This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

191630Z Jun 06

UNCLAS PARIS 004213 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: SCUL KISL MU AORC UNESCO
SUBJECT: UNESCO SEMINAR TACKLES ISSUE OF INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE WITH 
THE ARAB WORLD 
 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY AND COMMENT:  At a UNESCO International Seminar entitled 
"New Stakes for Intercultural Dialogue" academics, diplomats, and 
artists predominantly from Europe and the Arab world discussed 
cross-cultural communication, the role of the city in intercultural 
dialogue, and the unique experience of the Arab world.  While some 
participants presented interesting ideas on how to foster 
intercultural dialogue, others criticized what they saw as the 
West's desire to impose its values on the Arab world.  Overall, the 
seminar did not generate any broad consensus on intercultural 
dialogue.  The seminar took place June 6-7, 2006 and was organized 
by the Permanent Delegation of the Sultanate of Oman to UNESCO and 
the Division of Cultural Policies and Intercultural Dialogues, 
UNESCO in the framework of the Arabia Plan.  The seminar, which had 
approximately 100 participants, was part of Omani Cultural Days at 
UNESCO, a part of the proclamation of Muscat as the Arab cultural 
capital 2006.  (Note: Oman currently presides the UNESCO General 
Conference.) 
 
¶2.  UNESCO's Arabia Plan is intended "to increase the knowledge of 
Arab culture in the world and to encourage greater mutual 
understanding between Arab culture and the other cultures, by 
promoting dialogue and exchanges."    Activities such as these, 
thoughtfully organized and targeted to appropriate audiences, can 
advance U.S. objectives of countering extremism.    END SUMMARY AND 
COMMENT. 
 
OPTIMISTIC PROPOSALS FOR INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE 
 
¶2.  Panelists discussed both how to make intercultural dialogue more 
effective, and how "the city" has promoted intercultural dialogue. 
One keynote speaker, Arjun Appadurai, of the New School in New York, 
contended that in order to find common ground among cultures, we 
should not speak of culture or religion as if it had no internal 
debate, but rather bring this internal debate into dialogue with 
others.  To that end, he also pointed out the problems created when 
one person claims to speak for an entire group or religion.  Mr. 
Appadurai, along with several others, strongly criticized Samuel 
Huntington's theory of a Clash of Civilizations, arguing that the 
theory implicitly stated that intercultural dialogue was impossible. 
 Mr. Appadurai was the sole panelist from the United States. 
 
¶3.  Several panelists idealized the "city" as a great forum for 
intercultural dialogue.  Keynote speaker Andr Miquel of the College 
de France discussed the city during antiquity and the medieval 
times, including Cairo, Baghdad, and cities in Iran and Greece, and 
specifically mentioned Baghdad as the "home of culture" for the Arab 
world.  Another panelist spoke of the need for more local programs 
that promote intercultural understanding, citing successes in 
Frankfurt and Rotterdam.  Another interesting point brought up by 
many is that culture is more than words; it is also other forms of 
expression such as looks, gestures, and clothing. 
 
PRAISING THE ARAB WORLD AND PROMOTING CULTURAL RELATIVISM 
 
¶4.  A keynote speaker in the session on "The Experience of the Arab 
World" argued for a broad notion of cultural relativism, saying that 
Europeans are too proud of their human rights and put too much 
emphasis on assimilation.  Traugott Schoefthaler, director of the 
Anna Lindh Foundation for the Dialogue between Cultures (part of the 
Euro-Mediterranean Partnership between the European Union and other 
states that border the Mediterranean), said that there is nothing 
wrong with maintaining differences, and that the world should adopt 
a "common language of differences" just as the Universal Declaration 
of Human Rights had been a "common language of values."  He also 
contended that interfaith dialogue (but not intercultural dialogue) 
is virtually impossible.  In the ensuing discussion, two 
participants from Arab states also criticized what they viewed as 
the West's wish to impose its values on the Arab world.  Other 
participants expressed their support for the conference and noted 
the importance of continuing dialogue on these issues. 
OLIVER