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His Highness Sultan Al Qasimi Inaugurates International Symposium Entitled Bislamic Civilization In The 21st Century: Global |
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His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council member and Ruler of Sharjah, inaugurated a two day international symposium entitled ‘Islamic Civilization in the 21st Century: Global Perspectives’. The conference is organized in collaboration between Sharjah Museums Department (SMD) and American University of Sharjah (AUS) at the AUS campus. Upon his arrival, His Highness was welcomed by Dr. Obeid Saif Al Hajeri, regional manager of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), and His Excellency Mohammed Diab Al Mousa, Advisor at the Amiri Court, His Excellency Ali Ebrahim Al Marri, General Manager of HH Sultan Al Qasimi Centre for Gulf Studies, Her Excellency Manal Ataya, Director General of Sharjah Museums Department, Dr. Bjorn Kjerfve, Chancellor of AUS, Dr. Salem Al Qaseer, Vice Chancellor of AUS, Dr. Mouza Al Shehhi, Vice Chancellor of AUS for Student Affairs and a number of other dignitaries, , conference speakers and journalists. The symposium was inaugurated after the recitation of verses from the Quran and the UAE national anthem, followed by an opening address by Dr. Bjorn Kjerfve, Chancellor of AUS, who said, “It is an honour to host such a conference at American University of Sharjah. I am grateful to the Sharjah Museums Department for their untiring effort in making this event possible. This symposium provides a platform for greater innovation and collaboration for the leading minds in the field of education, research, science, arts, new media and more. On this occasion, I would also like to reiterate our university’s commitment to providing world class education that is thoroughly grounded in Arab culture and is part of a larger process of the revitalization of intellectual life in the Middle East.” Director General SMD Manal Ataya in her address to the participants of this highly stimulating symposium, said, “In 2014, all these efforts to ensure the achievements of the Islamic world are celebrated, not only within the Islamic world but all over the globe. Outstanding individuals from our region and beyond are making significant and inspiring contributions, supported by some patrons, institutions and even governments. However, for a complex set of reasons, currently these efforts are not recognised enough globally to the same degree as those of their distinguished predecessors in history. “The reasons for this are many and of concern to us all, but particularly to a young Arab Muslim generation yearning for a sense of pride in their identity and need positive encouragement in their aspirations and role models that are not only relevant and inspiring for them but who might be able to provide them with exciting potential starting points for a prosperous future. “This conference, then, aims to introduce some of those outstanding role models, inspirational individuals with thought-provoking and pioneering contributions – be that within contemporary Islamic Civilization, enabled by contemporary Islamic civilization, hand in hand with contemporary Islamic civilization or in honour of Islamic civilization – past and present.” The first session of Day 1 of the symposium was dedicated to ‘Education, Research and Scholarship – Innovative Approaches, Ground Breaking Initiatives’. This panel was deftly moderated by Dr Meis Al Kaisi, Assistant Professor in the Arabic and Translation Studies Department at American University of Sharjah. The panellists for this session were Yasmin Faghihi and Eva Schubert. Ms Faghihi informed the gathering that Cambridge University Library holds the most valuable collection of early Mus’hafs in the UK. She further elaborated that their existence had largely remained hidden from scholars. She also talked about FIHRIST, the first online union Catalogue for Islamic Manuscripts in the UK, and the Cambridge Digital Library. Her presentation focused on metadata systems and various methodologies of digitisation, content enrichment and aggregation through cooperation, accessibility and obstacles, and concluded with the impact of these digital developments on scholarship today. The second speaker of the session was Eva Schubert who is the founder of ‘Museums With No Frontiers’ (MWNF). She talked about how MWNF has provided a unique online platform for cultural partners in the Arab World, the Mediterranean region and Europe to collaborate over digitally presenting and curating their art, archaeology, culture, and history. She also highlighted MWNF’s unprecedented potential for intercultural and interfaith dialogue. The Second and final session of the day was entitled ‘The Sciences – Tackling the challenges of Our World’. Dr Ghaleb Husseini, Professor at the Chemical Engineering Department at the AUS, was the moderator. He stressed the need for students and scholars to come forward and engage in pioneering projects that further the time-honoured relationship between Islam and science. Talking to guests and participants, Dr Abdullah Alshankiti, underscored the challenges the world faces with regards to water, environment, income and food security. Dr Alshankiti also highlighted the work of The International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), especially in addressing the agricultural challenges in marginal environments in a wide variety of ways, including assessment of natural resources and climate change adaptation. The final presentation of the day was made by Dr Mariam Matar who is the Founder and Chairman of the UAE Genetic Diseases Association and Deputy Chairperson of Dubai Cares. Dr Matar’s presentation discussed the sciences in general and the various challenges in the light of current perspectives from the UAE. She focused in particular on the how, when, and why of genetics, its implications and future in the wider Middle East. The first day of the symposium concluded with some inspiring remarks by Dr Ulrike Khamis, Strategic Advisor to the Sharjah Museums Department, who emphasized the need for interfaith and intercultural interaction in the fields of education and science. Later in the day the internationally recognised academics and experts were taken around Sharjah to visit the cultural landmarks of the Emirate. The participants expressed their appreciation and high regard for the wealth and richness of Sharjah’s historical and cultural heritage. |
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