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U of Minn. Conference Explores Islam And Culture

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- A University of Minnesota conference on Islam will take a fresh look at the humanities and sciences in Islamic civilization and explore the connections between the Islamic and western worlds.

The federally funded conference starts Friday and ends Saturday. It's presented by the university's Religious Studies program.

Professor Nabil Matar is one of the conference organizers. He says another purpose of the conference is to combat the perception of the Islamic world as backward and dangerous.

The conference is supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, and conference sessions are free and open to the public. Sessions will be at various buildings on the Twin Cities campus.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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