'Dialogue, not force, key to solving world’s problems'

Speakers stress promotion of common values without discrimination

ISLAMABAD: Using force to resolve issues would only divide and a dialogue was the only way to solve problems.

This was stated by speakers during a three-day international conference on “Local Cities, Foreign Capitals: Finding the Local Anchor in the Global Cultures” which began at the International Islamic University in Islamabad (IIUI) on Monday. The multi-disciplinary conference is a joint venture between the departments of English, Politics and International Relations of IIUI and the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW), as part of the US State Department’s University Partners Grant Programme.

The speakers agreed that the use of force would ultimately rob the world of the fruits of globalisation. Moreover, they felt that it was imperative that common human values and prerogatives are promoted across the world without any discrimination.

Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, while inaugurating the conference said that double standards of societies towards globalisation would affect globalization. He added that there was a dire need for spreading peace across the globe.

Talking about Pakistan’s role in globalisation, the senator said that the country has been playing a pivotal role, especially in humanitarian efforts. Pointing towards one of the world’s largest refugee populations, he said Pakistan had accommodated millions of refugees from different Islamic countries for decades, welcoming them with an open heart.

Moreover, he said that as many as 7.7 million Pakistanis were contributing to the global economy in different countries, while over 2,000 Pakistani troops have helped UN to complete the peace missions across the world.

IIUI President Dr Al-Draiweesh said that dialogue was a salient feature of globalisation and was the ultimate solution to global problems.

Talking about the linkages the world made between Islam and terrorism, he said that Islam had nothing to do with violence and instead advocates peace, humanity and peaceful co-existence in all societies.

He further said that Islam was a global religion which addressed humanity.

The IIUI president urged universities to play their role in advocating peaceful co-existence across the world in all societies.

Dr Caroline Clements termed the conference a successful activity for constructive recommendations on the topic.

More than 100 papers are being presented by researchers from various countries on issues as diverse as globalization, diaspora studies, religious identities, global politics, world literature, linguistics and others.

The conference is expected to address the myriad and seminal forms of impact that globalisation has had and continues to exert on the many facets of religion, politics, society and culture in the world.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 10^th, 2017.