Arab group statement on Conference on Citizenship

Arab group statement on Conference on Citizenship

The Arab Group for Christian Muslim Dialogue held a regional workshop in Cairo, Egypt on 20-23 March 2005, under the title “The Problematic of Citizenship”. Participating in the conference were members of the Arab Group as well as guests and speakers from Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates.

The Arab Group for Christian Muslim Dialogue held a regional workshop in Cairo, Egypt on 20-23 March 2005, under the title “The Problematic of Citizenship”. Participating in the conference were members of the Arab Group as well as guests and speakers from Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates.

Discussions focused on the implications of regional and international developments on Christian Muslim relations. Also, there were significant discussions on reform and democracy from an Arab perspective, developments in the Sudan, status of Christian Muslim Dialogue and the issue of integration and division in the Arab world.

A special day was organized in cooperation with the Dialogue of Civilizations program at the Faculty of Economics and Political Science of Cairo University on the issue of “Jerusalem and its future in light of recent developments”.

On the issue of Christian Muslim relations, the participants reemphasized the need to deepen and strengthen the sense of co-existence, while at the same time guaranteeing equality on the basis of the “one, equal” citizenship, in order to reach the status of “unity in diversity”, thus dispelling debate on “majority and minority” politics. Equal citizenship must be the banner under which rights and responsibilities are guaranteed. On this basis, the participants highlighted the need to further strengthen and disseminate ideas that engender a culture of dialogue at the grassroots level.

On the issue of Christian Muslim relations and tensions arising recently the participants proposed the formation of a committee “task force” that could intervene when need arises to prevent dangers that threatens Christian Muslim relations. On the issue of reform and democracy, the Arab Group emphasized the need to connect (or, reconnect) the sense of partnership and mutual learning between cultures – globally in terms of regional specificity – and that the Arab and Islamic culture and education would again be open to interaction with other civilizations and cultures.

As for the city of Jerusalem, which continues to be at the heart of the Arab world, it was observed that Israel is continuing the process of Judaising of the demographic nature of the city in the midst of alarming Arab – Christian and Muslim – silence. The Israeli occupation, in working relentlessly to change the demographic nature of the city, is attempting to alter and erase its historic structure from the collective memory of its people. Therefore, a joint Christian Muslim working group should be formed to work against this process of Judaising the city of Jerusalem, while at the same time explaining to the world the dangers facing the holy city, with a call to all Christian and Muslim organizations to take a clear position against the attempts to distort the unique human heritage that this holy city’s structure holds.

At the conclusion of the meeting and following the approval of the principal resolutions, it was announced that a delegation of ten people of the Arab Group will be going to the USA in the second part of April 2005. The delegation will visit four States and conclude its visit in Washington, DC. It is hoped that the visit, which is being arranged by main-line Protestant churches in the US, will serve as a catalyst for other activities that can help Christians in America build more positive relations with their Muslim neighbors as well as foster more informed US engagement with the Middle East.