Hon. Naser Khader

Naser Khader was born the 1st of July 1963 in Damascus, Syria. His father was Palestinian and his mother Syrian. His family lived a couple of years in Palestine and Jordan before they moved to Syria, where Naser Khader went to school.

When Naser Khader was 11 years old he moved to Denmark with his mother and siblings. His father had already been living in Denmark for a while when they came to live with him in the country where his father had managed to find a job. Naser Khader and his family became integrated into the Danish society.

Naser Khader has a master in economics from Copenhagen University. At the moment he studies theology also at the University of Copenhagen.

From 2001 - 2011 he was a member of the Danish parliament, Folketinget. His main political key issues are freedom of speech, the fight for democracy and democratic values in a multicultural society - subjects that have been intensively discussed in Denmark - particularly after the cartoon crisis in 2006. Naser Khader is member of The Conservative Party and he was spokesman of foreign policy and integration for the party. He has written several books about Islam and integration, he attends many debates, gives lectures and is often appears as an expert regarding the issues on Danish television and other medias.

Naser Khader has been awarded several prizes in recognition of his fight for the right to freedom of speech, secularity, and integration of immigrants into the Danish culture. Furthermore, he is the Co-Founder of the Association of Democratic Muslims in Denmark.

Naser Khader has a sincere interest in the “Arab Spring”, due to his origins and still having family living in Syria. This summer he therefore went to Syria and brought home much documentation (i.e. on video) of how the people in reality are being treated by the Assad regime and how they are fighting against the regime. He is considered one of Denmark’s leading experts in Middle East affairs, and he was one of the first to talk about an emerging civil courage amongst the civilians in the Arab countries (before the Arab spring).

With three phrases Naser Khaders describes himself primarily as a fanatic democrat, secondly as a Danish citizen and thirdly as cultural Muslim "ultra light".

• Studies Theology at University of Copenhagen
• MSc Economics from University of Copenhagen, 1993
• Supplementary courses in rhetoric and communication, Aarhus University, 1994-1995
• Middle East studies, Odense University, 1991-1993
• Supplementary courses in minority studies, University of Copenhagen, 1993