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British Council Event - Lecture & Conversation: Clash or Dialogue of Civilizations?

June 26th, 2014
British Council Event.jpg

News from Berlin - The British Council and Heinrich Boll Foundation are hosting a lecture entitled “Clash or Dialogue of Civilizations: relations between the West and the Muslim World after 9/11” on 9th July 2014.

The event comes at a time where right-wing and anti-globalization parties are gaining ever-more popularity across Europe. Increased immigration, especially with crises in the Middle East, is prompting greater multiculturalism and with it, religious diversity. This diversity is celebrated by some, a testament to the tolerant, globalized world we live in today.

But to others, the growing visibility of Islam in particular, is a source of controversy and with financial austerity measures in the Western world too comes with socio-political tension and fierce debate. In particular, many have taken to blaming immigrants as simply not contributing enough to Western economies, but in a cultural sense, there is fierce question on the compatibility of Islamic values with those of Western democracies.

The event will attempt to discuss a means to a ‘discrimination-free culture in European society’, attempting to foster peaceful coexistence between members of all cultures through inter-cultural discussion and dialogue. The rationale is that through such discussion, individuals from all cultures can learn about each other to banish ignorance and common misunderstandings.

Ambassador Akbar Ahmed is the author of a number of award-winning books focusing on the relationship between Islam and the West, focusing specifically on the impact of 9/11. Through dialogue, Mr Ahmed is hoping to undermine stereotypes about the nature of Islamic extremism to the end of better cultural relations and integration between different cultures in Western societies. The event will therefore open with a discussion led by Ahmed on perspectives on the nature of a discrimination-free European society and what exactly it would look like.

The discussion will be followed by a conversation with Dr. Riem Spielhouse, a Research Fellow at the Erlangen Centre for Islam and Law in Europe at the University of Nurberg-Erlangen. The talk will focus on the history of the relationship between Europe and the Muslim world and how exactly this relates to contemporary challenges resulting from increased immigration, focusing more specifically on how this relates to Germany, a country with a very high, growing Muslim population.

To attend this event you can register online: https://www.eventbrite.de/e/lecture-by-ambassador-akbar-ahmed-clash-or-dialogue-of-civilizations-tickets-11869244229 - Password: British Council) or via email to serkan.deniz@britishcouncil.de.

News from Berlin – Berlin Global