Speech by European Union (EU) Higher Representative
and Vice
President (HRVP), Federica Mogherini, at Cairo
University
November 3rd
By : Mohamed Adel
Ahlan Wasahlan
Oraheb bekom gameean ... Oraheb be
shabab Misr.
I welcome all of you, I welcome
the youth of Egypt.
I am sorry I will switch to
English now…
It is an honour for me to be here
in Cairo, one of the great capitals not only of the past, of a
glorious history, but of today, of
our times, and of the future. One of the great capitals of the Mediterranean
and of the Arab world.
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Egypt served as an example for
many years, valuing citizenship above sectarianism - I take Alexandria as the
example of a city that thrived in cultural and religious diversity contributing
to the world's cultural heritage. And Egypt is, today, the cornerstone of the
region.
But let me also say it is an
honour to be at Cairo University, a worldclass cultural institution, and the
Alma Mater of three Nobel prizes : Naguib Mafouz, Yasser Arafat, Mohamed El
Baradei.
1.
BEYOND THE CLASH OF CIVILASATIONS
I am glad I have the chance to
meet so many young people today, and to represent the European Union here with
you.
It is exactly one year since I
took office, in the European Union institutions, and you might remember there
has been a little bit of scepticism before I started, mainly due to my age -
too young, someone said. Well, indeed I am the youngest
among my colleagues in the European Commission, and for sure within the
leadership of the EU. But I can tell you today: don't let anyone use your age
against you.
It's your strength. It's your
energy. It's your capacity to dare, to.
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dream, to have hope, and not to
stop if people tell you that "it has never been done, so you cannot do
it". As one of the greatest men of our times, Mandela, showed us "it
always seems impossible, til it's done".
The power of change needs the
energy of youth. And I know I can say this here, din front of really young
people (not like me - at 42,
you are not really young
anymore...): when someone tells you that you are the future - of your country,
of diplomacy, of business, of engineering, of academic work, of whatever you
are interested in -
always remember that yes, you are
for sure the future. But you can also be the present. Especially when the
present needs energy and vision as it does in these difficult times.
These are not easy times for this
region, for our region, and for the world. Once again, we are confronted with
forces that are trying to divide us.
Some tell us that there is a war
between Islam and the rest of the world. They tell us that Europe, “Rome”, or
the so-called West,
are enemies to Islam and to Arabs.
They lie to all of us – Arabs and
Europeans alike.
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No clash of civilisations]: Let me
be frank: there has been a time when in the so-called West many have fostered
the narrative of a clash of civilisations. It was such a mistake, for so many
reasons. Today, the idea of a clash of civilisations has been taken over by
Da’esh
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terrorists that encourage
sectarianism to expand their own power,
that exploit divisions for their
own interest.
But is that our interest? Is that
the interest of European youth, of Arab youth? I believe our common interest is
rather the opposite. Our interest is defeating this narrative, wherever it
might come from. And it is up to us.
If you look at our history, at our
values and our future – there is much more that unites us. This is the real
challenge today. Will we focus on what drives us apart, or what keeps us together?
For how long will we let our differences define our relationship? For how long
will we deny our common interests, following the easy but false rhetoric of a
clash of civilizations, while so much - in our history and in our future - unites us? There
are so many reasons for us to stand together. There is so much we have in
common.
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This is what drives me here today:
the hope in a common future for Europe and the Arab world.
2.A SHARED HISTORY
Islam is part of Europe]: I
believe there are good reasons to be hopeful. Let me tell you a story. I went
to high school in Rome. Not far from my school, there was the building site of
a new mosque. The mosque was completed a few years after my final exam:
I watched it growing up. It is
today the largest mosque in the European Union and in the “Western” world.
Rome, the heart of the Catholic Church, is also home to so many Muslims. There
is no
contradiction. For centuries
Europe has been home to Christians and Muslims, Jews and non-believers. Islam
is part of Europe’s history.
Islam is part of Europe. As well
as Christianity is part of the Arab world, of Arab societies.
Food, language, culture]: We share
so much history, so much culture. You don’t have to be a historian to see that.
We can just let the very simple, ordinary life to tell us. Go to a pastry shop
in Southern Italy, or in Spain, and you will be impressed to see so many.
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sweets we have in common. And I
think you understand me if I say locanda, gonnella or robabìkia. A great
Egyptian intellectual you all know, Taha Hussein, once wrote: “The
Mediterranean is not a barrier, but a bridge between civilisations. We are bond
to Greece, to Italy, to France, as much as they
are bond to us. We have had an influence on them, they have had an influence on
us. It is only natural to keep these links”.
Not just crusades]: Of course the
history of the Mediterranean is also a history of wars. There used to be wars
between the two shores of the Mediterranean, as much as there used to be wars
inside Europe, and inside the eastern and southern shore of
the Mediterranean. Our history is a complex one. Even in this, we are similar. Indeed, there have
been dark pages. Dramatic ones. In old times, and in recent ones. But let me
remind all of us that even during the crusades, a dark era in our relationship,
an Italian like me – Francis of Assisi – came to Egypt to meet the sultan. In
times of war, they talked about peace and faith. They chose to focus on what
united people, not what drove them apart.
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Today, what we share is much more powerful
than the forces trying to divide us. We hold the same belief that all humans
are equal – all the “children of Adam”, as the Holy Quran calls humanity. And
we feel the same desire, the same aspiration for democracy, dignity,
prosperity, and peace. This makes me believe that we don’t just share a long
history: we can also share a common future. A future that will be as good as we
will manage to shape it, together.
3.
A COMMON AGENDA
[Same interests and priorities]: Look at the
world around us today.
Europe and the Arab world have the
exact same interests. We want a peaceful Middle East. We want to end terror,
and to live free from fear. We want justice and dignity in our societies. We
have the same nightmares, and the same dreams. We have all the right reasons to
stand side by side, and face the current crises together.
Iran deal
From Libya, to Yemen, to Syria –
these are dangerous times in the Middle East, North Africa and the
Mediterranean, for our region. These times call for the all of us – in the
region and in the
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international community – to come
together, to work together. It's when we manage to do so, that we manage to
achieve results that everybody would have considered impossible before. The
agreement we reached with Iran last summer is one of these. A deal that makes the whole region safer, and that
is already paving the way for better relationship between Iran and all its
neighbours - think of the unprecedented meeting we have had in Vienna last
Friday, bringing to the table for the first time all relevant regional and
international players, including Iran, to start a political process to finally
solve the crisis in Syria, after more than four years of war. So, in the short/medium
term, this might help us address the current crises. And in the long run, it
gives us hope that a more peaceful Middle East is
indeed possible. A Middle East
free of weapons of mass destruction –
this is the dream of my
generation, it can be reality for yours.
MEPP]: I know I can count on your
questions and on the conversation we'll have in a moment, to discuss more in
depth the most recent crises. But let me mention an older conflict first. A conflict
we must always keep in mind, even when we start thinking
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That being the oldest, it's also
the one we can easily manage, or Contain. Even when the eye of international
media turns away - and it often does, to go back only when people - often
children - die again.
I'm talking of the lack of peace
process in the Middle East.
We must do all we can to end the
violence between the Israelis and the Palestinians. Ultimately, only with two
States will there be peace. A strong, brave, wise politician like Rabin knew it
very well: only a Palestinian state would bring peace, and only peace would
bring security to Israel.
An Israeli youngster of your age
has your exact same right to live in security, free from fear. A Palestinian
youngster of your age deserve rights and prosperity. The people of Gaza deserve
a normal life. All this will only be possible with a viable, strong and
peaceful State of Palestine.
[Quartet plus]: The European Union strongly
believes in this perspective. Ultimately, it is up to the Israeli and the
Palestinian leaders to turn the page and choose peace. But we can all do our
part to help them take the right decision. For this reason, the European.
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Union has pushed to invite key
Arab countries to join our Quartet meetings, as has been happening these last
months. All regional powers share an interest in ending the conflict – and ever
more so today, when the whole Middle East is in turmoil.
[Daesh vs. peace in the Holy Land]: Tension in
the Holy Places can only play in the hands of terrorists
of all kinds. It can facilitate radicalisation and recruitment. It can
reinforce their narrative of a war of religion.
On the other hand, think what
peace in the Holy Land could do. Think of a pacified Jerusalem, a city for all
the children of Abraham, a capital for two States. How sweet would that be;
what a powerful message would it send to the whole Middle East, to the whole
world.
That living together, in dignity
and respect of diversity, is possible and indeed beneficial for all.
[Diversity, inclusive societies]: Diversity is
what makes the Middle East so rich, and unique. It's also what makes Europe so
rich, and unique. It's our strength. Da’esh wants to destroy all that. Dampen
the colours of this region, and turn them into black.We have a duty to.
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preserve such diversity, and to
help all minorities stay in their own land. Arab Christians have lived here for
millennia. The Copts are part of the beautiful history of this country. And the
same goes for Kurds,
Yazidis, Alawites, Druze, as well
as for Shias and Sunnis.
To preserve such diversity we need
of course to fight and defeat Daesh. But at the same time, to fight and defeat
Daesh we need to preserve such diversity. Their ultimate defeat will only be
possible if we build open, inclusive societies and democracies. It is true for
Syria, for Iraq, for Libya, as it is for all our
societies, including the European ones.
[Daesh vs. Islam]:
Still, this is not just about
politics. It is also about culture, and faith. Da’esh is putting forward an
unprecedented attempt to pervert Islam. It is a movement that, rather than
preserving Islam,
wants us to trash centuries of
Islamic culture in the name of their own fight for power. This is not
glorious, this is simply destructive. (It seems to me that) Daʼesh is not a
friend but an enemy to Islam in today’s world. Its victims are first and
foremost Muslim people. Islam itself is a victim of their despicable acts.
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[Religious authorities and social media vs.
Daesh]: It is crucial for religious and cultural authorities to challenge the
narrative of Da’esh.
Al Azhar is playing an important
role in this, and I am truly grateful to them. But this is also up to you,
especially in the younger generations.
King Abdullah of Jordan, speaking
at the United Nations last September, said: “Let’s amplify the voice of
moderation”. Now, I know that sometimes the word "moderation" is not
the most attractive one, especially for young people. But you can aim high,
have strong feelings and beliefs, and be wise
and rational, at the same time. In our difficult times, being brave and
visionary means investing in open,
inclusive societies. Societies
where everyone can find his or her own place.
4.
OPPORTUNITIES
A young region : The median age in Egypt is 25.
This is a young country in a young region. There is so much potential for
change and development, so much energy. The real challenge is making the most out
of this potential.
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Youth entrepreneurship project: If we do not
provide a future for our young people, they might seek out those who promise
alternative futures. Here as well as in Europe. So jobs and livelihoods are
also a part of how we can defeat terrorism.
The European Union over the past
three years has provided one million euros to young entrepreneurs and start-ups
in Egypt, but also in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories. We have given to
hundreds of them the opportunity to live their dream. There are many more creative minds here in this
auditorium and across the region, just waiting to prove what they can achieve.
The key to our common future is our common capacity to give them the
opportunity to do it.
[Education, women]: This is about investments,
and a proper business environment. But it is also – and primarily – about education.
Everyone should be able to get the education they want and they need. Starting
from girls and women. This is a crucial point when talking about women rights, but it
is about much more than that, it's about the quality of our societies, of our
economies, of our.
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countries. Let me tell you: a
country where women don’t have equal access to education is not only less free,
but much poorer.
5 ISLAM & EUROPE
[Refugee crisis and European values]: Also in
this, we are together. European women are still fighting for their own equality
on many aspects. Youth unemployment in many European countries is way too high.
And our own societies are not always open and inclusive as they should. In
fact, the current refugee crisis is putting us to the test. It is a test for
our values, more than for our economies. It is a test for our internal and
external solidarity. It is a test for Europe as a homeland of diversity, of
inclusiveness, of opportunities for all.
[Muslims in Europe]: There are people in Europe
who are trying to convince us that a Muslim cannot be a good European citizen.
They tell us that more Muslims in
Europe will be the end of Europe. These people are not just mistaken about
Muslims: these people are mistaken about Europe. Many European countries have
large and integrated Muslim communities. Europe is strong when it is confident
and open,
And we do have all the good
reasons for being confident and open.
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[Us and them]: Any narrative opposing “us” and
“them” makes no sense at all: Christians versus Muslims; Europeans versus Arabs; migrants versus
locals. It is not “the other” who will tear our societies apart: it is the fear
of the other.
[Our responsibility]: It’s our responsibility
today, in these difficult times for our part of the world, to focus on what
keeps us together, not what divides us. It is our responsibility to work for
unity, mutual understanding and respect. It is our responsibility to build new partnerships
between Europe and the Arab world. We have so much in common. We face the same
challenges. We hold the same fundamental beliefs. We share a long history, let
us build our future together.
Shukran, and may peace be upon you.
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