Honours Committee, Leicester Cathedral Council, High Sheriff’s Consultative Panel, Liverpool FC’s Equality & Diversity Fan Forum, Trustee of the Leicestershire & Rutland Community Foundation and Advisor to the Revd Richard Bonney Literary Fund. Riaz has been honoured by Queen Elizabeth II for “interfaith understanding”, commissioned as HM Deputy Lieutenant, Alumnus of the Year for De Montfort University 2013 for “uniting different cultures, races and religions” and winner of the Leicestershire First Citizenship Award. Riaz has completed one Masters’ degree in Inter-Religions Relations (De Montfort University), another MA in European Politics (University of Leicester) and a Politics undergraduate degree (Nottingham Trent University). - Contact: secgeneralbarazango

Treasurer (Wolfgang) Alexander Moll
Founding member and Treasurer of Baraza since its inception, Alex is responsible for finance and budgetary matters for the organisation. Alex has been a vital part of arranging many global touring exhibitions since 2001 including the Sultanate of Oman’s flagship project ‘Tolerance, Understanding, Coexistence - Oman's Message of Islam.
Alex is also Treasurer of the German-Omani Society which builds ties between both nations and he has experience of the role of Managing Director for some non-for-profit organisations.   - Contact: financebarazango

 

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