This week, the New Ground Research Foundation convened at the headquarters of the Euro-Arab Foundation a high-level reflection and debate on an urgent global challenge: the coordinated fight against Islamophobia and anti-Semitism.
During two intense days, a group of prominent experts from different nationalities and creeds met in Granada to analyze the convergences and divergences of these forms of racism, their political instrumentalization, explore innovative solutions and define strategies to fight them jointly and effectively.
The meeting held this week in Granada, culminated with a public session where the conclusions of the two days of debate held behind closed doors were presented, highlighting the need for unity between Jewish and Muslim communities to build just societies free of hatred.
This initiative of the New Ground Research Foundation is part of the agreement signed between the Executive Secretary of the Euro-Arab Foundation, Antonio Sanchez Ortega, and the President of the Qatari foundation, Khalid F. Al Khater, an agreement aimed at promoting and developing joint academic and research activities of international relevance.
The importance of this meeting is underlined in a context marked by increasing polarization, especially after the events of October 7, 2023. A scenario in which islamophobia and anti-Semitism have emerged as two of the most worrying and interconnected forms of racism, with significant repercussions in both the cultural and political spheres.
Debate with the public: a call for unity
The meeting culminated with a day open to the public, held at the Euro-Arab headquarters. Participants included Khalid F. Al Khater (president and founder of New Ground Research), Professor John L. Espósito (Georgetown University), Professor José Miguel Puerta Vílchez (University of Granada), Professor Dalia Fahmy (Long Island University) and Professor Dov Waxman (UCLA). The round table was moderated by Barbara Boloix, Deputy Secretary of the Euro-Arab Foundation.
During this public session, the results of the debate and analysis developed by experts during the previous days were presented. The repercussions of Islamophobia and anti-Semitism in both the cultural and political spheres were highlighted, as well as the use of conspiracy theories to mobilize audiences predisposed to social fracture. As the main avenue of solution, the participants proposed the reengagement of the Jewish and Muslim communities, and the alignment of strategies to build a future and just societies, free of stereotypes, racism and hate speech.
