Cultural redemption

By Naguib Mahfouz

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A news conference was held in Frankfurt last week on Arab participation in the Frankfurt International Book Fair. Preparations for the world-class event are underway and the event will provide another bridge of communication across the Mediterranean. This is a chance for Arabs to offer the world a true glimpse of their culture and creativity. Recently, the Arab image became distorted abroad and it is our responsibility to redeem it; not just through art and culture, but through political and religious understanding.

Prejudice is not our enemy alone. It is the enemy of all humanity. Those who embrace stereotypes and use them to repress others are just as guilty as those who bomb and maim to break the world's heart. We have to discredit those who want hostility to thrive in the hope that their race or creed would prove victorious. Humanity is indivisible and its triumphs belong to us all. The ultimate victory, for us as well as for others, is to learn from each other, and to care. Frankfurt is just one step.

Based on an interview with Mohamed Salmawy.