'The force of reason'

Mrs Suzanne Mubarak, addressing the Arab Pavilion's first symposium, underlined the book as a tool for cross-cultural exchange. Below are extracts from her speech

---

Click to view caption

At the opening ceremony, Mrs Mubarak, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and Leila Moussa, wife of Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa; at the Hessen Film Festival, Mrs Mubarak poses with Volker Neumann, director of the Frankfurt Book Fair; Sharif greets Mrs Mubarak; and welcomes Moussa

"At this time of global tension and increased need for mutual understanding, it is wonderful that the Frankfurt Book Fair should be hosting the Arab world. It gives us a chance to open a window for Europeans, and the West in general, onto the rich legacy of Arab culture; a culture that has taken from and preserved the contributions of ancient Greek thinking, as well as of Hellenistic Egypt and its great Library of Alexandria which has made its own distinctive contribution to the development of the sciences of philosophy.

"Indeed, the Arabs in their openness to the other took their numeral system from India, and passed it on to Europe where they are still referred to as Arabic numerals. Arab and Muslim scholars gave Algebra its name and made signal contributions from astronomy to sociology to zoology. They went beyond science, enriching world culture with poetry, music and the arts, bequeathing the world exquisite architectural creations from the Alhambra in Spain to the Taj Mahal in India.

"Today, the Arab world, even the whole Muslim world, heirs to that great civilisation, are misunderstood and viewed with suspicion, by those who equate Islam with terrorism and who imagine Arabs as nomads. The platform that Frankfurt provides should go a long way to restoring a balanced view to the West, and to help build bridges of understanding between our peoples.

"Indeed, if politics can divide us, and if economies can separate us, culture can bring us closer together. For in the celebration of cultural diversity there is enrichment for all. And who can think culture without books? Who can imagine reason without books? A body of scientific volumes without knowledge? None of these could exist without books. Books are the epitome of reason. With them, and all they stand for, we can indeed hope that the force of reason and not the reason of force shall prevail.

"Today, in Egypt, we not only look back with pride to a glorious past, but we study the reasons for the longevity and the distinction of the civilisation that our forebears created. As we look at our past and confront our present, we measure our strengths and assess our shortcomings.

"Like our ancestors, we open our hearts and minds and borders, to all who bring knowledge. Like them, we value scholars for their contributions regardless of race, creed or national origin. We welcome the input of partners and best scholars from around the world, those who are at the cutting edge of knowledge, science and technology. We treasure knowledge, for through its mastery our well-being is advanced.

"It is through the dissemination of knowledge that greater understanding between peoples is realised. Human civilisations were all built on knowledge and the understanding of its use. In Egypt we are determined to recreate in this 21st century a knowledge-based generation through a climate of learning that fosters openness to the other, dialogue and debate.

"[Books] are powerful tools in enhancing analytical thinking in search of the truth as well as being an effective means of exposure to and respect of diversity, dialogue, common shared-values and the dignity of each civilisation and culture."