الإسلام والغرب: نحو عالم أفضل

Islam and the West… for a better world @

to become one of the top countries unless it is including women in social and economic process. A good sign is that in many universities of the Muslim world, the majority of students are already women. The question, however, remains how to create jobs for these women? The social and legal status of women has to be adopted to the modern world. We in the West should know more about the Muslim world and Islam, but the Muslim world should also spread more objective knowledge about Western societies and life, overcoming certain stereotypes. We have to be open-minded and innovative, and we should not dwell on historical injuries and traumas. It is the future which counts and not either nostalgia nor bitter remembrance of history. The objective study of history can be helpful, however. If we aim for the establishment of a knowledge- based society, we have to spread knowledge also by the electronic media. Here, Al Jazeera can play an important role too as a facilitator for dialogue. So let’s work together against existing deep historical ignorance and also against profound hypocrisy which are obstacles to real open dialogue and interaction. If we do not invest more into a better, peaceful future by increased cultural and societal interaction, exchange of knowledge and more co- operation in the field of higher education and better understanding especially among young people, we might fall into the trap of the predicted Clash of Civilizations, which in my humble view is rather a clash of uncivilizations, ignorance and extremists on both sides. Ladies and Gentlemen, one example to follow on how to go forward in precise and concrete projects of cooperation, is the process of building up friendship and cooperation between Germany and France in the last 50 years-two arch-enemies for many centuries. The program of Youth Exchange, university partnerships, school partnerships, town partnerships,

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