International symposium heldA call for cultures to dialogue [Archives:2004/712/Community]

Mohammed bin Sallam
Sana'a issued a call on Wednesday, at the International Symposium For Cultures Dialogue, for cultures to help spread peace and understanding.
It also called for the end of causes of disputes and conflicts, as well as enabling democratic concepts and practices in all societies.
The call urged the taking of necessary arrangements to achieve the best in education and the spread of dialogue, in the education curricula, based on religious and human ethical values.
It urged the creation of cultural exchanges in the Arab homeland and other countries.
The participants in the two-day symposium approved to select Sana'a as a venue for coming activities related to dialogue among cultures in the Arab homeland.
Head of the Yemeni Center for Studies and Research, Abdulziz al-Maqaleh, organized the symposium in cooperation with the UNESCO.
He reviewed proceedings of the symposium and the scientific approach that had been dealt with in its sessions, and the results it reached.
Al-Maqaleh stressed the keenness of values of dialogue and not to allow rendering them to slogans and propaganda ideas.
In the session presided over by a member of George Washington University, the well-known media man Adeeb Farha, a member of the Lebanese National Audio-Visual Media Center tackled the United Nations definition of terror and the American double standard towards Palestine and other Arab and Islamic issues.
Farha confirmed that spreading awareness among local cultures is among the factors leading to enhancement of the spirit of dialogue and curb the spirit of extremism and terror. He clarified that the American idea on a new world must not be via future wars. That would not succeed in creating secure and stable world.
Dr. Caroline offered a special viewpoint on world events, resulting from the American fanaticism and fundamentalism.
She emphasized that present America does not launch a war for the sake of peace as much as a war for its interests and pointed out that the resistance must be based on discarding collisions among civilizations.
She said there should be enhancement of religions ideas in the minds of the people, especially that religions are a rich source for cultural diversity.
Dialogue also tackled the roots of terror and its sources in the world and the role the international policy played in singling out extremist groups and terrorist ideas and ideologies whose danger is aggravated under the circumstances of poverty and absence of social justice and democratic practices.
The former international advisor and assistant director general of the UNESCO explained the role that technology played in finding areas for dialogue among cultures and civilizations.
He stressed that time was not providing opportunities for initiative and action.
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