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SESSION FIVE: TIDE DIALOGUE BETWEEN CULTURES AND CIVILISATIONS Manuel GALA Rector of the University of Alcala, Spain This is a contribution to the re-thinking of the Mediterranean region in cultural terms after almost ten years of the peace process and five years of the Barcelona process.“ The recent events in the region show clearly that cultural dialogue remains a crucial need. Even when the Euro-Mediterranean Barcelona1 process has produced very useful common reflections on a number of mutually reinforcing matters such as security definitions, economic cooperation and human and social developments the mutual perceptions remain negative and confidence is lacking. For instance, early in the ninetees, the question of Islam versus the West seemed to take on a new dimension with the collapse of the Eastern bloc and the emergence of the United States as the only superpower of a new Kind. In addition, a number of superficial academic studies, media propaganda and religious defamation have damaged mutual perceptions on cultural and religious feelings in the region. Such approaches,directly or indirectly over the centuries, have generated misinformation and disinformation about mutual images. After almost ten years of peace process and five years of Barcelona process, *one is not quite sure whether a real and open dialogue has really taken place between the Mediterranean societies. Traditionally most of the meetings held in the region on cultural and political dialogues reflect a conference format 1n which the presenters lay out their views and afterwards the audience ask questions. The proceedings of these meetings do not reflect dialogue, because there is no real dialogue; the Barcelona process“ proposes a step-forward through the networking methodology in which participants feel themselves as members of a community which is producing common reflections on common problems and challenges. The Barcelona process introduces a new scholarship profile that tries to put aside the emotions and stereotypes that are typical of writings on political relations in the region in favour of more cohesive and mutually reinforcing methods. Spain has a long history which links it to the destiny of this region and its surrounding peoples. The University of Alcalą. has spent a number of years providing a venue for the interdisciplinary study of the three monotheistic religions as an important chapter of cultural dialogue, mainly in our Mediterranean region, particularly as they relate to the building up of civil societies and stability. Our work involves research, publications,lectures, conferences, workshops and a world-wide bi-annual inter-religious meeting which has been instrumental in order to reinforce the Middle East peace process. The University as academic institution may constitute a privileged instrument to build up a community of shared interests in the cientific domain. Bilateral programmes between universities of - the mediterranean countries do need more political and financial support from the goverments of the area. The European Union leas launched an, ambitious programme of students mobility, never to produce eventually the expectations arisen in the recipients. In this sense, the University of Alcala has embarked on a project intended to establish a permanent network of universities corning from the European Union as far as the Middle East. An university network will serve as an impelling engine for the promotion of education and a culture of peace, so it will hold the attention of the whole of the civil society. study of the three monotheistic religions as an important chapter of cultural dialogue, mainly in our Mediterranean region, particularly as they relate to the building up of civil societies and stability. Our work involves research, publications, lectures, conferences, workshops and a world-wide bi-atmual inter-religious meeting which has been instrumental in order to reinforce the Middle East peace process. The University as academic institution may constitute a privileged instrument to build up a community of share. interests in the scientific domain. Bilateral programmes between universities of the mediterranean countries do need more political and financial support from the goverments of the area. The European Union has launched an, ambitious programme of students mobility, never to produce eventually the expectations arisen in the recipients. In this sense, the University of Alcala has embarked on a project intended to establish a permanent network of universities coming from the European Union as far as the Middle East. An university network will serve as an impelling engine for the promotion of education and a culture of peace, so it will hold the attention of the whole of the civil society. -Setting up a database containing a useful bibliography that would be available to these universities trough internet. Trade and enterprise around the Mediterranean has been one of the main driving forces forging our common culture. Nowadays it is necessary to reconcile the economic interests with other realities such as the cultural and social dimensions. Our belief in the value of education as the centrepiece of all efforts devoted to the mutual understanding of peoples is based on the assumption that knowledge spreads tolerance and regard for the high degree of cultural diversity present around the Mediterranean. ******** 1 In Barcelona in November 1995, foreign ministres from the 27 Euro-Mediterianean partners, the president of the European Parliament and the vice president of the European Comisi6n sat down together for the first time and developed a set of principles and a plan of action to make the Euro-Mediterranean a zone of shared peace and prosperity Torna indietro |
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