PARIS, 18 October 2003 — We live in a global village and share a common fate. I have yet to meet a person whose life has not been disrupted by the attack on Washington and New York and the earthquake that followed. We all feel insecure. Peace and stability are a distant dream.

There are extremists and fanatics in every religion. There are terrorists in every country. Until recently, the distinction between terrorists, murderers and freedom fighters was clear in our minds. Today the term terrorist is a one-size garment that fits all, while self-defense is a tight, made-to-measure robe, which shelters the mighty, protects the privileged and covers a multitude of war crimes.

Extremists and fanatics are minority groups. The danger starts when they assume power, occupy decision-making positions, have military might, exert political and social influence, master the art of deception, manipulate the gullible, brainwash the innocent and rally behind them the zealots, the ignorant and the misinformed.

Should we allow minority groups to shape our future, hijack our dreams, ruin our happiness and promote hatred, prejudice and chaos in the world? Should we allow them to set Hindus, Christians, Jews, Muslims and Sikhs against each other? Should we allow them to have the last word? Is it not time for moderates to unite, make their voices heard and demand a cessation of all hostilities?

If moderates clearly, loudly and unequivocally renounce the mad theory of a clash of civilization, we might exit from the dark tunnel we entered on Sept. 11, 2001. If we promote the language of tolerance, justice, cooperation and love, we might put an end to all acts of violence in the Middle East and elsewhere and restore harmony and stability to our unstable world.

True believers in a just and fair God know that He is the ultimate judge of our deeds and actions. He alone has the power to shape our destiny and reshape our world. We are all mortal beings. Should we not clear the mess we have created before we depart?

We are the lucky generation that was born few years after World War II, a time when politicians were tired of battles and bloodshed and determined to spare us hostilities, conflicts and vicious wars. We spent a good part of our youth in relative peace and tranquility. As young students, we were psychologically ready to build friendships with people from different cultures, different countries and different faiths.

A vicious campaign, a biased media and an unfair press are building walls between potential friends. They have spread enough prejudice and enough lies to deprive our children of the opportunity to meet people and form friendships away from home. It is our duty to dispel the climate of fear, hatred and suspicion that the precipitating events of the last two years have promoted. We should encourage our children to meet and to appreciate world cultures. We should teach them to love humanity and respect all world religions. We should tell them that the majority of people are good. The extremists, the fanatics, the terrorists are the exceptions in every society, not the rule. Our children should know that East and West have much in common. We should share with them our positive experiences when we were their ages. I remember with fondness my positive experiences on American campuses and my happy days in the company of American and international friends. Although I was nervous when I left home to embark on what I then considered an educational adventure, I was looking forward to studying at American universities and to meeting American students.

I joined the many thousands of Saudi students who received scholarships from our government to seek undergraduate and postgraduate degrees from the US. Any American who has gone through the experience of seeking degrees in a foreign language in a foreign land will appreciate the challenges we faced and the obstacles we had to overcome.

We were not pleased with the strong support that America always gave to Israel; yet anti-American feelings had no place in our young hearts. America had no history of occupying any Arab country, and it was a close friend of Saudi Arabia. While thousands of young Saudis went to study at American universities, many American professionals traveled to Saudi Arabia to work in its hospitals, universities and businesses.

Because we never thought that America wanted to deprive us of our cultural identity, we appreciated American culture and developed a taste for American food. Hamburgers, corn on the cob, corn fritters and American coffee became part of our diet. We learned to enjoy American music and American films. Americans and America had no trouble winning our hearts and no difficulty capturing our minds. The term “boycott” was not part of our vocabulary. There was no need for a “Sawa” radio program and similar expensive projects to influence our thinking and behavior.

We did not experience a culture shock. Just as our Muslim faith governed our lives, the diversity of faiths represented in American society often shaped the lives of many of our colleagues and friends.

Our American friends knew little about Saudi Arabia and less about our national customs and Islamic traditions. We knew little about American values and American culture. Our mutual friendship was the best intercultural education we ever received. It enriched our thinking and left an indelible mark on our character.

I am an optimist by nature. In total darkness, I see a glimpse of light. When times are rough, I say it will not be too long before things improved. I cannot believe that it is impossible to break the vicious cycle of provocation, assassination, and revenge in the Middle East and elsewhere.

Sophisticated weapons can hurt, kill and demolish, but they can neither defeat terror nor promote democracy, justice and peace. They have already destroyed thousands of homes and claimed thousands of innocent lives. Only when we respect each other, realize that others feel hurt and suffer like we do, eradicate poverty, eliminate prejudice, stop all acts of provocation, stand by the innocent, help the weak and free the oppressed from the grip of the powerful, end injustice, discrimination, misery, hardship and poverty, and promote love, respect and friendship can we have peace, security and stability.

— Dr. Ibtissam Al-Bassam is academic adviser to the assistant director general for education, UNESCO (Paris). The views expressed are her own.