Bridging The Divide Between The United States And The Muslim World Through Arts And Ideas: Possibilities And Limitations
Conclusion
Mustapha Tlili concluded the conference by marveling that an event that he and Karen Brooks Hopkins had first conceived of in early 2006 could succeed in producing the tremendous wealth of ideas that he heard over the previous two days. By electing President Obama, the American people paved the way for a paradigm shift in U.S.–Muslim world relations. The organizers never could have foreseen that the conference would take place in such a receptive climate.
Nevertheless, real challenges remain. Where we go from here requires dealing with difficult political realities that call for nuanced understandings. After President Obama’s speech in Cairo, commentators in the Muslim world were cautiously optimistic. They are looking for real change on the ground before they start celebrating. The task for conference participants is to contribute to initiatives that will help those in the West understand more about the Muslim world, and vice versa. Arts and culture can create common ground and relationships between people that will outlast political realities.
Tlili told participants that the conference report would be disseminated to government and civil society institutions and he hoped that, in this new climate of understanding, its conclusions and recommendations would be taken seriously and put into practice. He also, hoped that, if a follow–up conference is held in a few years time, there would be much to celebrate.
Tlili closed by thanking all those who participated in the conversation, as well as conference observers. He thanked the Muslim Voices partners, Vishakha Desai of The Asia Society and Karen Brooks Hopkins of Brooklyn Academy of Music, and their staffs. Finally, he thanked the NYU Center for Dialogues staff, and in particular the three program assistants — Sara Courtney Brown, Evian Patterson, and Helena Zeweri — whose tireless efforts made the conference such a success.
Back to the top.Table of Contents
- Director’s Preface
- Executive Summary
- Opening Session
- Session I – World of the Artist
- June 6th Lunchtime Keynote Speech
- Session II – World of the Artist: Venues and Institutions
- Session III – Art and Social Commentary
- Session IV – Art and Social Commentary: Fusion and Satire
- June 7th Lunchtime Keynote Speech
- Session V – Cultural Exchange: Cultural Capital
- Session VI – Re–envisioning U.S. Cultural Diplomacy
- Conclusion
- Notes to Sessions
- Appendix I: Conference Program
- Appendix II: List of Participants
- Appendix III: Mustapha Tlili’s Opening Statement
Appendix IV: Background Paper
- Introduction
- Changing impressions — Muslim Voices: Arts & Ideas
- The Arts of Islam in the Eyes of the West: A Historical View
- Cultural exchanges: viewing history through gifts and commerce
- Gift exchanges: Harun al–Rashid and Charlemagne
- Gift exchanges: Venice and the Ottoman Empire
- Commerce: coins, jewelry, and other goods
- Commerce: twentieth–century changes
- Creative Lives Under Changing Circumstances
- Early Muslim Society
- The Post–Mongol Muslim World
- The Early Modern Muslim World
- The Muslim World in 1900
- The Muslim World Today
- The Arts of Islam: A Brief History
- A. Poetry and Song
- B. Qur’anic Chant
- C. Calligraphy
- D. Belles Lettres
- E. Music and Dance
- F. Theater
- G. Painting, Sculpture, and Design
- H. Architecture
- Islamic Art Today
- Conclusion
- Recommended Further Readings
- Notes to Background Paper
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