By Abeddayem Sallami - Al-Arab Online - London, U.K.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
On the sidelines of the scientific seminars about civilisations hosted by Tunisia, Al-Arab International posed some questions to a number of participating guest speakers, including:
To what extent does the modern political discourse in Tunisia contribute to bridging relations between East and West?
Has Tunisian foreign policy contributed towards connecting people of different religions?
What distinguishes Tunisia in its dealing with the religious phenomenon?
What are the features of the Tunisian method of opening up to others and establishing security?
Does independence consist of the coloniser’s withdrawal or the freedom in taking appropriate decisions?
The answers came in different analysis methods, but they were consistent in viewing the Tunisian reality at its different political, cultural and social levels. Here is a sample of the answers given.
Dr Robert Besmit, Head of the Marseille-Mediterranean Co-operation Association, says that it is not strange for Tunisia, a country of radiant civilisations, to be great in its humanistic ideas and projects that manifest themselves in repeated calls to cease violence and resort to rational negotiation of difficult issues. Such calls have reached the international organisations, giving Tunisia the reputation of respecting others without being submissive to them, opening up to various identities without waiving its own cultural heritage, and calling for a fair distribution of the world’s wealth amongst the poor.
Jean-Marie de Bourqueney, Minister of the Royal Church in Brussels, says that Tunisia represents the hub of Mediterranean communications thanks to its strategic geographical location, stability, and good relations with all Mediterranean countries. He also expresses his admiration for the rational attitude towards Tunisian women’s liberation enshrined in legislation guaranteeing women’s rights.
Dr Jasna Samic, a specialist in Islamic Sufism at Sarajevo University in Bosnia, says that she came to Tunisia bringing concepts imposed by the 9/11 events about the Islamic religion and its relationship with Jihad. But later she noticed that the Tunisian people adhere to Islam but with much more tolerance and acceptance of others. She commented that the Tunisian elite have worked on rationalising the religious phenomenon, thus making Tunisia a country free from terrorism. It has respected religious rituals on the one hand, and contributed towards the culture of brotherhood and tolerance on the other, through its political discourse.
Professor Marie-Jean Sauret, from University Toulouse II in France, says that his visit to Tunisia has made him realise that the Tunisian citizen has acquired an intellectual independence. He admits that he has now changed the ideas he held about Arab countries in general because of what he saw, since his visit to Tunisia had corrected the exaggerated concepts made in the media.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
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Thursday, March 29, 2007
Testimonies about Tunisia’s Tolerance
By Abeddayem Sallami - Al-Arab Online - London, U.K.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
On the sidelines of the scientific seminars about civilisations hosted by Tunisia, Al-Arab International posed some questions to a number of participating guest speakers, including:
To what extent does the modern political discourse in Tunisia contribute to bridging relations between East and West?
Has Tunisian foreign policy contributed towards connecting people of different religions?
What distinguishes Tunisia in its dealing with the religious phenomenon?
What are the features of the Tunisian method of opening up to others and establishing security?
Does independence consist of the coloniser’s withdrawal or the freedom in taking appropriate decisions?
The answers came in different analysis methods, but they were consistent in viewing the Tunisian reality at its different political, cultural and social levels. Here is a sample of the answers given.
Dr Robert Besmit, Head of the Marseille-Mediterranean Co-operation Association, says that it is not strange for Tunisia, a country of radiant civilisations, to be great in its humanistic ideas and projects that manifest themselves in repeated calls to cease violence and resort to rational negotiation of difficult issues. Such calls have reached the international organisations, giving Tunisia the reputation of respecting others without being submissive to them, opening up to various identities without waiving its own cultural heritage, and calling for a fair distribution of the world’s wealth amongst the poor.
Jean-Marie de Bourqueney, Minister of the Royal Church in Brussels, says that Tunisia represents the hub of Mediterranean communications thanks to its strategic geographical location, stability, and good relations with all Mediterranean countries. He also expresses his admiration for the rational attitude towards Tunisian women’s liberation enshrined in legislation guaranteeing women’s rights.
Dr Jasna Samic, a specialist in Islamic Sufism at Sarajevo University in Bosnia, says that she came to Tunisia bringing concepts imposed by the 9/11 events about the Islamic religion and its relationship with Jihad. But later she noticed that the Tunisian people adhere to Islam but with much more tolerance and acceptance of others. She commented that the Tunisian elite have worked on rationalising the religious phenomenon, thus making Tunisia a country free from terrorism. It has respected religious rituals on the one hand, and contributed towards the culture of brotherhood and tolerance on the other, through its political discourse.
Professor Marie-Jean Sauret, from University Toulouse II in France, says that his visit to Tunisia has made him realise that the Tunisian citizen has acquired an intellectual independence. He admits that he has now changed the ideas he held about Arab countries in general because of what he saw, since his visit to Tunisia had corrected the exaggerated concepts made in the media.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
On the sidelines of the scientific seminars about civilisations hosted by Tunisia, Al-Arab International posed some questions to a number of participating guest speakers, including:
To what extent does the modern political discourse in Tunisia contribute to bridging relations between East and West?
Has Tunisian foreign policy contributed towards connecting people of different religions?
What distinguishes Tunisia in its dealing with the religious phenomenon?
What are the features of the Tunisian method of opening up to others and establishing security?
Does independence consist of the coloniser’s withdrawal or the freedom in taking appropriate decisions?
The answers came in different analysis methods, but they were consistent in viewing the Tunisian reality at its different political, cultural and social levels. Here is a sample of the answers given.
Dr Robert Besmit, Head of the Marseille-Mediterranean Co-operation Association, says that it is not strange for Tunisia, a country of radiant civilisations, to be great in its humanistic ideas and projects that manifest themselves in repeated calls to cease violence and resort to rational negotiation of difficult issues. Such calls have reached the international organisations, giving Tunisia the reputation of respecting others without being submissive to them, opening up to various identities without waiving its own cultural heritage, and calling for a fair distribution of the world’s wealth amongst the poor.
Jean-Marie de Bourqueney, Minister of the Royal Church in Brussels, says that Tunisia represents the hub of Mediterranean communications thanks to its strategic geographical location, stability, and good relations with all Mediterranean countries. He also expresses his admiration for the rational attitude towards Tunisian women’s liberation enshrined in legislation guaranteeing women’s rights.
Dr Jasna Samic, a specialist in Islamic Sufism at Sarajevo University in Bosnia, says that she came to Tunisia bringing concepts imposed by the 9/11 events about the Islamic religion and its relationship with Jihad. But later she noticed that the Tunisian people adhere to Islam but with much more tolerance and acceptance of others. She commented that the Tunisian elite have worked on rationalising the religious phenomenon, thus making Tunisia a country free from terrorism. It has respected religious rituals on the one hand, and contributed towards the culture of brotherhood and tolerance on the other, through its political discourse.
Professor Marie-Jean Sauret, from University Toulouse II in France, says that his visit to Tunisia has made him realise that the Tunisian citizen has acquired an intellectual independence. He admits that he has now changed the ideas he held about Arab countries in general because of what he saw, since his visit to Tunisia had corrected the exaggerated concepts made in the media.
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