Express yourself
What are the boundaries that should, or should not, limit freedom of expression? Fatemah Farag considers some of the answers discussed in Alexandria this week
"I may differ with your views, but I am willing to lay down my life to protect your right to express these views." --Voltaire
The above dictum by Voltaire was one that participants at the Beacon of Freedom Symposium -- held by the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in coordination with the Government of Norway on 19 May -- often referred to. The stark contrast between the views of the French philosopher and the intolerance and disrespect for freedom of expression, culture and diversity prevalent today is striking indeed. As participants discussed topics that ranged from the attacks of Islamist forces against "secular" culture in Egypt, the devastation of Iraq's heritage since the Anglo-American invasion, self-censorship in post-Taliban Kabul and the long-term detention of writers in Turkey; it became clear that despite the many advances made in communications technology and bringing the world's peoples closer together, much remains to be done to generate more respect for freedom of expression.
"We value freedom of expression above all other freedoms because it is the foundation of self fulfillment... Without freedom of enquiry, and of expression, there can be no scientific advancement. Freedom, as much as imagination and boldness, is at the heart of the search for the truth and the attainment of knowledge," said Ismail Serageddin, director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
It is apt that these discussions should have taken place at the Bibliotheca which prides itself on being the extension of the heritage of the ancient Library of Alexandria, an institution that drew the greatest thinkers of antiquity to engage in free study and the exchange of ideas. The mandate of the current library includes creating a centre for learning, tolerance, dialogue and understanding. In his opening statement, Serageddin noted: "Today, we are gathered to do just that, to give content to the slogans and to take firm steps in the path of asserting the principles we stand for."
The event drew such participants as former Egyptian ambassador, Abdel Raouf El-Reedy; Eugene Schoulgin, chair of the Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN; Alex Bryne of the International Federation of Library Associations' (IFLA) governing board; poet and columnist Ahmed Abdel-Mo'ty Hegazy, as well as Mustafa El-Razzaz, chairman of the Visual Arts Committee of the Supreme Council of Culture.
The centrepiece of the event, however, was the presentation of a gift by the Norwegian Minister of Cultural and Church Affairs, Valgerd Svarstad Haugland, from the Government of Norway -- namely the Beacon of Freedom of Expression Database, a Web-based reference catalogue on censored writings past and present. "The database is aimed at facilitating dialogue between the world's cultures on the significance of freedom of expression and free access to information as vital parts of democracy and peace worldwide," explained the minister.
The database is comprised of two sections: the first is a global, bibliographical reference catalogue of books and newspapers censored by government authorities, past and present, because of political, religious or moral reasons. The second section lists literature on censorship and freedom of expression. It currently contains over 55,000 references and is to be updated continuously through a steering committee that will function until the end of 2005. "[The database] represents a steadily growing electronic monument to all the writers, books and newspapers that have been censored throughout history."
The various facets and forms of censorship today were recurrent topics of discussion in the papers presented throughout the day. According to Serageddin, "The real issues of censorship: from Taha Hussein to Nasr Hamid Abu Zeid are not so much government actions or the legislative climate, even if that can certainly be improved. The real issue is in the intolerance that permeates a society. The unwillingness to recognise that the only legitimate way to defeat an idea is with another idea, not by harassment or banning of books."
Few would disagree. Hegazy pointed out that "Our country is cursed with the stifling of freedom of expression... I have experiences of this as a poet and as a publisher... There is a trend in society that is against art, poetry, the mind and freedom. As an office, censorship no longer exists. However, censorship is practiced." At the end of his presentation on censorship and art in Egyptian history, El-Razzaz showed those in attendance two photos: one taken 70 years ago, of an Egyptian woman taking off the veil and raising the Egyptian flag; the other taken this week of a heavily veild young woman, a student at the School of Fine Arts.
He hardly needed to point out the irony of the contrast. As Serageddin explained: "There are social pressures which form censorship and there is a lack of standards for proper dialogue which allow for the discussion of opposing views."
In the case of Egypt, however, the role of state restrictions was deemed of less significance than such "societal pressures". In answer to a question by Al- Ahram Weekly regarding the lack of emphasis on the clamp-down on freedom of political expression, Serageddin said that while this was a legitimate subject for debate, freedom of expression as related to cultural issues was more relevant to the discussion. However, Andrew Puddephatt, executive director of Article 19: The Global Campaign for Free Expression, later noted in his presentation that the, "Fundamental difference between societies that allow vigorous criticism of the government and ones that put you into jail for doing so, is that they produce fundamentally different climates [for freedom of expression]. In the second case, people will be inclined to censor themselves."
In his presentation to the symposium, Managing Editor of Al-Ahram Weekly Hani Shukrallah also argued that the limits either corporate or state ownership could set for censorship were very much a function of active democracy. "The root of the issue is in the poverty of politics. Only in societies that have a vibrant political space can there also be space for freedom of expression. Only in such societies can the media be held accountable to the truth and to their consumers."
Al-Ahram Weekly Online : 22 - 28 May 2003 (Issue No. 639)
Located at: http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2003/639/eg5.htm