Heritage and renewal at the table of the Union of Afro-Asian Universities

The Union of Afro-Asian Universities recently held a symposium entitled “Enlightenment in Arab-Islamic Civilization.” The attendees called for integrating heritage into the fabric of contemporary life without being accused of backwardness and reactionism. They said that the new arrival can only be right on the basis of a living past that is valid for the present, so that we can restore this nation’s confidence in its history, literature, and religion. They stressed that the role of Muslims in the phase of steadfastness in moments of setback is no less than their role in moments of challenge, and this is what has protected this nation from fading and severe decline. The symposium’s closing statement stated that the nation is going through different phases between push and pull, with calls emerging such as: writing Arabic in Latin letters, denying pre-Islamic poetry, and other modern calls such as exaggerated religious extremism as a reaction to other extremism, and prose poetry and other reprehensible calls that are rejected by moderation and correct thinking, and that the nation’s reform can only be achieved by what reformed it first, integrity without violence, and softness without weakness, if we transfer the phrase from politics to the politics of literature and thought in general. The Union of Afro-Asian Universities, in cooperation with the Arab Union for Sustainable Development and Environment, affiliated with the League of Arab States, and the World Union of International Arab Islamic Schools, a member of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, signed a cooperation protocol between eight international and global federations and associations with the aim of establishing an effective partnership between regional and international federations, developing relations between them, and building bridges of communication and cooperation in areas of common interest in order to achieve constructive cohesion that benefits individuals, societies, and students. The cooperation aims to raise the level of university education in a way that guarantees students the optimal level scientifically, morally, healthily, psychologically, and environmentally, and to raise the level of scientific research in all fields and exchange its results and direct attention to applied research that addresses contemporary reality issues and works to link curricula, courses, and research topics to the requirements of the labor market and to sustainable development plans scientifically, economically, and socially, away from political, partisan, sectarian, or denominational frameworks, while paying attention to Arab and Islamic heritage and literature. Dr. Ashraf Al-Darfeli, Executive Director of the Union of Afro-Asian Universities, stated: “In the interest of the Federation of Afro-Asian Universities, the Arab Federation for Sustainable Development and Environment, and the World Federation of Schools to coordinate and integrate efforts between all parties, and because these federations have a genuine connection to Arab and Islamic work and everything that concerns humanity, especially between the continents of Africa and Asia, and because these two continents have many common denominators and contain more than (102) countries, the aforementioned federations were keen to extend an invitation to their counterparts to establish a practical association that achieves the goals and mission of each party.. especially since we are in an era that only knows blocs characterized by unity, integration, and cooperation. This initiative was welcomed and desired by the Union of Arab Women Leaders, the Arab Union for Culture and Creativity, the Afro-Asian Business Council, the World Islamic Literature Union, and the World Islamic Council for Call and Relief to join, participate, and sign a protocol of cooperation and true partnership between the eight international and global federations.” The cooperation protocol was signed by Professor Saber Abdel Dayem Younes, President of the International Islamic Literature Union, Counselor Abdel Fattah Suleiman Abdullah, Secretary-General of the World Union of International Arab Islamic Schools, Dr. Ashraf Abdel Aziz, Secretary-General of the Arab Federation for Sustainable Development and Environment, Dr. Ashraf Abdel Rafeh El-Derfeli, Executive Director of the Union of Afro-Asian Universities, Dr. Hala Adly Hussein, Secretary-General of the Arab Women Leaders Union, Dr. Badria Suleiman Abbas, President of the Arab Women Leaders Union, Judge Dr. Ali Mohsen Al-Akwa, President of the Arab Federation for Culture and Creativity, and Walid Abdel Aal Daabas, President of the Afro-Asian Business Council. This took place at the headquarters of the World Union of International Arab Islamic Schools.