The GERMAN-ARAB DIALOGUE
Reinhard Hesse
Paving the way towards
a better understanding: The German-Arab dialogue in Cairo tackles contentious issues and
opens up new dialogue perspectives.
Many things genuinely
changed after September 11 including the German-Arab dialogue which was organized once
again this year by the Press and Information Office of the Federal Government, BPA, and
the Stuttgart Institute for Cultural Relations, IFA, in the same tradition as the
"''German-Arab Media Dialogues" which started in 1997. Once more invitations
were extended to journalists and scientists from Germany and the Arab countries, this time
in cooperation with the Arab League, which hosted the Cairo gathering on February 18, and
19. The agenda topics contained an unprecedented number of relevant, yet explosive issues:
"The Arab world in the western media and the west in the Arab media":
"Strategies for dealing with misunderstandings and misleading interpretations";
How can the media and responsible individuals in civilian societies help to overcome
prejudice?"
As was said before,
following September 11 many things changed relative to the comparatively untroubled times
beforehand. "The American government together with the media are falling over
themselves to produce press statements and articles about the Middle East", remarked
Edward Said, the sharp-tongued internationally acclaimed professor of literature, writing
for the Al-Ahram Weekly in Cairo shortly before the attacks happened: "Yet in
public", he continued, "every serious piece of information and analysis is
drowned in a sea of sensational pictures and slogans so that all that's left is a
declaration of American patriotism which has virtually become a ritual".
On the other hand,
German participants at the Cairo conference who do not follow the Arab media regularly
were quick to notice the stilted image of the "West" as it is seen and portrayed
by many of their Arab colleagues. The Egyptian philosopher Kamal Abul Magd whom the Arab
league appointed as their "commissioner for intercultural dialogue" expressed
words of hope as well as warning in his opening speech: a "window of dialogue"
had been opened through which a "fresh breeze of understanding" could blow since
in order to survive in the future we would need to stop "perceiving others" as
opponents or enemies to be rid of. At present, however, it looked as if
"passions" were in the throes of "crushing" reason.
Initially, however, the
window of dialogue became a medium for all kinds of window speeches. Like a volcano
erupting, a torrent of voice broke loose as Arab journalists and intellectuals vented
their frustration about the unfair treatment of their cause as they see it compared, for
instance, to Israel or the tendency to equate Islam with terrorism, some thing they notice
increasingly in the western media in addition to the West's power-hungry ego. It was quite
some time before tempers started to subside. Happily, this was due to the efforts of an
Egyptian colleague who relaxed the tension after some vehement criticism of American
policy towards the Palestinians by remarking that he wasn't quite sure who this ominous
'west' was supposed to be: "Is it our colleagues here, some of whom I know personally
or whom I know from their work, open minded democrats and human rights defenders?/ Or is
it Pat Buchnan, the fundamentalist Protestant preacher, who thinks Islam and all Muslims
are basically evil? I'm sure there are no more similarities between them than there are
between all of us here and Osama bin Laden and his fanatical terrorism."
Talking openly about
conflicts: These words were enough to stem the flow of indictments and accusations on both
sides after which all parties quickly settled in to a real "dialogue"'; a
discussion aimed at discovering mutual interests, not just the bringing together of two
exotic 'strangers'. Soon, participants discovered that fanaticism, terrorism, disparaging
attitudes and conspiracy theories can all be part of a fiendish alliance- an alliance
against truthfulness, no less. Just as quickly, the debate soon turned into a genuine
dialogue worthy of its name as both sides exchanged personal experiences proving over and
over again that arguments about prejudice and lack of understanding have very little to do
with opposite points of view from a 'western' or 'Islamic' standpoint-on the contrary,
they form part of intercultural discussions.
German journalists and
writers also discovered that they, too, are by no means devoid of ignorance or prejudice
when it comes to reporting on and interpreting what we call the "Islamic world".
And in Arab societies discussions which make direct reference to topics concerning
cultural and social options are denigrated as a sign of 'western decadence' which could
only happen in a society whose sole values are those of the ultimate consumer society.
"The west has consistently forgotten how to be merciful, a fundamental tenet of
Islam", Kamal Abul Magd said at the opening of the conference. Reinhard Schwarzer
from the Press-Information office of the government hotly denied this and reminded
everyone that those who claim that others have no moral values often end up disparaging
others themselves.
Amr Moussa, the
SecretaryGeneral of the Arab League, concluded the conference by remarking that in this
'precarious and dangerous situation' the journalists had probably found a lot to say to
one another in addition to thinking up new projects. He remarked that the Arab League
would like to remain an active contact for such projects. 'We are all referring to the
same freedoms'. A Lebanese colleague had stated previously. "The only difference is
that, for us, democracy or dictatorship, freedom or fanaticism is a question of
survival." Since September 11 this also applies to the rest of the world as well.
Participants at the
conference translated words into action: In a joint declaration they emphasized the need
for structured programs promoting journalistic exchanges as well as supporting the idea of
further training for journalists. They also offered to expand the exchange of knowledge
between Germany and Arab countries. The "German-Arab Dialogue"' turned a
turbulent situation into one with very "grown-up" results.
The author is a
freelance publisher and writer living in Munich. Text courtesy: Deutschland E4 N2/2002.
Embassy of Germany in Kathmandu.
Marseilles
hosts the 8 th. Conference on women's place in the city
-Annik BIANCHINI,
France
The "Averroes
Conference"', organized by Marseilles Culture Office, will, for two days, deal with
women's place in the city, from one shore of the Mediterranean to the other. Historians,
philosophers, sociologists, film-makers and artists will get together in round-tables.
For the eighth time,
Marseilles will host the "Averroes Conference", organized by Marseilles Culture
Office to reflect on the Mediterranean on both shores. For the eighth time, it will
traditionally be held at the Theater National de la Criee and bring researchers from
various areas, historians, sociologists, philosophers, architects, film-makers, writers
and artists from the shores of the Mediterranean together in three round-tables.
Named after the 12
century Islamic –Andalousian philosopher who commented Aristotle and defended the
right to think outside dogmas, the "Averroes Conference" aims to contribute to
building bridges between the two shores of the Mediterranean. Averroes, alias Ibn Rushd,
was born in Cordoba in 1126 and died in Marrakech in 1198. He wrote in Arabit, Hebrew and
Latin and was a mediator, combining knowledge from all shores. He fostered the
reappropriation of forgotten Greek and Arab civilization and philosophy by Europe.
The "Averroes
Conference"'', which is open to everybody, has now become an important time of
exchange at hich, for two days, based on a specific theme of reflection, specialists and
public try to gain a better understanding of what the East and the West owe to each other.
The purpose is two make knowledge accessible, to move away from areas of discussion
reserved for circles of intellectuals alone and to provide a place where ideas can be
shared.
Fascinating discussions
and personal testimonies: The theme of the last discussion of the conference was Ancient
Cities and modern towns of the Mediterranean, cities which homogenize and town which
present diversity. "Let us not invent towns as which no longer exist otherwise these
towns of today will get worse and worse," Lebanese writer Hoda Barakat had announced,
speaking of Beirut. "It could well be that the vocation of towns to be cosmopolitan
encounters another one: the dream of nations," the sociologist Samuel Bordereuil had
added evoking Salonika, Jerusalem and Sarajevo. The Algerian historian Daho Djerbal, for
his part, raised the matter of diversity of cultures, which were disappearing south of the
Mediterranean. They were fascinating discussions in which poetic words and personal
testimonies accompanied the precise work of researchers.
This year, the subject
chosen is "Women in the city". The discussions at the conference was held on 23
and 24 November last year and was broadcast by the French radio station France Culture.
"We had tackled the subject from three angles, Thierry Fabre, the creator of the
conference, explained. "The first dealt with women's relations to liberty, the second
with their position in the face of violence and the third with their role in artistic
creation. For a long time, women were excluded from the city affairs but now Mediterranean
women increasingly find themselves faced with new forms of access to public areas which
have to be questioned, compared and revealed". The cinema also hold a special place
of honor this year with films being shown and followed by discussions in Marseilles,
Aix-en-Provence, Martigues and Toulon.
No culture without
transit, exchanges and mingling:; The Averroes Conference, which was created in 1994, has
brought more and more people together every year. It is borne along by quite exceptional
intellectual and philosophical exigency and can count on an attentive and ever more
numerous public from whom Thierry Fabre is full of praise as it tends to prove that
Marseilles brims over with vitality.
More than any other
town in Mediterranean, Marseilles fosters encounters, attracts and fascinates. Both the
town and the port, whether they be crossroads or stopovers, act as a bridge and interface
between the cultures of the North and those of the South. Moreover, 66% of Marseilles'
inhabitants define themselves as "Mediterraneans". With the passing of time,
Marseilles has become a metropolis on the Mediterranean through its geographical position
and its history of course, but also through the contribution of the various peoples that
it receives and the great number of cultural events which are held there. Indeed, there is
no culture without transit, exchange and mingling. |
