Arab Intellectuals Meeting in Damascus to Discuss Ways of Confronting Terrorism Roots
DAMASCUS, (ST)-Researchers and Intellectuals from Syria and a number of Arab Countries are taking part in the 8th National Dialogue Forum which started activities today in Damascus under the title “terrorism and ways of confronting it intellectually.”
The forum tackles three axis: “Arabs in the confrontation of terrorism”, “the roots of terrorism” and “way of confronting terrorism intellectually and in the battlefield’.
Researchers from Egypt, Palestine, Iraq and Syria are talking part in the forum.
Participants in the forum affirmed “the need to enhance the nationalist project, activate the principles of moral, social and cultural education and correct wrong ideas in order to confront the international Zionism-backed wahhabi mentality .”
In his lecture, Researcher Rif’at Badawi from Lebanon shed light on division schemes which have been targeting the Arab nation since before the Nakbeh in 1948, clarifying that confronting terrorism must be based on several principles like activating the role of nationalist parties, uncovering the role of Zionism in backing terrorism and in supporting media outlets that fed extremism and sedition in the region, consolidating the role of education ministries in upgrading awareness and achieving development and social justice and fighting corruption.
Mohammad Desouqi from Egypt asserted that “confronting the terrorist danger targeting the nation can’t only be achieved through weapon, which is a blessed mission being carried out by the Syrian army, but also through efforts by politicians, writers and men of religion to propose solutions.” He urged making studies to find out the negative aspects in a certain society that pushed persons to be terrorists.
On his part, researcher Jawad al-Zeidi from Iraq believed that the struggle against terrorism is a cultural conflict between two wills: the will of amity, good and peace and the will of violence, cruelty and extremism. He pointed out that terrorists’ crimes, particularly against cultural heritage and civilizations in the region target The Arab Moslem identity and culture.
Raghda al-Ahmad, Manager of the Forum’s session, asserted the importance of consolidating knowledge as well as cultural and nationalist thinking in the confrontation of the takfiri mentality which undermines civilizations, falsifies history and destroys minds.
She pointed out that Syria has been the first incubator of the nationalist project, the staunch defender of the nation’s causes and the major front of confrontation against terrorist thinking that serves Zionism and its petrodollar agents.
7th National Dialogue Forum was held last March under the title ” Arab Thinking and the war on Syria” and with the participation of Syrian and other Arab intellectuals.
Hamda Mustafa