The selection of Alexandria as the site for the Euro-Mediterranean Foundation is not a passing event. It is not a simple occasion but will have a continuation and great implications. We should not by any standard receive the news of choosing Alexandria as the premises for the Anna Lindh Foundation for dialogue between civilizations and cultures for the Euromed countries (35 countries) as if it will only be a building. It is a conception that has a very important meaning since it gives the opportunity to the Arabic view – not the Egyptian only – to enter the global arena as a participating, not merely trailing, partner. Its notions will greatly correct what is the currently prevailing situation and will contribute to the new global system, for years characterised as a state of liquidity and ill-defined features although a certain country is trying to impose its dominance and control. Another outcome of this choice is the mending of the gap between the south Mediterranean mind, or rather the entire south mind and the north mind, which are different in some aspects, through the existence of mutual understanding and a continuous and objective cultural and civilization dialogue. This, as we think, will straighten things out by removing what might remain from the colonial period and mutual misunderstanding, and by the meeting between the owners of the real civilizations on both sides of the Mediterranean. It will also open the way for meeting with other civilizations, such as the Chinese, the Indian and others. Thus, the civilized views will spread and glow to create a real global development with fair peace and rights no longer arbitrarily measured by several standards but instead creating equality between all humans regardless of race, colour or gender.
Due to this importance, an Al Ahram seminar was convened at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina to discuss the new foundation, explore its horizons and what it can pursue. The intellectual exchange took place, as published in our first report from the seminar, on Friday 28 May 2004. Today we are continuing the reporting from a point of dealing with the factors that could affect the dialogue between civilizations and cultures, which is the purpose of the new foundation and one of the main aims of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
In the seminar, the Director of the Swedish Institute of Alexandria, Jan Henningsson stated: We should not forget that there is a European interest in this new foundation. The Barcelona agreement is, since its issuance, facing strong criticism even by European countries, where some think that it is a useless, unsuccessful frame. However, one of the reasons for establishing the foundation for dialogue between civilizations and cultures is that the Barcelona agreement reaches the people in all countries and it generates discussion. Therefore, when the foundation commences it activities from Alexandria, it will face great challenges but it is capable of overcoming and dealing with them.
Head of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Dr. Ismail Serageldin, commented: I have a few quick additions. We are talking about Europe as if it were one group; it is true that it is moving towards this, but at the same time there are differences between its countries, their great experiment in the frame of unity, preserves the cultural identity of each country. This is a unique experience for unity, where different identities do not melt.
Thus, there are several views in dealing with a number of issues. For example, there is the issue of Islamic minorities and those from Arabic origins. There is also a very important reality which we should study and this is Europe. Generally speaking, its population is getting old and it will face a very big problem in its need for the young labour force which will impose a new concept for the notion of migration since we find at the south of the Mediterranean young societies with large numbers of youth ready to enter the work market. From here, pressures are created determining that the dialogue between civilizations and cultures is not just an intellectual entertainment. We in the south of the Mediterranean and in the Arab world have different issues; such as what has been raised now regarding the issue of Palestine and Israel, the problem of migration of the Arabic labour force from the Arab countries, the labour force coming from outside the Arab world and its influence on identity, the disadvantages stemming from the impossibility of establishing a mutual Arab market and other problems which inform the dialogue between civilizations and cultures to open the door and pave the way for discussing it.
I agree with Dr. Bahrawy in what he said concerning reassuring the Arab reader of the usefulness of what we are doing, and also reassuring the Europeans and disproving any doubts. The reply to this is to consider that some Europeans – after the Second World War, its horrors, atrocities and the oceans, not only seas, of blood resulting from it – called for a common European society, with love, peace and brotherhood as its basis, and distrusting people In few years, real successful steps started and today Europe is directed to establishing a common constitution for all its countries. Let’s see! This is the human dream to overcome the existing circumstances and problems. That is where the real cultural dialogue emerges and confirms the common and great principles. As Dr. Youssef Zeidan mentioned, the beginning is from the reality to build on. We remind our European brothers who are suspicious of the Euro-Mediterranean dialogue to remember their experience between the end of the Second World War and the Roma Agreement concerning integration among themselves, and what happened afterwards to date.
Jan Henningsson: It is possible that the Arab countries are neither politically harmonious nor economically integrated. But the factor that the premises of the foundation for dialogue and cultures to be on Arab soil, Egypt in Alexandria, will open a new gate and great resources to make visible the common Arabic heritage and facilitate the dialogue between the Arab and European civilization.
(Unofficial translation from Arabic made by Maha Gaama)