By: Moslem Ali
Cairo - Mubasher: In a time when the international stage may seem to be dominated by populist extremism, ultranationalism, radical fundamentalism, and racial and religious tensions, a diverse group of young aspiring people from around the globe met in Egypt to discuss the future of intercultural and interreligious dialogue.
Thanks to the efforts of the Center for Arab-West Understanding (CAWU), around 25 young women and men gathered for a two-week exchange program in Cairo that was hosted and co-organized by Heliopolis University (HU) last month, and was sponsored by the Dutch conservative “Reformed Political Party” (SGP).
The summer school brought together people from various backgrounds and countries, namely Egypt, the Netherlands, India, the United States, Germany, Brazil, South Korea, Guinea, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Tunisia, and Austria.
The program began by discussing the origin stories of Islam and Christianity, as Professor Choernelis Hulsman, the founder of CAWU who has been living in Egypt for almost 25 years, explained the history of both religions in Egypt over the centuries, while Matthew Anderson, a researcher of theological and religious studies at Georgetown University with a PhD in Muslim-Christian relations, reviewed the similarities and differences between the holy books, the Bible and the Quran.
Representatives of the SGP were Bas Belder, a member of the European Parliament’s foreign affairs committee, alongside Bert van Voorden, the chairman of the SGP’s international affairs committee, and a long serving mayor of four cities in the Netherlands, as well as Professor Wijbren Jongsma, the party’s interim coordinator for international affairs, and Corry-Anne van der Tang, a member of the SGP youth movement. They presented their views on intercultural dialogue, the refugee crisis, regional and global developments, as well as their party’s position in the Dutch and European “mostly secular” society.
Hassan Wagih, a professor of linguistics and political science at Al Azhar University, discussed the efforts for religious dialogue over the past few years, while Professor Ahmed Ghobashy presented the history of Egypt as the cradle of religions and civilization.
Mette Toft Nielsen, a teacher and education expert, explained how different narratives can impact societies at large especially when it comes to education and media reporting, stressing the dangers of one-sided storytelling that could misinform people or students, and might undermine minorities issues while abiding by clichés and stereotypes.
Discussing a more sensitive issue, participants debated the limits of the freedom of expression, after Johan Snel, a professor of journalism at the Christian University for Applied Sciences in Ede, presented the case of how Islam was viewed by the media in the Netherlands in recent years, where the works of Dutch politician Geert Wilders have caused controversy and outrage, however, it seems that tragic events such as the assassinations of Pim Fortuyn and Theo van Gogh may somehow have brought people of different faiths closer together.
Huslman, a Dutch and Christian man himself, remembers how his church in the Netherlands was praying for Muslims in the aftermath of the Theo van Gogh’s assassination, while Snel pointed to how criticising Muslims in Europe is viewed by some as part of a bigger antireligion movement.
As the scope of the discussion widened towards political and social issues, Professor Hoda Awad presented the Egyptian experience in constitutional reforms as a model for democratization efforts in the Arab World, with a special focus on the issues of human rights, equality, and empowering women.
Meanwhile, participants had the opportunity to fully immerse in the experience of visiting Egypt, with a number of excursions and site visits that began with the Great Pyramids of Giza, to the Egyptian museum in Downtown Cairo, the Nile Delta Barrages (El-Qanater El-Khayreya), as well as a walk through Al-Moez Street, and a Nile River cruise in a traditional sailing boat.
Visits to the All Saints' Cathedral in Zamalek and Al-Hakim Mosque in Old Cairo provided space for raising interfaith awareness in an unprecedented opportunity for many participants to know more about the rituals and the prayers in both Christianity and Islam.
Sustainable development and social responsibility also emerged as major components in the summer school experience, as participants were introduced to the Sekem community, founded more than 40 years ago by renowned Egyptian scientist and entrepreneur Ibrahim Abouleish, which includes a number of farms and factories, as well as a school and a clinic that serves many people from nearby villages in Sharqia.
Moreover, the Salam Medical Center (SMC) was another example where interfaith cooperation meets social responsibilty and giving back to the community. Originally founded by the Evangelical Church of Egypt, the medical center has expanded with Christians and Muslims working together side by side to help those who are in need regardless of their religious affiliation or financial status, which has united the area in challenging times, as the director of the center Dr. Freddy El-Baiady explains.
As arts have always played a role in both forming and expressing cultures, the summer school activities involved participants reflecting on traditional Arabic and classic European music, as well as painting in a team building activity that embodied how collective efforts can dissolve in creating a bigger picture.
