The Euromed University of Fez Meetings on the Alliance
of Civilizations – Fez
December 6th and 7th, 2024
The Euromed University of Fez Meetings on the Alliance of Civilizations will be held on December 6-7, 2024. This edition, organized by the Alliance of Civilizations Chair, is occurring within a unique geopolitical and economic context. Under the central theme “Rebuilding Trust and Improving the State of the World”, it aims at restoring collective action by focusing on rebuilding trust in the future, strengthening trust within societies, and reviving trust as a key driver of international cooperation.
The Euromed University of Fez Meetings are being held on an unprecedented scale, with the participation of numerous experts from diverse backgrounds, all driven by a common desire to overcome uncertainties and skepticism, which are often sources of injustice, dogmatism, cynicism, and division. These meetings are fueled by the determination to promote dialogue aimed at creating common solutions to global issues, such as the impacts of artificial intelligence (AI) on the integrity and accuracy of information; the effects of extreme weather phenomena; forced migration due to various pressures; and more. The emergence of these non-traditional threats, alongside traditional risks such as armed conflicts and economic inequalities, deepens the fragility of a world increasingly losing its bearings.
Hence, the pressing questions arise: Has humanity reached its moral breaking point? How should we address and navigate the various disruptions and conflicts that differ from past wars, security issues that are unlike those of earlier times, societies that are more unheard than ever, and nationalist movements that only superficially resemble those of the past?
What should be done about the various intellectual disruptions (characterized by a surge of identity-based claims), climatic crises (resulting from a long history of environmental irresponsibility), migratory issues (which impose a new framework for international relations marked by strict border control, nationalist and repressive policies, yet fail to contain the uncontrollable dimensions of mobility), and economic and financial challenges (which are pulling the world into turbulent zones with unpredictable consequences)?
These complex questions are the focus of the Euromed University of Fez Meetings, which seek to provide hopeful answers by using the pursuit of trust as a practical tool for dialogue and mutual understanding. This involves shifting our perspective to view our problems and contradictions in a new light, overcoming stubborn prejudices, arbitrary assumptions, and blind narcissism, and moving beyond the myth of history’s endless repetition. By doing so, we can uncover the promising potential of a new era of coexistence and better adapt to it.
The sole purpose of the Meetings of the EUROMED University of Fez is to foster calm debates that pave the way toward rebuilding trust. Today’s global landscape is marked by increasing divisions, rising violence, and numerous conflicts. Yet, the pessimism of reason must not overshadow the optimism of will. The challenges we face should inspire us to reject distrust and restore faith in mutual harmony. This calls for rethinking our views on our affiliations, beliefs, interests, and the shared fate of our planet.