UAE | Heritage and Culture
East-West friction in focus at forum
How can hatred, generalisation and incitement between East and West be avoided? It is a million dirham question, some might say, but one that was tackled in a lively and deep discussion during the first day of the Arab German Cultural Dialogue Forum on Wednesday.
- By Abbas Al Lawati, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:02 November 27, 2008
- His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, yesterday attended the first session of the Arab German Cultural Dialogue Forum.
- Image Credit: WAM
Dubai: How can hatred, generalisation and incitement between East and West be avoided? It is a million dirham question, some might say, but one that was tackled in a lively and deep discussion during the first day of the Arab German Cultural Dialogue Forum on Wednesday.
The sitting entitled 'Orientalism and Occidentalism: Shifts and Wars of Words,' asked the hows and whys of the perceptions of Arabs and the West of each other, and how the traps of stereotyping generalisation can be avoided.
Dr Fahma Jad'an, who moderated the forum, said there was a group of academics which represented a comeback of orientalism..
Syrian philosopher Dr Mata' Safadi said that the Arab people's relations with others had always been of a political nature, and that Arabs too were responsible for not understanding the other well.
"We did not want to understand Western culture from the inside. We always thought that Western culture was a monolithic one, and never studied or analysed it," he said.
Prominent Syrian poet Adunis said Arabs failed to study and analyse themselves, let alone the West, adding that some Orientalists had studied Arabs in more depth than Arabs themselves did.
Share this article
Popular in UAE
-
Your pictures
Readers' pictures
A Selection of the best Gulf News reader pictures this week
Latest news
- Safe ways of handling medical waste discussed
- Emirati students to be chosen for German internship
- Public urged to ensure food safety
- Residency section clears 6,000 cases
- Residents opt for other gifts as gold soars
- UAE residents spend hours trying to cross into Oman
- Traditional theme at Etihad celebrations
- Dubai in for breezy conditions
- The true meaning of festival of sacrifice
- Maguindanao massacre victims remembered
- School buses must do safe drop-offs
- Rulers exchange Eid greetings
- Plan to make you reach for the book
- The last strand could count in time
- Mohammad endorses Watani campaign
Community Reports
-
School buses must do safe drop-offs
Some bus drivers let students off at the wrong side of the road
-
Munching on a health hazard
Residents must be careful about consuming snacks and sandwiches prepared along the roadside as they attract dirt and bacteria
-
Faded signage fails to guide visitors
Reader seeks better upkeep of signboards in green areas
-
Noise pollution must be regulated
Residents are finding it difficult to sleep well at night owing to ongoing construction work
