الإسلام والغرب: نحو عالم أفضل

Islam and the West… for a better world @

should increase the level of academic teaching. Germany is setting up German universities in different countries. There is already the German University Cairo, which is functioning very well. Another university will be established in Jordan and later on also one in Pakistan. These are practical fields of cooperation which we should extend. This soft power approach requires stamina and patience. We cannot expect quick fixes or instant success, and we need a constant re-evaluation of joint projects. Most of the students from Arab countries who want to study in Germany are focusing on medicine or technical and science studies. There are too few interested in social sciences. However, the Arab world needs urgently better social engineering, good didactics in teaching, better administration etc. We have to be inventive, look for new ways of cooperation and exchange and pursue our cooperation on an equal footing and in the spirit of mutual acceptance. International organizations as the OIC or UNESCO are particularly called upon to actively engage in cooperation. Another initiative is the so- called Alliance of Civilizations, a brain child of the Spanish and the Turkish Prime Ministers. At its most recent meeting in Doha, the Alliance initiated an ambitious program for dialogue of cultures, although that program still has to take place. If we want to tackle existing problems effectively, both sides have to be more honest and self-critical. We have to recognize that many people in the Arab world feel disappointed or even threatened by the only global superpower. Credibility has suffered enormously after the incidents of Abu Gharaib and Guantanamo. The ongoing military action and fighting in Afghanistan and in Iraq do not help to create more trust in each other. The Arab-Israeli conflict remains an open wound, our efforts for a meaningful

-120-

Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter