International Day for Cultural Diversity was the theme of the 42nd Hanan Youssef Cultural Salon, which asked whether Arabs are or not engaged in the ‘Dialogue of Cultures’.
The event, held under the auspices of the Arab Organisation for Dialogue and International Co-operation, could be accessed via Zoom and Facebook.
“The salon has a social responsibility and always opens up controversial issues in order to provide solutions and recommendations,” said Prof. Dr. Hanan Youssef, who is professor of mass media, head of the Arab Organisation for Dialogue and dean of the College of Media at the Maritime Academy in the Smart Village.
“The salon discussed dialogue between the Arab World and the West in the context of International Day for Cultural Diversity to conclude whether Arabs are absent from the dialogue of cultures, or whether they are active participants?” Youssef added.
Celebrated journalists and academics from the Arab world presented a set of theses on the subject, the most prominent of which concerned the need for successful dialogue between equal parties.
The salon agreed that Arab culture in dialogue with the West requires their sufficient knowledge of the other’s identity.
Geographical diversity is a reasonable basis for cultural dialogue between countries in order to achieve integration and not a reason for cultural rivalry between countries and cultures.
An initiative for a federation to enhance the Arab role in intercultural dialogue, Youssef said.
The initiative will involve the media, education and civil society and a set of outcomes will be prepared. A committee of salon members will submit recommendations to the concerned authorities, notably the Arab League to develop a cultural dialogue between Arab countries and the West in order to improve the image of Arabs abroad.
This comes as a continuation of a number of initiatives of the Arab Organisation for Dialogue, including one entitled ‘I am an ambassador’ to prepare future generations to represent their countries abroad.
The salon concluded with concert by Nada Al-Mansi, a member of the cultural salon.
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