The first Arab cultural meeting "For Arab liberation, world solidarity and progress of humankind" was held in Lebanon from 3-5 December 1998. It was jointly organized by the Cultural Council of South Lebanon and the Charles Leopold Mayer Foundation for the Progress of Humankind. About forty thinkers, scholars, writers, poets, active representatives of organizations from civil society came from various Arab countries (Syria, Palestine, Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Sudan, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Yemen, Morocco and Bahrain). A large number of Lebanese intellectuals also participated in the meeting that focussed around a debate on the Platform for a responsible and united world. They agreed to make the following declaration public. It has been published in various newspapers in Arab countries.

We are entering the third millenium even as globalization accentuates major imbalances between the North and the South, the rich and the poor, human beings and nature, and aims at generalizing the virtues of market economy and consumption. These imbalances with destructive consequences have affected, in many ways, all the people of the earth, especially those in the periphery. Societies are presently facing challenges which they need to face to secure a future where the right of humanity to progress and development and the human right to freedom and happiness would have triumphed.

These imbalances are a result of the evolution of the capitalist system, which while waging war against humanity, has brought about progress in scientific and technical fields as well as in the realm of freedom, democracy and human rights. But this system, because of its very nature and its contradictions, has not put scientific progress at the service of humanity. It exploits human energies, drains natural resources with the risks of planetary dysfunctioning. The capitalist system unduly invokes the international legal system and human rights to deny rights to people and weak nations. Iraq and Libya are two such examples.

As the threats posed by globalization loom large, the entire planet and all those who inhabit it – individuals, associations, parties, and civil societies – must create a solidarity and mutual aid to oppose it and also come out with an active and efficient public opinion.

The Arab world, proud of its contribution to human civilization is, as other peoples of the earth, a victim of marginality and exploitation further aggravated by globalization and policies of Arab oppressing powers. As a result, Arab people cannot exercise their right to set up a state based on law, democracy and citizenship, and at the same time, see their right to freedom of territory denied as a result of Israeli occupation whether it is the case of Palestine, Lebanon or Syria.

We, Arab intellectuals and facilitators in social and organizational structures, women and men, different in our political opinions and ideologies, believe in values of freedom, justice and human rights and aspire for a better future not only for our people but for all the peoples of the earth. We proclaim our solidarity with all our fellow citizens and our willingness to adhere to a world dynamics for Arab liberation, for world solidarity and for the progress of humankind. We hereby invite all the intellectuals and democrats of the world to strengthen cooperation and solidarity through all possible means:

• For the drafting of a project on Arab revival, that is democratic and human in spirit, and unitary in its orientation; a project that puts an end to policies of dependence and oppression, and policies that favor increasing poverty, misery and illiteracy.

• For the liberation of Arab peoples’ energies and to reinforce their role in building the civil society and modern State based on equity, right to social justice and human rights that can eliminate discrimination based on gender, ethnic group, religion or political opinions.

• For the total liberation of Arab territories occupied by Israel: to enable Palestinians to return to their land and proclaim it independent; to oppose the imposition of political, economic and cultural norms ("normalisation"); to draw up a peace strategy that conforms to the project of Arab revival.

• For the humanization of contemporary civilization and its deep-rooted effects in society, freedom and independent development so that the hemorrhage of natural resources and the exploitation of human energies can be stopped. Humanization can strengthen the unity of human culture within the framework of its rich diversity.

• For the advent of a new globalization as opposed to the present one, thereby taking care of those who suffer from the negative effects of current changes and who believe in rehabilitating moral, spiritual and cultural values and not values of market economy and consumption. For a healthy relationship between human beings and nature with a view to protect the environment and preserve the right of future generations to benefit from natural resources.

• For the construction of a responsible world based on mutual aid between States and peoples imbued with the spirit of cooperation and solidarity, and whose relationship will be governed by democratic values and the progress of humankind.

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It was not easy to conduct this meeting in an Arabic world that is going through a number of problems ranging from violent confrontation between different religious and political tendencies to the resistance against Israeli occupation, to dramatic consequences of socio-political problems such as poverty, illiteracy, gender discrimination or exclusion of minorities...

The meeting was conceived as an open dialogue on contemporary problems put forth by the Platform for a responsible and united world and the Arab realities. We debated on issues, drew up recommendations: all this was reflected in one way or the other in the "Arab Cultural declaration of Beirut". However, what did not appear in the declaration was the positive spirit that prevailed during the meeting, something that was noticeable from the very beginning. Everyone wanted to participate in the workshops, make observations and contribute to the recommendations. In short, it was three full days of work, full of hope for a better future.

What next after the meeting? How best can one invest this positive spirit, this will to work? What are the priorities? As for me, I suggest the following ideas that can be taken up for discussion:

• Encourage potential partners to link themselves to the dynamics of the Alliance. For instance, the following may be offered: poets and intellectuals can be linked to the intercultural library project; women could join the Yin-Yang network; scientists can participate in working-groups on soil, water and environment; politicians can contribute by way of thinking about governance. This could be reinforced by field visits and small meetings in order to establish the different networks.

• Draw up a thematic meeting on the theme of masculine/feminine in 1999. I suggest Egypt as the venue for this meeting. It can be organized with the help of the Center for Arab-African Research headed by Samir Amin.

• Organize another meeting for the youth of the Arab world in the year 2000. This could be held in Tunisia with the Arab Council for Sociological Research under the banner of "Dialogue of Generations".

Fahima Charaf Eddine (Lebanon)
[E-mail: fahima@cyberia.net.lb]

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