Educational

Series
for
Programs

Coexistence
and Cultural
Communication
 Introduction
Coexistence and cultural communication are two crucial human needs with
social and cognitive dimensions, as constructive ideas are exchanged to
improve the lifestyle and avoid any practices of monopolization or acquisition.
Coexistence and cultural communication contribute to establishing human and
moral values, and they build a living present, common future, and mutual respect
that can be translated into the right to equality for every member in the society
based on common citizenship foundations withing the global social ecosystem.
Coexistence and cultural communication are an advanced phase that can
be achieved only by communities which truly believe in diversity and seek to
develop joint spaces among their members. Building on this belief and following
practical steps, cultural coexistence and communication can be shifted from
abstract moral concepts into physical elements and practical social practices.
Given the conflicts and wars witnessed by the world nowadays, which increase
rivalries and divisions between communities, it is very important to firmly
establish and circulate the culture of coexistence and tolerance withing the
communities. Moreover, it is necessary to change these cultures into social
behaviors rather than considering them abstract ways of thinking that are
separate from real human behaviors.

Educational
Series Coexistence
for and Cultural
Programs
4 Communication
I: What is
Meant by Coexistence?
According to the Social Science Dictionary, coexistence refers
to a state in which two or more groups are capable and willing to
live together despite their different cultural, religious, and racial
characteristics and abstract and physical values.” Coexistence
is divided into two types: negative coexistence and positive
coexistence.
Another definition of coexistence is “someone’s spontaneous
understanding of various components withing the community,
and acceptance of the other under a (legal or customary)
controller.” In the event of divergences, it is crucial that
coexistence does not result in deep tension or mutual ambush.
In fact, sustainable coexistence is based on flexible mutuality
of interests and concepts of peace between Muslim sects and
Muslims and non-Muslims.

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 Coexistence Types and regulations
A. Religious Coexistence
A state in which Muslims can live together with followers of other
religions and cultures in a way that fulfills the interests of all parties
in living and common citizenship.
Religious coexistence controls include:
• Recognition of the existence of other religions.
• Sound interaction with followers of other religions and cultures.
• Optimal understanding and dialogue with followers of the other
religions and cultures.
Examples of religious coexistence in Arab and Muslim countries
include Muslims and Copts in Egypt and Muslims and Christians in
Lebanon and Syria.

Educational
Series Coexistence
for and Cultural
Programs
6 Communication
B. Racial and Linguistic Coexistence
It is very common in many Arab nations, especially those in the Gulf,
for several ethnicities, tribes, or language speakers to live in the same
country, such as Arabs, Persians, Kurds, etc.
Examples of racial and linguistic coexistence can be found in Iraq,
Syria, and Morocco.
Examples of tribal coexistence include the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,
Kuwait, and Iraq.

Racial and linguistic coexistence controls include:

• Not boasting about one’s race and underestimating others.
• Offering equal opportunities for decent living to all races, tribes,
and languages without any discrimination.

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 C. Sectarian Coexistence
In every religion, different sects live in one country, as is the case, for
example, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Iraq, where there are
doctrines of the Sunnis and Shiites.
Sectarian coexistence controls include:

Not
undermining Graciousness
or harming

Educational
Series Coexistence
for and Cultural
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8 Communication
 Coexistence Forms
A. Neighboring and B- Languages C. Recognition of D. Willingness mentally
intermarriage and dialects.of others. and morally to establish
others. coexistence relationships
with others

H. Curriculum G. Commercial F. Mutual respect of E. Social communication

and educational engagement others’ beliefs in ceremonies and
institutions. through purchases funerals.
and sales

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 Coexistence Success Factors

A. Preservation of
cultural specificities B. Self-interaction

D. Adherence to
legislation and C. Acceptance
regulations of others

Educational
Series Coexistence
for and Cultural
Programs
10 Communication
 International Experience in Coexistence,
Tolerance, and Acceptance of Others
A wide variety of human experiences seek to disseminate and strengthen
the culture of coexistence and tolerance. These experiences can be utilized
in developing studies and strategies to regulate the process of coexistence,
tolerance, acceptance, and awareness of human rights. Below is a brief
description of some of these experiences:

A. The Kuwaiti B. The UAE C. The D. The Indian E. The Malaysian F. The South
experience in experience in Singaporean experience in experience in African
disseminating disseminating experience in coexistence and coexistence and experience in
coexisting coexisting coexistence and management of management of safe transit to
cultures and cultures and management of multilateralismvalues multilateralism coexistence
enhancing enhancing social diversity. of citizenship. between the
values of values of citizenship. society’s
citizenship. citizenship. componentsof
citizenship.

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 II: Cultural
Communication What is Meant
by Cultural
Communication?
It is the link between two parties or groups so that cooperation
is accessible. This high level of communication is driven from a
collective will, mutual desire, and common sense as a necessary
factor for living and understanding among peoples. In fact, the
world nowadays is in dire need of this type of civilized behavior and
practice that can reduce tension and open up vast opportunities
to international cooperation through intercultural dialogue
and civilizational alliance toward strengthening global peace,
interculturalism, and social cohesion based on technological and
cognitive mutuality.

Educational
Series Coexistence
for and Cultural
Programs
12 Communication
Importance of Cultural Communication
Cultural communication is crucial to establishing and supporting the approaches of
different civilizations based on a strategic vision that focuses on qualified civilized
individuals and that believes in intercultural dialogue and communication as a
strategic option that leads to further stability, enhances respect of creative cultural
diversity, strengthens understanding between people establishes an educational
approach to future generations and develops new strong and firm foundations of
human cooperation in today’s world.
Formal intercultural and civilizational dialogue is urgently needed to establish bridges
of understanding between nations and peoples. Hence, it is very important to create
appropriate environments in which to find mechanisms of this type of gathering and
communication. The world is witnessing a civilizational shift of profound change in
forces and cultural interactions.
Therefore, dialogue is crucial as a perquisite to pave the way for communication,
establish and support intercultural approach, and contribute to finding a civilizational
framework that depends on power elements driven from the best human collective
experiences.

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 Cultural Communication Features
A. Recognition of difference and diversity
This is the starting point at which both parties are mentally ready to understand
their differences and the reasons for conflict and to turn them into an added value
rather than hostility. This is an indispensable condition because differences are a
universal norm.

B. Source of rights
Article (1) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: “All
human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with
reason and conscience.”

C. Sources of values
Human qualities are inherited, as the concept of others is not new in our contemporary
discourse but is as old as civilization itself.

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for and Cultural
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Dialogue Culture
The Way to Cultural Communication
Dialogue is a high-end concept that is negligible. It is the human door to other
civilizations. While dialogue of coexistence among individuals of one nation aims
to reduce barriers of communication, human dialogue, as one priority of civilized
dialogue, seeks to achieve a better understanding of human beings by considering
abstract aspects rather than material aspects.
Dialogue culture is almost the only culture that contributes to the advancement
of human beings and their contemporary way of thinking. If alignment is achieved
between the concept of dialogue and culture, we can establish our human enharbours
and share our rich cultures. Moreover, when we embrace dialogue, we can achieve
many intellectual benefits for our peoples, cultures, and nations. It is a trustworthy
accomplishment and civilized victory because, once we are advanced enough to
believe in the language of dialogue, we can offer the cultural communication option
and dedicate individual conscience to it.

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 It is necessary to concentrate on listening because it is the
only way toward understanding. In other words, we must act as
advocates of freedom of expression and cultural diversity, respect
for all lifestyles, and we must not succumb to intolerance. To do
so, it is important to communicate to overcome obstacles and
solve problems. Communication must be positive to “revive the
human development” by balancing the two forces of (life respect
and listening) without any conflict to achieve the lofty objectives
of our civilizations.

Educational
Series Coexistence
for and Cultural
Programs
16 Communication
Islam as a Civilizational Power and
Intellectual Cross-Fertilization
Islam emerged in the seventh century as a civilizational and spiritual
power between Europe and Africa. This was followed by events spanning
centuries, from the conquest of the Levant and the conquest of the
southern Mediterranean, Andalusia, and Constantinople, searching
for points of convergence through logic, reason, and understanding to
reach a common ground that depends on mutual interests. The other
purpose is acculturation and intellectual cross-fertilization that allow
mutual influence and replacement of the condescending view, which is
driven by other exclusion, of many tolerant Western thought leaders.
This suggests that the inevitability of a clash resulting from the diversity
of civilizations is evidence of the failure of one culture to realize the
importance of recognizing the right to diversity, which is a key foundation
to dialogue and mutual acquaintance.

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 Educational
Series
for
Programs

Coexistence
and Cultural
Communication

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