Universities have a major role to play in promoting the culture of dialogue among world civilizations, said Khaled Al-Anqari, Minister of Higher Education, during the inauguration of the Saudi-French Dialogue of Civilizations Symposium Monday at the Paris-Sorbonne University. The President of the Paris-Sorbonne University shared the minister's view saying that universities provide both a healthy atmosphere for the culture of dialogue among educated youth and the freedom of expression needed to deal with cultural issues. The cooperation between the Sorbonne and King Saudi University in Riyadh, in the field of antiquities, has paved the way for further academic work between the two institutions, said the president. The symposium, sponsored by King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, kicked off with the participation of academics from both countries. The first symposium, which was held last year, provided “successful” insights into the culture of dialogue between France as a representative of Western culture and the Muslim and Arab World, the minister added. The proceedings of the first symposium were compiled in a book for future reference, the minister said. He hoped that the current symposium would contribute further to the cause. The minister called on Saudi students in the West to promote a culture of dialogue by introducing Islamic values and Saudi culture.
