Adam Matan

Adam Matan OBE (Somali Adan Mataan) (Arabic: آدم متان) is a Somali-British civil society leader and social activist.^[1] He is the former Director of the Anti-Tribalism Movement, a non-profit organisation established in 2010 to combat tribalism and inequality amongst the British-Somali community.^[2] In 2019, he became the first British-Somali to be appointed an OBE for "services to the Somali community in the UK and wider British-Somali relations".^[3]  

Personal life

Matan came to the United-Kingdom as a teenager following the Somali Civil War.^[4] He lives in London and holds a PgDip in Law and Leadership from SOAS University of London^[5] and an LLM in International Minority Rights Law from Middlesex University.

Career

Matan was the director of Anti-Tribalism Movement for over 10 years —a charity established in 2010 in the United Kingdom to combat tribalism within the Somali community following the Somali Civil War.^[6] He is a former One Young World Ambassador^[7] and has advised the British government about the Somali community.^[8] He has participated in a number of high-level engagements connecting the British and Somali government^[9] such as the London-Somali Conference 2012 and 2017.^[10] He participated in a successful UK-wide campaign to save vital remittances in 2017.^[11][12][13] He also serves as Trustee on two charitable boards (Hammersmith United Charities^[14][15] and Trust for London) as well as chairing the Independent Policing and Crime Commission for Hammersmith and Fulham which published an independent-resident led report in 2020 assessing crime in the borough.^[16][17][18]

Lectures, talks and conferences

Matan has been invited to speak at a number of events with think-tanks such as Chatham House,^[19][20] Global Youth Summit,^[21] Ministry of Women, Human Rights and Development Conference^[22][23] and many others.^[24] He featured in a documentary called Return to Somalia - documenting a trip back to Somalia along with Abdifatah Faisal.^[25][26] In addition to this, he was featured in the South Acton Heritage film (2014).^[27] He has published reviews for media houses such as African Arguments.^[28] Matan was also an anti-corruption panellist at the 3rd National Somali Economic Policy Forum 2019.^[29][30]

Awards and achievements

Matan was featured in the Queen's New Year's Honours List 2019 for 'services to the Somali community in the U.K and wider- UK-Somalia relations'.^{[31][32][33][34]} and presented with the OBE medal at an investiture overseen by the HRH Prince William, Duke of Cambridge on 28 March 2019. He is the first British-Somali to be honoured with an OBE award.

He was winner of the Community Champion Award at Pride of Our People 2014.^[35]

References

1. Oslo (PRIO), Peace Pesearch Institute. "Conversation with novelist Nadifa Mohamed and activist Adam Matan". www.prio.org. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
2. "Somali group fights tribalism in diaspora". Reuters. 2011-12-08. from the original on 2019-10-13. Retrieved 2019-10-13.
3. "Adam Matan receives OBE at Buckingham Palace". Anti Tribalism Movement : The ATM. 2019-03-29. from the original on 2019-10-17. Retrieved 2019-10-17.
4. Clare, Sean (2013-05-08). "The British Somalis heading home". from the original on 2019-12-02. Retrieved 2019-10-13.
5. "SOAS Honorary Fellow Sir Michael Palin knighted in New Year's Honours". SOAS University of London. from the original on 2019-10-13. Retrieved 2019-10-13.
6. "Overview". Anti Tribalism Movement : The ATM. from the original on 2019-10-15. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
7. . One Young World. Archived from the original on 2019-10-13. Retrieved 2019-10-13.
8. Harrison, Jane (2014-03-25). "Champion for Somali community meets Government ministers". getwestlondon. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
9. Britain Helps [@britainhelps] (November 8, 2017). "On Monday we hosted a community forum to discuss #ForeignPolicy in #Somalia with @UKinSomalia, @DFID_UK & @Movementatm's @Adammatanpic.twitter.com/Qn7o9ph4EX" (Tweet). Retrieved 2019-10-19 – via Twitter.
10. "Somalia conference set to start as world leaders plan higher military presence | The Star". thestar.com. from the original on 2019-10-13. Retrieved 2019-10-13.
11. Banning-Lover, Rachel. "Cutting lifelines: 'If we can't send money home everyone suffers'". labs.theguardian.com. from the original on 2018-09-16. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
12. Liberatore, Giulia (2018). "Forging a 'Good Diaspora': Political Mobilization among Somalis in the UK" (PDF). Development and Change. 49 (1): 146–169. doi:10.1111/dech.12358. hdl:20.500.11820/c8517320-54c5-4e16-a90c-433298c541ba. ISSN 1467-7660.
13. "Economic Secretary meets London's Somali community to consider government on issue of remittances". Salaan Media. 2015-03-24. from the original on 2019-10-15. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
14. "Trustee Adam Matan appointed an OBE – Hammersmith United Charities". hamunitedcharities.org.uk. from the original on 2019-10-13. Retrieved 2019-10-13.
15. "Hammersmith Reflections – Young achievers recognised at Hammersmith and Fulham Youth Achievement Awards – Hammersmith United Charities". hamunitedcharities.org.uk. from the original on 2019-10-14. Retrieved 2019-10-14.
16. "Independent resident-led policing and crime commission begins". LBHF. 2018-12-05. from the original on 2019-10-13. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
17. "NEW YEAR'S HONOURS: Local heroes recognised for their work to keep H&F safe". LBHF. 2019-01-04. from the original on 2019-10-15. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
18. London Borough, Hammersmith and Fulham. "Hammersmith & Fulham Policing and Crime Commission (PCC)" (PDF). democracy.lbhf.gov.uk. Retrieved 19 Dec 2020.
19. "Chatham House Biographies" (PDF). Chatham House. 2019. Retrieved 13 Oct 2019.
20. Chatham House Africa [@AfricaProg] (July 12, 2019). "'We are constantly challenging the perceptions and narratives that exist in the West, about Africa, about where we come from, that is where diaspora diplomacy comes in.' @adammatan of @movementatm #CHAfricapic.twitter.com/LhBRS66YR3" (Tweet). Retrieved 2019-10-14 – via Twitter.
21. Global Youth Summit: Adam Matan, UK & Somalia, from the original on 2019-04-18, retrieved 2019-10-13
22. SHIRWEYNAHA HAWEENKA SOOMAALIYEED OO YAGLEELAYA ISBAHAYSI ILAALIYA XUQUUQDA SHAKHSI KASTA, retrieved 2019-10-19
23. Hamud, Abdullahi [@AbdullahiHamud] (March 5, 2019). "Was nice seeing my friend @adammatan in Mogadishu, participating Somali Women Convention organised by @MwomenHRD #ShirweynahaHaweenkapic.twitter.com/7zJ7Jfi3St" (Tweet). Retrieved 2019-10-19 – via Twitter.
24. "Mayor calls for improved efforts to tackle violent extremism". London City Hall. 2019-01-29. from the original on 2019-10-13. Retrieved 2019-10-13.
25. Return to Somalia: Adam & Abdi's Story, retrieved 2019-10-14
26. Anti-Tribalism Movement - Droughts Project - Adam Matan in Mogadishu, Somalia., retrieved 2019-10-15
27. South Acton Heritage Film, retrieved 2019-10-14
28. "Amazing African documentaries you're gonna wanna see". African Arguments. 2018-10-23. Retrieved 2019-10-14.
29. Somalia, National Economic Council Of (2019-12-07). . @EconomicSomalia. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019. Retrieved 2019-12-14.
30. Somalia, National Economic Council Of (2019-12-07). "National Economic Policy Forum, Somalia, Twitter". @EconomicSomalia. Retrieved 2019-12-14.
31. "Full New Year's Honours list 2019 - the new MBEs, OBEs, Knights, Dames and more". Metro. 2018-12-29. from the original on 2019-10-13. Retrieved 2019-10-13.
32. WARKA AADAN MATAAN OO AH WIIL SOOMAALIYEED OO BILAD SHARAF LAGU GUDOON SIIYAY INGIRIISKA 21 04 2019, retrieved 2019-10-14
33. "New Years Honours 2019: West London and women win big". KCW Today. 2019-01-10. from the original on 2019-01-15. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
34. "Somali-Brit honoured by Royal Family with order of chivalry". www.hiiraan.com. from the original on 2019-10-15. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
35. Bax-WLON, Steve (2014-05-14). "In Pictures: The 2014 Pride in Our People Awards". getwestlondon. Retrieved 2019-10-13.