Muslim Mental Health Summit 2026
Unite · Empower · Serve
Summit 2026
Saturday 18 July 2026 · 9:00am – 6:00pm · UEL Docklands, London
Bringing the next level of coordination and innovation to Muslim mental health.
Programme running about 25 minutes behind — thank you for your patience.
National Summit followed by the MCB AGM
18 Jul
2026
9:00–18:00
full day
12+
speakers
4
workshops
About the Summit
Turning conversation into action.
The Muslim Mental Health Summit brings together Muslim organisations, mosques, charities, mental health practitioners and policymakers for one of the most ambitious gatherings of its kind in the UK. Held alongside the Muslim Council of Britain’s Annual General Meeting, the Summit is a day of keynotes, expert panels, hands-on workshops and networking — all focused on turning conversation into action.
Muslim organisations, mosques and charities; mental health organisations and practitioners; funders; researchers; and anyone working to improve mental health outcomes in grassroots communities – regardless of faith, gender or ethnicity.
Our aim — four priorities
- 1 Policy — shaping the systems and decisions that affect our communities
- 2 Collaboration — connecting organisations so we work together, not in silos
- 3 Funding — building the sustainable resourcing the sector needs
- 4 Technology — harnessing new tools to widen access and capacity
Programme
A full day, then the AGM
Add to calendar
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 9:00 – 9:45 | Arrival, breakfast & registration 📍 RDCS |
| 9:45 – 10:00 | Qur’an recitation (Sūra Al-Sharh) — Zaaki Ibn-Maswood Ahmed · welcome & housekeeping 📍 Lecture Hall / Library |
| 10:00 – 10:40 | Panel 1: Towards Greater Collaboration — hosted by Hasan Patel, with Jamilla Hekmoun (MMHA), Shaykh Abdullah Hasan (AIMS) & Professor Ahmed Hankir 📍 Lecture Hall / Library |
| 10:40 – 11:00 | Keynote — Ahmed Uddin 📍 Lecture Hall / Library |
| 11:00 – 11:10 | Gold Sponsor address — Dr Adeel Riaz, Aghosh UK 📍 Lecture Hall / Library |
| 11:10 – 11:55 | Workshops — Round One (Resilient Communities · Funding & Helplines · Technology · Policy) 📍 RDCS |
| 12:05 – 12:50 | Workshops — Round Two (the four workshops repeat, so you can join two) 📍 RDCS |
| 12:50 – 14:00 | Lunch & networking (Zuhr prayers 13:30 – 14:00) · Funders Corner 📍 RDCS |
| 14:05 – 14:15 | Platinum Sponsor address — Mukhtar Karim, CEO, Lady Fatemah Trust 📍 Lecture Hall / Library |
| 14:15 – 15:00 | Panel 2: The Future of Muslim Mental Health — hosted by Layinka Sanni, with Shenaz Bunglawala (Muslim Institute), Myira Khan (MCAPN) & Shaykh Abdul Majid (United Hearts) 📍 Lecture Hall / Library |
| 15:00 – 15:10 | Conclusion of the Summit — Dr Wajid Akhter, Secretary General 📍 Lecture Hall / Library |
| 15:10 – 16:00 | MCB Annual General Meeting opens — Executive’s report to members 📍 Lecture Hall / Library |
| 16:00 – 16:30 | AGM Q&A 📍 Lecture Hall / Library |
| 16:30 – 16:50 | Election Commissioner & results — Belayeth Hussain 📍 Lecture Hall / Library |
| 16:50 – 17:05 | Incoming Secretary General’s address & closing du‘ā 📍 Lecture Hall / Library |
📍 RDCS = Royal Docks Centre for Sustainability · Lecture Hall / Library = main stage & AGM hall.
Sessions marked MCB AGM form the formal members’ business of the day.
Speakers
Voices shaping the conversation
Confirmed speakers below — more to be announced.
AU Keynote Ahmed Uddin
Keynote Speaker
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Ahmed Uddin
Keynote Speaker
HP Host — Panel 1 Hasan Patel
Strategic Communications Leader & MCB Advisor
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Hasan Patel
Strategic Communications Leader & MCB Advisor
An award-winning strategic communications leader, political analyst and former digital journalist for the BBC and Al Jazeera, known for purposeful, authentic storytelling across higher education and the third sector.
JH Panel 1 Jamilla Hekmoun
Chair, Muslim Mental Health Alliance (MMHA)
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Jamilla Hekmoun
Chair, Muslim Mental Health Alliance (MMHA)
An award-winning community activist and researcher, and a Research Fellow at the Woolf Institute, whose work centres on faith-sensitive mental health support, drawing on roles with the Muslim Youth Helpline and the Muslim Council of Wales.
AH Panel 1 Shaykh Abdullah Hasan
Executive Director, AIMS
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Shaykh Abdullah Hasan
Executive Director, AIMS
An Islamic scholar, psychologist and founding trustee of the British Board of Scholars & Imams (BBSI), combining classical Islamic training with an MSc in Applied Psychology and over a decade of faith-integrated therapy and Islamic counselling education.
IS Dr Imrana Siddiqui
Mental Health Lead, British Islamic Medical Association (BIMA)
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Dr Imrana Siddiqui
Mental Health Lead, British Islamic Medical Association (BIMA)
An NHS GP and clinical lead who founded Mindsavers, an internationally recognised, community-led initiative integrating evidence-based mental health education within faith spaces.
GM Professor Ghazala Mir
Professor of Health Equity and Inclusion, University of Leeds
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Professor Ghazala Mir
Professor of Health Equity and Inclusion, University of Leeds
Chair of the Inequalities Research Network and an expert in medical sociology and public health, whose research focuses on inclusive health systems, minority mental health and reducing structural inequalities. She advises UK government departments, the NHS and international policy organisations.
YD Yahya Delair
Trustee, Muslim Youth Helpline
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Yahya Delair
Trustee, Muslim Youth Helpline
A BABCP-accredited Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner and lecturer, and Secretary of Anti-Racism for the PPN North East and Yorkshire, dedicated to culturally sensitive mental health resources and healthcare equity. Trustee of MYH.
MK Panel 2 Myira Khan
Founder, Muslim Counsellor and Psychotherapist Network (MCAPN)
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Myira Khan
Founder, Muslim Counsellor and Psychotherapist Network (MCAPN)
A multi-award-winning accredited counsellor and author, named a UK Mental Health Hero in 2015, specialising in anti-oppressive therapeutic frameworks and culturally attuned clinical supervision.
AM Panel 2 Shaykh Abdul Majid
Founder & Director, United Hearts
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Shaykh Abdul Majid
Founder & Director, United Hearts
A UK-qualified imam, accredited counsellor and family therapist whose West Sussex therapy service supports individuals and couples navigating faith, mental illness and relationships. He also hosts The Shaykhology Podcast.
SB Panel 2 Shenaz Bunglawala
Strategist, author and director, Muslim Institute
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Shenaz Bunglawala
Strategist, author and director, Muslim Institute
Researcher, writer and strategist at the Muslim Institute and a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. She has held leadership roles in a variety of organisations including MEND, AVOW and Byline Festival Foundation.
LS Host — Panel 2 Layinka Sanni
Award-winning Coach & Author
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Layinka Sanni
Award-winning Coach & Author
Host of Panel 2. Transformation Coach and author of A Beautiful Homecoming.
WA Closing Address Dr Wajid Akhter
Secretary General, Muslim Council of Britain
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Dr Wajid Akhter
Secretary General, Muslim Council of Britain
A British GP Principal and civic leader, founder of Charity Week and the Lifesavers CPR initiative, focused on structural community reform, civic engagement and countering Islamophobia.
MS Workshop — Technology Muazam Sarfaraz
Muslim Council of Britain
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Muazam Sarfaraz
Muslim Council of Britain
Leads the Summit's Technology Solutions workshop for the Muslim Council of Britain, showcasing MCB's online mental-health hub and AI tools to widen access and build capacity in mental health support.
DM Workshop — Technology Dr Daanish Mahmood
Co-lead, Technology Solutions workshop
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Dr Daanish Mahmood
Co-lead, Technology Solutions workshop
Co-leads the Summit's Technology Solutions workshop, exploring how technology can widen access to mental health support.
AH Panel 1 Professor Ahmed Hankir
Consultant Psychiatrist & Academic
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Professor Ahmed Hankir
Consultant Psychiatrist & Academic
Professor Ahmed Hankir is an award-winning consultant psychiatrist, academic, and globally recognised mental health advocate.
HA Host Hamzah Amir Khan
MCB Regional Team; Founder & Director, Crawley Muslim Network CIC
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Hamzah Amir Khan
MCB Regional Team; Founder & Director, Crawley Muslim Network CIC
A member of the MCB Regional Team and the founder and director of the Crawley Muslim Network CIC.
SC Host Sister Crystal
NHS health professional & content creator
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Sister Crystal
NHS health professional & content creator
An NHS health professional and Muslim content creator specialising in educational and humorous content that tackles misconceptions about Islam, challenges hateful narratives, and responds to online trolls with wit and evidence.
ZI Qur’an Recitation Zaaki Ibn-Maswood Ahmed
Author, Broadcaster & MCB National Council Member
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Zaaki Ibn-Maswood Ahmed
Author, Broadcaster & MCB National Council Member
A British Muslim activist, author, artist, broadcaster and consultant. He has written and translated several books on history, thought and spirituality, rendering classical Islamic works from Arabic into clear modern English, and serves as a National Council Member of the Muslim Council of Britain.
Workshops
Four workshops, run twice
Four practical, interactive workshops run twice during the day (Round One and Round Two), so attendees can join more than one.
Building Mentally Resilient Communities Through Collaboration
Dr Imrana Siddiqui (BIMA), with sector partners
Practical approaches to building resilience and to working better together across organisations.
Funding & Mental Health Helplines
In partnership with the Muslim Youth Helpline (MYH)
Lessons from frontline helpline delivery and the funding that sustains it.
Technology Solutions
Muazam Sarfaraz (MCB) and Dr Daanish Mahmood
Using technology to widen access and build capacity in mental health support.
Policy Solutions
Professor Ghazala Mir (University of Leeds) and Yahya Delair (Muslim Youth Helpline)
Translating evidence into policy that improves outcomes for our communities.
In collaboration with
Working across the sector
Working in collaboration with mental health organisations across the sector.
Networking & Stalls
Visit the stalls
Businesses, charities and community organisations will host stalls throughout the day — come and connect, discover services, and network.
Mental-health organisations
Muslim Youth Helpline 
Inspirited Minds 
BIMA 
MCAPN 
AIMS MMindli SASirr App & Ibn Sina Institute ANAPP Network H&Healing & Mind Sponsors & businesses
Venue & Travel
University of East London, Docklands Campus
University Way, London E16 2RD
- Nearest station
- Cyprus DLR (1 minute walk from campus). The DLR connects directly to Bank, Canary Wharf and Stratford.
- Main lecture theatre
- Lecture Hall / Library — main stage (keynote & panels), main hall (AGM)
- Workshops & stalls
- RDCS Building — stalls (ground floor), workshops (1st & 2nd floor), prayer room (2nd floor)
- Parking
- Paid parking is available on-site — the most convenient and likely most cost-effective option.
- Finding your way
- Ushers will guide you from the station exit and car park to registration and the security check.
- On the day
- Breakfast on arrival, dedicated prayer rooms for men and women, a quiet / mindfulness room, sponsor and partner stalls, and open networking space between sessions.
Find your way around on the day
- RDCS building
- Stalls (ground floor) · Workshops (1st & 2nd floor) · Prayer room (2nd floor)
- Lecture Hall / Library
- Main stage — keynote & panels · Main hall — AGM
Book your place
Spaces are limited and the Summit is expected to sell out. Your ticket includes full access to the keynote, both panels, all workshop rounds, breakfast, lunch and networking. Discounts are available on request.
Buy Tickets
Support the cause
Help tackle the mental health crisis
Your donation funds Muslim mental health support, research and capacity across the UK — well beyond the Summit itself.
Donate nowSponsors & Partners
Proud to partner
We are proud to partner with organisations committed to advancing Muslim mental health.
Platinum Sponsor
Silver Sponsors
Become a sponsor
Limited stall opportunities are still available. To partner with the UK’s largest Muslim mental health event, get in touch via the contact page.
Sponsorship enquiriesAbout the MCB & the AGM
The members’ business of the day
The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) is the UK’s largest and most diverse national Muslim umbrella organisation, with affiliates including mosques, charities, schools and professional networks.
Following the Summit, the MCB will hold its Annual General Meeting, including the Executive’s report to members, the financial report, AGM Q&A, election results and the incoming Secretary General’s address.
Contact
Get in touch
For general enquiries, sponsorship, speaking or media, email us directly:
[email protected]