Professor Jean-Baptise Brenet, Professor of philosophy at Sorbonne University in Paris, visits The Majlis- Cultures In Dialogue An initiative by the Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Museum to enhance the role of museums in cultural dialogue and knowledge sh

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Professor Jean-Baptise Brenet, Professor of philosophy at Sorbonne University in Paris, visits The Majlis- Cultures In Dialogue An initiative by the Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Museum to enhance the role of museums in cultural dialogue and knowledge sh

In the midst of its educational activities at UNESCO Paris headquarters, The Majlis- Cultures In Dialogue exhibition, An initiative by the Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Museum to enhance the role of museums in cultural dialogue and knowledge sharing, welcomed Professor Jean-Baptiste Brenet, Professor of philosophy at the Sorbonne University in Paris along with a group of his students. They were welcomed by Dr. Nasser AlHenzab, Legal Counsel of the State of Qatar to UNESCO.

Through a guided tour around the exhibition, Professor Jean-Baptiste Brenet and his students viewed the astonishing and exceptional collection that bear witness to hundreds of years of intercultural dialogue and interaction of civilizations, which included objects of great beauty and deep fascination such as Chinese Qurans, mosque lamps made in Vienna, Persian carpets with Russian texts featuring the Virgin Mary, and mystic artefacts shared from Africa across the Arab world to India, triggering a diversification of thoughts and emotions.

During his visit to The Majlis- Cultures In Dialogue, Professor John-Baptiste Brenet gave a lecture to his students titled, " Intercultural Relations between Arab and Western Civilizations." The lecture focused on the work of the very well-known Muslim Andalusian philosopher and writer Ibn Rushd, which represented one of the prominent highlights that linked the Arab and Western civilizations through scientific and philosophical exploits, which formed the beginning of Western civilization and influenced human civilization as a whole.

Commenting on this occasion, Professor Jean-Baptiste Brenet, Professor of philosophy at the Sorbonne University in Paris, said:

“My visit to The Majlis- Cultures In Dialogue was a wonderful and rich exploration in all possible ways. We have witnessed a real representation of intercultural co-existence and the interaction of civilizations reflected through a unique assembly of artefacts which encourages the importance of intercultural dialogue, bridging cultural understanding, promoting peaceful co-existence and tolerance, accepting others and their cultures as well as achieving prosperity for all. I would like to thank the organisers for taking such a pioneering step in creating channels for peaceful dialogue, discussions and building bridges of communication between different cultures."

On his part, Dr. Nasser AlHenzab, Legal Counsel of the State of Qatar to UNESCO, said:

“The Majlis- Cultures In Dialogue has been a remarkable and tremendous success, providing an original perspective to promote meaningful and enriching dialogue, mutual understanding and tolerance while fostering a spirit of understanding, harmony, prosperity and peace among cultures and civilizations. This exhibition highlights Qatar’s role in showing great interest in cultural diversity, as well as in intercultural and interfaith dialogue. Qatar strongly believes in the power of diversity to bring people closer together, and to promote values of tolerance, peace, security and coexistence in the world.”

The Majlis- Cultures In Dialogue has received an astonishing response from visitors in Paris, a vast coverage from international media and great acclaim and appreciation from the public and intellectuals.

The Majlis Cultures In Dialogue will continue its European tour at Institut Du Monde Arabe in Paris from January 8th until March 17th 2019, featuring a collection of the Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al-Thani Museum – a unique assembly of artefacts reflecting the interaction of civilizations in the past while encouraging dialogue in the present. Moreover, the exhibition will host several panel discussions and educational activities, encouraging visitors to respond to what they see and to share their own stories, creating dialogue between East and West, between young and old, between the past and the future at the center of the majlis.