A Resume of the Egyptian Swedish Intercultural Youth Dialogue on Mar.17th.2006
On
Mar.17th.2006 at the Swedish institute here in Alexandria an Egyptian
delegation comprising 10 persons representing the civil society had met
a former youth delegation representing the muslim community in Sweden
in order to discuss the intercultural religious situation in between occident
and orient especially after publishing the inconvenient caricature of
the prophet of Islam Mohamed (PBUH), then all the rebellious reactions
of the Pan Islamic world after this event which aroused the occident to
start a real dialogue and open a realistic bridges for youth to sustain
with their parallel youth in occident.
"Kindly know that I couldn't believe myself when Mr. Jan called me a couple of weeks before in order to start screening of youth and selecting 10 young characters representing the civil societies or the NGOs to have a dialogue with a former Swedish youth delegation on the above mentioned date. The screening process wasn't so easy, because I did about 50 phone interviews to select the open-minded intellect characters through some people I know and another not knowing them well, or in the right way, really it was fair enough due the factor of gender, because the existence of young women was equal and proper to young men, concerning the social affiliation all of them including me were members in NGOs here in Alexandria or in some well known establishments having developing role in Alexandria e.g. BibAlex, Jesuit cultural Center, l'Université Senghor, Sustainable Development Association (SDA), Anglican Youth Club, Human Rights Association called (Ein) Eye, National Police and finally the Association of Islam Diffusion"
Some names or some characters of the participants had been changed due their works or affiliations in other activities; I was in a direct contact all the time with Mrs. Maha El Gamma the assistant of the director, when the Deputy Mr. Berg entertained us the evening before the dialogue for preparation, when Mr. Jan passed by due his return, congratulate the existed group for their interest in participation in that event and consciousness of the current issues.
The dialogue event & the discussion
On Mar.17th.2006 at 06:00 PM the 2 groups or delegations met at the institute and started due time, Mr. Jan was the moderator of that dialogue when Mrs. Maha was translating into English for the Non-Arabic speakers e.g. Mr. Berg and a photographer or a director from Sweden was accompanying the Swedish Group in their tour in Egypt, however there were 3 Swedish young people from Arab and muslim roots were the main speakers in that dialogue, some of them represent the ministry of integration, some human rights associations and the press, Mr. Jan run the dialogue due pass through or pass around method, when he had given equal opportunity to all the audience from the both sides to identify her/himself, in addition expressing and explaining the reason of her/his participation in the dialogue.
Mr. Jan announced that some entities e.g. Anna Lindhe Foundation, the Swedish Institute, Al Azhar, UNESCO and the Ministry of Education adopting a proper project to improve the content material of Islam in all the pedagogic system in Egypt and on the Pan-Arab world to disseminate the culture of tolerance and to reform the image of Islam in the occident also.
At 07:15 PM both the groups moved to the restaurant in the 2nd floor to have some sort of delicious dinner which the Swedish institute is famous for "really a tasty food, thank you for your generosity" on dinner their were two main tables representing mix of the two delegations, all talking about the problems of Identity and loyalty, merging with occident societies, facts about both laws and legislations in Sweden and in Egypt or in the Pan Muslim societies, and finally problems that face the Arabs or the muslims in general in western societies.
When one of the participants was playing Guitar after the dinner Mr. Jan accompanied me to a private press conference with some journalists representing different journals or news who were asked us about this idea, the tour in Egypt and the official visits that the delegation did, if it was efficient or not, then he recommended the press people to ascend with me to the restaurant to start a friendly discussion due having some soft and hot drinks.
There was a question concerning "what did the muslims do after publishing the caricature?", then the Swedish team answered, that there is a couple of humanitarian actions a legal action and a moral action, really the law or the legislation over there in Sweden can't punish some media for publishing any article, or any caricature due the principle of the freedom of expression, so you can't sue any publisher publish this sort of media due to this fundamental principle, however when the government represented in the minister of foreign affairs felt that there is an abuse or a violation towards a category of their people, not only that but also the reactions that happened especially in the muslim world, they closed a web site until filter it from those caricatures and the bad articles against Islam, and then apologized to the muslims for this unintentional mistake.
Another question concerning "how did the Egyptian students and the people deal with them due their tour in Cairo at the university, or in the places they visited?", they replied that some students or people did react with them lest of being punished by the state security, one of the journalist mentioned that we have a liberty right now, but frankly speaking one name of my team didn't come to the dialogue for fear of the same point, I justified that due the lack of the academic freedom in university "one of the most important topics that should have its own series of dialogue at the Swedish institute"
One of the press team was eloquent enough then mentioned so strongly that "Al Azhar made a civilized role in dealing with this crises", however I answered that yeah due the time, but Al Azhar as I mentioned many times before that it is always delayed, because Al Azhar is a governmental organization (unfortunately), really we trust this entity, however it should be liberated, then I dedicated a question to the Swedish team concerning the problem of veil, if it is representing a dogma or a barrier over there in Sweden on the muslim women, however the Swedish team answered us that the law doesn't prevent the woman from wearing the veil and there was a real model for this case concerning a TV anchor called Nahla was serving at the national media with veil and nobody could criticize her, so she opened the door for the other muslim women to go on with veil in the society, Nahla also represent a contemporary model for the active moderate muslim in the occident.
One of the Egyptian team aroused a good case concerning that sometimes the family accepts that the daughter could be a homosexual, but can fight with her if she wants to wear the veil, however we answered that this matter belongs to the socialization inside the family, because even in Egypt sometimes the family could fight with a daughter when she wants to wear the veil.
Finally, we aroused the problem of destruction the Buddhist temple in Afghanistan due the ruling of Taliban in Afghanistan, so the Swedish side answered that we condemned that terrible act, not only that we declared that each fanatic in any religion can do acts like that due the intolerance and hostility.
At the end of this dialogue we proposed to have extra dialogues concerning abolishing the clash and the misunderstanding in between occident and orient, then we had took some pics.
The advantages of this dialogue
Really thanks to the Swedish institute who trust our capacities and abilities to organize as a team work this perfect event, and for the facilities that I got to execute it in the right way, which confirm that youth or the young generation can achieve a lot, if they get the right opportunity and this is the message and the target from that event.
Concerning the Egyptian side it was a real representation of the working NGOs here in Alexandria, because the delegation was multiple representing all the directions and comprising one Christian brother whom I'd insisted to be existed with us to be more realistic in our point of view.
Most of the characters in the Egyptian delegation were good speakers, having a track record in attending global conferences and traveled abroad, so there was no cultural lag or gap in between the 2 delegations remarked.
The Egyptian team has a great desire after this dialogue to deal more and more, not only with Swedish delegations but also with the occident in general, because we can do it in a perfect way and we are able to change our image in the occident.
May be the next time we need a stronger delegation from the occident doesn't represent only the muslims point of view or just express it in Arabic, but also we need to deal with all the directions and hear especially from the moderate Christians, Jews, secularists and atheists.
May be the standard of the press existed in that dialogue
wasn't strong enough due their standard of language or the naïf stereo
type questions that dedicated from their side to the Swedish side, not
only that but also this school of press is representing "the school
of fans", because may be they supposed that they going to deal with
naïf young generation, so it was a big mistake from their side, because
all of us is professional and aware enough to our socio-political crises
and the intercultural clash, so we as Egyptian and Swedish felt not ok
towards the press " if it was our responsibility I supposed to invite
a lot of unique press domestically and globally interested and volunteers
in those topics".
Conclusion
1. The intercultural dialogue in between the occident and the orient has
to go on for the prosperity of the humanity.
2. The young generation and the civil society should bear and take this
initiation instead of the governments, because they have the ability to
digest it more and more.
3. This dialogue should be taken in a serious and a realistic way in order
to be sustained.
4. The Pan-Muslim world will never be progressed without applying both
of the academic freedom, the freedom of expression, executing the role
of the civil society and the human rights charts, because they always
forget that building human being is the main issue of any development.
God bless you all, hope to meet each other again in events belongs to
developing the humanity and in many dialogues. Thanks in advance for your
good cooperation. Ahmed Moustafa, The Egyptian
Coordinator of This Event, The Egyptian Swedish youth intercultural Dialogue,
Socio-economic Specialist
