A Round table Organized by Nahar Achabab and Assafadi Foundation under Afkar II program
"A Call to Know the Other and to Part with the Prejudices
and the Misunderstanding"
Under the title “The Look towards the Other in Christianity and Islam”, Nahar Achabab and Assafadi Foundation organized in cooperation with the “Center for Christian-Muslim Studies” of the University of Balamand a dialogue meeting that took place on the 23rd of October 2008 at the University of Balamand.
The meeting in which took part Cheikh Majed Darwich, representing Dar al-Fatwa in Tripoli and in the North and Father George Massouh, Director of the “Center for Christian-Muslim Studies” of the University of Balamand, comes within the workshops undertaken in the framework of the program “Young Activists Journalists for an Inter-Religious Dialogue”, funded by EU within Afkar II program, which is managed by OMSAR. The workshop was attended by 17 young men and women from the Lebanese University, University of Balamand and Al-Jinan University. Were also among the attendees Dr. Moustapha Al-Houlwa, and Dr.Jean Karam, the director of An Nahar Training and Research Center, representing respectively Assafadi Foundation and Nahar Achabab.
In the beginning, the project manager, Dr. Jean Karam underlined the importance of finding a “simple” common ground which can bring the two religions closer to each other, noting that Nahar Achabab’s undertaking aims to stifle the turmoil and replace it by a calm dialogue for the sake of a better Lebanon.
Dr. Moustapha Al-Houlwa spoke on behalf of Assafadi Foundation. He said that “the mutual ignorance deepens the gap between the people; therefore, it is necessary for the dialogist to understand each other, for the dialogue can put everyone on the track of the objective truth”.
Then, Cheikh Majed Darwish raised in his speech the following question: Who is the other? He considered that even people belonging to the same confessional or religious belief might face divergences, on religious or political matters. He added “we want to embrace the principle of coexistence, of the acceptance of the other and of understanding, to move on to the establishment of the foundations of a decent and safe life within a political unity that brings us together, just like the Taëf Agreement did by putting an end to the Lebanese war.
As for Father George Massouh, he noted in his speech that the openness towards the other lies in the heart of “the Christian belief, which is not an obstacle before the dialogue”. He also called to find a common ground between all the religions, calling not to interrupt the dialogue between Islam and Christianity as if the other does not exist”. He considered that the basis of the respect of the other is knowing each other, and not being content with getting acquainted with the other (Christians and Muslims alike) through the Koran or the embellished reference books and vice versa.
The meeting came out with recommendations, most important of which was “to get to know the other especially through understanding his/her mentality, for by doing that one can learn how to live with the other and learn from his/her experiences”, which are two important factors that will help achieve a social integration. The participants also shed light on the importance of sharing, for the interest of all, and noted that despite the divergences we share the same values, ethics and citizenship which bring us together. “Through a dialogue on coexistence the minds will open up to the social, human and national facts that prove that there is a possibility to meet within the society”.