Women can play a greater role to boost relations between the Arab world and Europe. This was very evident when a delegation of women from the Arab world met with German women and government officials recently to examine the challenges their nations face within their growing relationships.
Representatives from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Palestine, Syria, Tunis, Mauritania, the UAE and Yemen explored the role of women and their participation in society, gender policies, social issues and the business environment.
The visit was organized by Germany’s Federal Foreign Office in Berlin. The group learned about the empowerment of German women and their struggle against discrimination. The objective of the exercise was to influence opinions and create a better understanding of the situation in the Middle East and the Muslim population in Germany and the West.
The talks began with the Foreign Ministry’s task force for dialogue with the Islamic world. Officials outlined German efforts to engage and support Arab countries through special funds promoting cultural and educational initiatives in order to establish better relations with Arab civil society — including women and youth who may not be familiar with German or Western culture.
Ministry officials stressed the importance of intercultural dialogue to empower women and support the next generation in building bridges of peaceful coexistence and economic prosperity.
During meetings with women members of the task force of the German Commissioner for Migration, Refugees and Integration and other women of influence in the German Bundestag, the group had the opportunity to discuss the rise of Islamophobia, the hijab, the threat of terrorism and the condition of Muslims in German society.
German participants voiced their concerns and the reasons behind the problems that face the Muslim immigrants in Germany, who are mainly of Turkish origin. One major problem, they explained, stems from the failure of the Muslim immigrants to learn the German language, which hampers their integration into German society. It also prevents children from accessing the quality education available in German schools and alienates them from other German schoolchildren. Another obstacle to integration is the tendency of immigrants to group together in enclaves that remain isolated from the rest of German society.
Another area of concern is the hijab. Although the situation in Germany is less extreme than in France or Britain, it is viewed as a religious symbol and limits the job opportunities available to devout Muslim women.
Ministry officials outlined the policies of the new German government of Angela Merkel to improve relations with Muslim immigrants and increase cooperation with German mosques and Muslim groups to reduce the specter of terrorism and confront the rise of Islamophobia. They also noted passage of a new law requiring German language classes for all immigrants to facilitate their integration into German society.
Findings were presented from a special summit held in 2006 to outline a national plan addressing the issues of the Muslim immigrants in Germany. Studies and research about the Muslim community revealed that the situation of Muslims in Germany is not as bad as it is in Britain and France. However, Islamophobia is on the rise and it remains a major concern for the government.
The message was clear that fears of Islam and Muslims stem from the ignorance of the religion. German officials and Muslim leaders are working together to confront the rise of Islamophobia and to support the peaceful Muslim immigrants and their integration into German society.
The delegation of Arab women made it clear that Islam is not a violent religion, and Muslims are not the enemies of the West. The West needs to understand that the majority of Muslims strongly identify with their religion; this should not be viewed or interpreted as a sign of radicalization. Moreover, women wear the hijab as a way of life and a religious obligation and not as a religious symbol or a political statement.
Delegates also stressed that there is widespread condemnation of terrorism among the majority of Muslims in the Arab world; however, Muslims also find efforts to place collective guilt on Islam regarding terrorism offensive.
The eight Arab women also discussed the future of Palestinian women and children who are under siege. Talks with several German women in politics, media and society revealed that some were unsympathetic to the hardships suffered by Palestinian women and children, and they strongly supported the continuing European Union and American boycott. They justified the move because of the support of Palestinians for Hamas, a movement that endorses armed resistance against Israeli occupation.
However, there were others who showed support and admiration of the achievements of Palestinian women and their struggle to provide for their families under the brutal Israeli occupation and a raft of daily hardships. Two young Palestinian journalists in the group were very eloquent and succeeded in presenting an accurate picture of the conditions Palestinian women face and their courageous efforts to overcome them.
The highlight of the visit was a trip to Cologne and to the headquarters of EMMA magazine. The group met with well-known feminist Alice Schwarzer who showed great interest in Arab culture and the women of the Arab world.
Schwarzer detailed her fight against the exploitation of women in pornographic movies and magazines and her efforts to stop the abuse of portraying women as sex symbols in the media and the cinema. She supported the right of Muslim women to wear the hijab, though she was apprehensive of Muslim women using it as a religious symbol or to promote a political agenda.
This exchange of views between Arab and German women celebrated their common interests and shared values. It supports their endeavors to eliminate discrimination against women and to raise the awareness among women in their fight for rights wherever they are. This is certainly an important step toward building bridges between the West and the Muslim world.
Germany is the current president of G-8 of industrialized nations, and its support of Arab women is important. The interaction of the Arab women from different Arab societies is essential to address the concerns of Germany and the West toward Arabs and Muslims and to articulate positions on many issues of conflict in hopes of eliminating fears and suspicions on both sides.
Saudi Arabia and Germany have increased their efforts to bridge the gap between Europe and the Arab world. Two recent events highlight the progress toward strengthening political and cultural contacts between the two worlds.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Saud Al-Faisal attended a three-day symposium titled “Historical Contact Between Europe and the Arab World.” Held in Riyadh, the symposium was organized by King Faisal Center for Islamic Research and Studies and the German Embassy.
Prince Turki Al-Faisal, board chairman of the center, stressed the need for Europeans and Arabs to focus on cultural development, political concerns and economic issues.
Prince Saud Al-Faisal also stressed the importance of the recent GCC-EU ministerial meeting that took place in Riyadh where diplomats discussed several controversial subjects, including developments in the region and the Free-GCC Trade Agreement — the first region-to-region pact covering 27 European countries and six Gulf countries.
Clearly, these efforts on all levels bring the peoples of the Arab world and Europe closer together and foster understanding. Such initiatives are the key to better relations, world peace and global economic prosperity.
(Samar Fatany is a Jeddah-based radio journalist. She can be reached at [email protected].)
