Tunis conference calls for media effort to counter negative image of Islam
2008-05-12
Tunis hosted a meeting of experts last week to explore ways to employ modern technology in correcting misinformation about Islam in the media.
By Mona Yahya for Magharebia in Tunis – 12/05/08
 [isesco.org.ma] Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) held a meeting in Tunis last week as part of its programme to use modern technology to counter misinformation about Islam and Islamic civilisation. |
Officials, academics and experts from several Arab countries met with representatives from the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) and the World Islamic Call Society in Tunis on May 5th-8th to discuss ways to employ information and communication technology to defend Islam's image in modern media.
In a written statement issued during the conference, the experts discussed the negative effects of what they call "Islamophobia" on the religion's global image, calling for opening dialogue with leading intellectuals and media and political figures in the West.
The experts also urged Middle Eastern intellectuals residing in the west and media to take part in public debates to defend the image of Islam and to confront stereotypes.
The meeting featured presentations of specific public relations techniques and ways to generate alternative images. In addition, the gathering featured a round table on media training facilities in the Arab world, and how they might be used to restore the image of Islam.
The meeting came as part of a broader ISESCO programme on the public image of Islam based on a decision by the fourth Islamic Conference of Culture Ministers, hosted by Algiers in December 2004. The Islamic conference advocated the launch of an Islamic satellite television channel and called for nations in the region to submit cultural projects to ISESCO to guarantee adherence to the organisation's strategy.
Fatma Tarhouni, Secretary-General of the Tunisian National Committee for Education, Science and Culture, said Tunisia is attempting to bring the use of information and communication technology in line with the protection of identity and culture.
She added that among the highest priorities in Tunisia are engagement in the communications revolution, the adoption of a policy of openness and the enhancement of dialogue between cultures and religions.
ISESCO representative Mahjoub Ben Saiid said: "The media is now playing a serious role; it can tarnish the image of Islam, but can also improve it. We at ISESCO are of the opinion that this situation should be dealt with through a detailed, precise programme rather than emotions and quick reactions."
Such a programme, Mahjoub said, should "include academic, media and cultural and educational dimensions. This meeting is concerned with... [presenting] the image of true, moderate Islam that calls for love and fraternity. This can only be achieved through the training of media personnel who possess modern technologies and who can influence others."
Stressing the importance of understanding among peoples, Moktar Dira of the World Islamic Call Society supported dialogue and alliance among civilisations and cultures.
Yemen's Abda Salah Moslah said, "It is our duty to make use of all means of communication in order to show the Islam's tolerance. Islam calls for good; it doesn't call for evil. It calls for love, not disunity."
At the conclusion of the meeting, the assembled group recommended that ISESCO's regional centres for training and audio-visual and multimedia production facilities in Khartoum, Damascus and Teheran offer courses to young journalists. Closing resolutions were defined by a renewed emphasis on the role cultural and media advisors in Islamic countries' embassies in the Western world can play in countering negative stereotypes. This role includes leading co-operation efforts with local media personnel, touristic and cultural visits and joint seminars.
Email to a friend
Print version
Alain Jean-Mairet Posted 2008-05-13
Islam will make nothing worthy of being called progress without admitting that the religious bases are completely antagonistic to our well-being, peace and universal love. It is positively impossible to found a tolerant attitude on the Qur'an and the example of the Prophet, at least when drawing minor, misleading quotes or over-interpreting its gaps. We cannot build our reconciliation through lies or even half-truths. We need to begin by questioning the authenticity and legitimacy of the sacred Islamic texts. Therein, nothing is credible, most notably because this may all well be part of an Islamist effort (dawa).
Ego Posted 2008-05-13
A conference on Islam in Ben Ali’s Tunisia!!!??? In the end, we have seen it all in this lowly world. “…Giving an image of peace, love and tolerance to Islam…”? Islam is peace, love and tolerance! Do we need to prove our acceptability to our adversaries and other enemies of Islam? In any case, they will not see this proof and we will keep on seeing all Muslims being declared fanatics and potential terrorists, unless we distort the holy and sublime Qur'an or avoid the verses that justify Jihad—that is: legitimate people’s and countries’ self-defence. This is not possible, its authenticity will be protected by Allah. So I prefer to be labelled a fanatic or even... a potential terrorist.
slim16 Posted 2008-05-14
To Alain Jean Mairet: Islam has meant spiritual progress for all the Westerners that have converted to it (and I know several). Islam has not made progress because Westerners have wrongly interpreted its image! What do you, for example, know of Islam? You know only what you want to see in it and say about it—namely, big words: “…questioning the authenticity and legitimacy of the sacred Islamic texts.” But, Alain, this would be heresy!!! You are asking Muslims to change their religion!!! The Qur'an is immutable! Know well and indeed tell yourself that you have no credibility with regards to your reasoning: you have not read the Qur'an. You are basing yourself off of the media that tarnishes Islam because there are extremists making war on you—a war you started by coming to them first. You seem to have the same ideas as the authors of those “caricatures” and the following uprising. This is not at all to your credit.
medi Posted 2008-05-15
To Alain Jean Mairet: Don't bother my firend. I live with them and I know that they won't understand a word you say.
Alain Jean-Mairet Posted 2008-05-16
Sooner or later, the people will realise that it is those who know Islam well who are criticising the insanity of the religion’s foundation; that it is people of little faith who want to have a normal religion without ever daring to verify it; and, that the apologists, ostensibly virtuous, are forever in a position of bad faith, making claims to knowledge instead of demonstrating it, making accusations and praising the unknown instead of weighing out the pros and cons, making affirmations instead of proofs, concentrating on details instead of admitting what is essential and that it is confusing us, rather than enlightening us. Thus, going back to the time when the fundamentally mediocre mentality present in the texts of Islam would have become commonplace is making the pointless torture—which has already been around for a long time—last longer. The sooner Muslims are able to move on to other things, to teach other values to their children, the better off everyone will be.
mouldi maaroufi Posted 2008-05-16
Let's not forget that judaism.christianity.islam all came from the middle east .Even as islam is the last religion when read properly it venerates the other holy books at their origin but some verses in the other books were changed to suit some influencial people at the time like charging interest on loans ,forbidding alcohol .gumbling. incest .The essence of the three books when compared is exactly the same only you can not change any verse in the arabic koran.
Phillip Vanderwarker Posted 2008-05-16
as a "western" revert, my difficulties lie in the questions of secterian identity, so often in registration proformae for this or that submission, I see brothers and sisters entering the detail of religion as Muslim(sunni) or Muslim ( shia) or some other dogmatic identity. I profess with pride that I am a Muslim, and have no precept of division or opinion as to legacy or lineage in conforming to the example of the prophet (PBUH) or believing the Golden words of Allah (SWT) as laid down in the Holy Qur'an. If there was a more defined unity amongst the Umma, it would go a long way to setting our belief before the doubting world.
mouldi maaroufi Posted 2008-05-17
I am dismayed at Alain and his comments about the muslim faith and his lack of truth ,lack of research and lack of understanding of the beautifull religion. ISLAM is not only a religion it is also a way of life where you can ask and you will be given :ask God for forgiveness,say thank you God,say there is no God but God and God is great AND REPEAT 33 times and all your worries will dissipate ,and whenever you feel law or lonely repeat what i said .The koran is not different from any other true book namely the three basic faiths fundamentally and i urge you to fathom and we can talk again. As for the decision of using the satellite tv for an islamic channel and while we are waiting each country can start to diffuse from the archives with a little dubbing,mixing and voice over i am sure what is already there will keep us going till the big project comes to fruit .
Ego Posted 2008-05-17
Alain Jean-Mairet; I will tell you right away that your comment is the result of nonsense and nothing but nonsense. If I did not sense myself directly targeted by your ostensible virtues, maybe I would have left you to languish in your nonsense. You paint a picture of an ignoramus standing in ecstasy before a work of art so as to affirm his knowledge about the issue at hand. But, immediately afterwards, he took to talking such silliness about this same work of art, forever being drowned in his own ignorance of being ignorant. He takes to debating “theories” about black and white and white and black. And, of course, he, like you, has the right to make things up without demonstrating them just as he has the right make claims without backing them up and so on. He is just like you: you do this too. That said, admit that it is not in an 1800-character forum that one can debate Islam. Also, permit me to invite you to read the Qur'an and the holy traditions of the Prophet without making your own inferences. Maybe Allah will shed some light on your heart just like He does annually for 23,000 Europeans and 21,000 Americans. May God inspire you!
medi Posted 2008-05-19
"Islam is a beautiful religion." What nonsense is this? The things that are good in Islam are inequality between men and women, forcing other people to become muslim by the sword(muhammad himself did that, although you're going to deny it for the rest of your life), killing anyone who criticizes islam or muhammad (muhammd himself killed poets who criticized him although you're not going to admit it). No one can say anything against islam in a muslim country, if he does that in a muslim country he's going to be exterminated, if he does that in a western country, embassies are going to burn, innocent people's heads are going to be smashed in the streets etc., all this is because muslims are very self-confident and because they have full confidence in their ideology. The only difference between modern christians and modern muslims is that while the first no longer stick to the literal instructions of the their archaic texts, the latter follow primitive instructions word by word and if they don't they are kuffar.
Alain Jean-Mairet Posted 2008-05-21
Objectively speaking, the Islamic region is probably the worst disaster with which thinkers have ever plagued humanity. No system of belief has engendered more misery and prohibited more people from revealing their talents and letting them flourish. No example has prevented its followers so efficiently from any authentic progression, both according to real (and, therefore, universal) virtue and according to their performance. No conviction has ever so cruelly and for such a long time locked its entire population into fatalism and despotism. But, if Muslims as a whole finally manage to remedy the curse that is the religion the grand majority of them have been forced to take rather than developing critical minds and if they voluntarily dig deeply enough into their collective consciences to the point of seeing and recognising the truth with regards to the forms of propaganda derived from the arcane Mulsims, then maybe, in the future, out of hard work and creativity, they will become the community their faith has repeated and pridefully dictated to them.
Ego Posted 2008-05-22
While trying to philosophize, the donkey died of hunger. Period!
Alain Jean-Mairet Posted 2008-05-24
When everything is said, all that remains is to reflect.
SLIM16 Posted 2008-05-24
To anti-Islam: You want too much to be the philosopher on a subject that most assuredly is beyond you. From this, you have become nothing but abjectly stupid. Even if you one day want to embrace this SUPER RELIGION, it will assuredly turn you down. So, go discuss Buddhism. This would be better for you. What is more, you should know that your stupidity is stifling you. You are on the sidelines, and that is where you should stay.
We welcome your comments on Magharebia's articles.
It is our hope that you will use this forum to interact with other readers across the Maghreb. In order to keep this experience interesting, we ask you to follow the rules outlined in the comments policy. By submitting comments, you are consenting to these rules. While Magharebia.com encourages discussion on all subjects, including sensitive ones, the comments posted are solely the views of those submitting them. Magharebia.com does not necessarily endorse or agree with the ideas, views, or opinions voiced in these comments. This is a moderated forum. Comments deemed abusive, offensive, or those containing profanity may not be published.
Magharebia's Comments Policy