1ST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON “PEACE IN DIVERSITY: … · organizing the international conference and launching Ibn Batuta International Center for intercultural and civilizational

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1ST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON “PEACE IN DIVERSITY: THE INTEGRATIVE APPROACH TO INTER-CULTURAL AND

CIVILIZATIONAL AFFAIRS”

AND THE LAUNCHING OF

“IBN BATUTA INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR INTER-CULTURAL AND CIVILIZATIONAL STUDIES”

DATE/DAY:

6-7 APRIL 2017 (THURSDAY & FRIDAY)

ORGANIZED BY:

INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF AGADIR (UNIVERSIAPOLIS)

THE KINGDOM OF MOROCCO

IN COLLABORATION WITH

UNITED NATIONS ALLIANCE OF CIVILIZATION (UNAOC)

DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE, GOVERNMENT OF KERALA, INDIA MA’DIN ACADEMY, KERALA, INDIA

CAMBRIAN INTERNATIONAL STUDY CENTRE, BANGLADESH

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1.CONFERENCECONCEPT Office of the International Relations and Cooperation & School/Faculty of Business

Management of the International University of Agadir (Universiapolis), the Kingdom of

Morocco and in collaboration with United Nations Alliance Of Civilization (UNAOC), the

Department of Finance, Government of Kerala, India, Ma’din Academy, India and BSB &

CAMBRIAN Group of Dhaka, Bangladesh is organizing1st International Conference on

“Peace in Diversity: The Integrative Approach to Inter-Cultural And Civilizational

Affairs” and launching “Ibn Batuta International Center for Inter-cultural and

Civilizational Studies” on 6-7 April 2017 in the main campus of the International

Relations and Cooperation, International University of Agadir (Universiapolis) in Agadir,

Morocco.

1.1OverviewoftheUniversity:The Universiapolis - Université Internationale D'agadir was established namely ISIAM-

Agadir, Higher Institute of Management in 1989 in collaboration with the Canadian

International Development Agency (CIDA) & the pedagogical collaboration and

institutionalframeworkoftheUQAR(theUniversityofQuebecatRimouski).Basedonfour

fundamental principles: scalable programs, innovative pedagogies, international

networking and actionable guidelines for scientific research the university is currently

runningDiploma,Bachelor,Master’sandInternationalcollaborativedegreesintheSchools

of the Economics, Management, Engineering, Communication and Tourism & Hotel

Management.Theuniversity is going to introduceBachelor andMaster’sProgrammes in

IslamicBankingandFinancestartingfromSeptember2017.TheUniversiapolis israpidly

spreadingitseducationalproductsnationallyandglobally.Aboutmorethan3000students

arecurrentlystudyingfromover20nationalitiesworldwide.Tomaintainthequalityand

excel of the education, themanagementof theUniversity ismore concerned in selecting

andofferingtheprogrammeswisely.ThisisthereasonwhyUniversiapolishasbecomeone

ofthetopmost4privateUniversitiesinMoroccospeciallyandinAfricanregiongenerally

wherethegraduatesareeasilygivencareeropportunitiespriory.

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Enhancing the internationalizationpolicyof theuniversity, theuniversitymanagement is

organizingtheinternationalconferenceandlaunchingIbnBatutaInternationalCenterfor

interculturalandcivilizationalstudies.

1.2Conferencebackground:In thetimespastofentrenchedrelationsbetweennationsandstates, thepreservationof

harmony,peace and stabilityhas alwaysbeenamajor concern.But situationsof conflict

often arise in a complex setting of historical, social, cultural and political interaction

between communities; accordingly, they must be dealt with in a multifaceted and

integrativemanner. “In order to "practice tolerance and live together in peacewith one

another as good neighbours", as the peoples of the United Nations proclaim in the

PreambletotheCharter,wefirsthavetounderstandeachother,orappreciateeachother's

wayoflifeandsocio-culturalidentity.Thisisonlypossibleifweareknowledgeableabout

our distinct cultures, traditions and value systems. This truth is also reflected in the

Constitution of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

(UNESCO).”(UNChronicle).

In the interdependentworld that includes great cultural, ethnic, racial, civilizational and

religiousdiversity,it isauthoritativethatwaystocometogetherasahumanfamilywhile

respecting and tolerating other diversities. The intercultural and civilizational

communication and interreligious talk must provide essential methods to deal with all

thesediversitiesthatincreaseunderstandingbetweenpeople.

Theinitiativeoftheconferenceaimsatbringingvariousintegrativeapproaches,tacticsand

methods of global mindset up to a platform for effective discussion and negotiation

towards a practical implementation. And the conference will be a discussion center to

providesuggestionstoresolveconflict issues,andtopresentexercises forunderstanding

other cultures, negotiating styles, and religions which will prevent unnecessary

misinterpretationsof otherpeople’sbehavior,which canaggravate conflicts that already

happen.

The conference will surely be a platform for dialogue, cooperation and worldwide co-

ordinationbetweenmajorscholars.

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2.OBJECTIVESOFTHECONFERENCE2.1Consultationonthe integrationofunityof themindsetofpeopleandtoencourageof

havingmoretoleranceforthesocietalharmonyandpeace;

2.2 Coordinating and gathering the efforts of all groups and parties, doing the positive

effectiveworkwithonefocusedthemewhichincreasescollectivemotionandeliminating

redundancy.

2.3Encouraging the relevant individuals, researchers, academiciansandpublic toensure

peaceandharmonyinmulti-religiousandmulti-culturalsociety.

3.LAUNCHINGOFTHEIBNBATUTACENTER3.1BackgroundandEarlylife&CareerofIbnBatuta:Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Battuta, was born in Tangier, Morocco, on the 24th of

February1304C.E.(703Hijra)duringthetimeoftheMariniddynasty.Hewascommonly

knownasShamsad-Din.HisfamilywasofBerberoriginandhadatraditionofserviceas

judges.Afterreceivinganeducation in Islamic law,hechose to travel.He left ishouse in

June1325,whenhewastwentyoneyearsofageandsetofffromhishometownonahajj

(pilgrimage) to Mecca, a journey that took him 16 months. He did not come back to

Moroccoforatleast24yearsafterthat.Hisjourneywasmostlybyland.Toreducetherisk

ofbeingattacked,heusuallychosetojoinacaravan.InthetownofSfax,hegotmarried.He

survivedwars,shipwrecks,andrebellions.

He firstbeganhisvoyagebyexploring the landsof theMiddleEast.Thereafterhe sailed

downtheRedSeatoMecca.HecrossedthehugeArabianDesertandtraveledtoIraqand

Iran. In 1330, he set of again, down theRed Sea toAden and then to Tanzania. Then in

1332, IbnBattutadecidedtogoto India.HewasgreetedopenheartedlybytheSultanof

Delhi.Therehewasgiventhejobofajudge.HestayedinIndiaforaperiodof8yearsand

then left for China. Ibn Battuta left for another adventure in 1352. He thenwent south,

crossedtheSaharadesert,andvisitedtheAfricankingdomofMali.

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Finally,hereturnedhomeatTangierin1355.ThosewhowerelodgingIbnBattuta’sgrave

Western Orient lists could not believe that Ibn Battuta visited all the places that he

described.Theyarguedthat inordertoprovideacomprehensivedescriptionofplaces in

theMuslimworld in such a short time, IbnBattutahad to rely onhearsay evidence and

makeuseofaccountsbyearliertravelers.

Ibn Battuta often experienced culture shock in regions he visited. The local customs of

recentlyconvertedpeopledidnotfithisorthodoxMuslimbackground.AmongTurksand

Mongols, he was astonished at the way women behaved. They were given freedom of

speech.HealsofeltthatthedresscustomsintheMaldivesandsomesub-Saharanregions

inAfricaweretoorevealing.AfterthecompletionoftheRihlain1355,littleisknownabout

IbnBattuta’slife.HewasappointedajudgeinMoroccoanddiedin1368.Nevertheless,the

Rihlaprovidesanimportantaccountofmanyareasoftheworldinthe14thcentury. 3.2 PhilosophyoftheCenter:

Accordingly,theInternationalUniversityofAgadirisplanningtoestablishaninternational

center through studies of "Religious, Cultural and Civilizational aspects" and related

questions and issues. “IbnBatuta International Center for intercultural and civilizational

studies"will support the efforts of the university particularly and other institutions and

communitiesgenerally in theareasofurbandevelopmentculturallyandscientifically. Its

efforts will be through various actions and activities of the center scientifically,

academically,cognitively,culturallyandsocially.

3.3MissionoftheCenter:

a) Promoting research and specialized studies and in-depth in the field of religious,

culturalandcivilizationalaspectsaswellasintheadoptionofallthepracticaland

scientificworksthatwilldevelopandstrengthenthecommunities.

b) Actingtobringthetalentandexpertisefromaroundtheworldandencouragethem

toengageinissuesthatareindoorofthedevelopmentofthesocietiesandunityof

thecultural,civilizational,intellectual,socialandeconomicaspects.

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c) Toraiseawarenessonissuesofcooperationandunityofthenations,todefendthe

nation'sheritageandcivilizationamongthepeopleofthenationandpeopleofother

nations;

d) Commencing new skylines for research and studies of the center, policy

development,andtoproposepracticalsolutionstotheconcernsofdevelopment;

e) Linking up channels of cultural, scientific and civilizational cooperation with

internationalinstitutionsUNAOC,ISESCO,UNESCO.

4.CONFERENCETHEME&SUB-THEMES

Topicscouldbecoveredbutnotlimitedto:

4.1CulturalandCivilizationalDiversity:

- Unityininter-culturalandreligiousDiversity;

- InterculturalRelationsandCulturaldiplomacy;

- Educationforinterculturalunderstanding;

- Inter-civilizationalconflictmoderation;

- Multiculturalism;

- InterculturalandCivilizationaldialogue;

- Crossculturalissuesandchallenges.

4.2Diversity,HarmonyandPeace:

- Religiouscoexistenceandpeacebuilding;

- Religiousharmony,toleranceandpeace;

- Multiculturalharmonyandpeace;

- Integratedapproachtopeaceandharmony;

- Integrativetheoryofpeaceeducation;

- Socialreformandpeacebuilding.

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4.3IbnBatutaandCultural&CivilizationalStudies:

- StudiesonIbnBattuta’stravelsandachievements;

- CulturalandcivilizationalsignificanceofIbnBattuta’stravels;

- IbnBattuta’stravelsandculturalandcivilizationalcontributions;

- ReflectionontoleranceandharmonyinIbnBattuta’stravels;

- IbnBattutaasamakerofculturalandcivilizationalharmonyandpeace;

- IbnBattuta’stravelsandsocialandculturalintegration;

- IbnBattuta’stravelsandexploringculturalheritage.

5.THEEXPECTEDOUTCOME5.1Toidentifythemoral imperativesofallcultures,religions,convictionsandbeliefscall

forpeace,toleranceandmutualunderstanding.

5.2 To endorse the mutual understanding and inter-cultural and religious dialogue

constituteimportantdimensionsofacultureofpeaceandharmony.

5.3To struggle forces of division that spreadmisunderstanding andmistrusts especially

amongpeoplefromdifferentraces,cultures,religionsandnations.

6.CONCLUSION

TheorganizingcommitteeandthemanagementoftheuniversityandMa’dinAcademyare

sincerely believe that international universities, centers, academicians and professionals

will surely participate in the conference and take a part of the Ibn Batuta International

Center. The university management is very much positive to achieve the expected

outcomesof theconferenceandthecenter.Hence,all interested individuals,universities,

centersarecordiallyinvitedtojointheconferencetomakeitsuccessfulandrunthecenter

towardsanultimatemission.

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7.TENTATIVEPROGRAM

PRE-CONFERENCESESSION

5April2017/WednesdayA

Welcoming and receiving guests andparticipants

B

Registration

C

Welcomingdinnerandintroductorysession

D

Disperseofthepre-conferencesession

1STDAY6April2017/Thursday09.00AM-12.00PM

OPENINGCEREMONY:-ArrivalofGuests&Participants-ArrivalofVIPs-ArrivalofVVIPs-RecitationfromtheHolyQur’an

- WELCOMINGSPEECH- SPECIALSPEECHES- KEYNOTESPEECH- LAUNCHING OF THE IBN BATUTA

INTERNATIONALCENTER- LIFETIMEOUTSTANDINGACHIEVEMENT

AWARD- HARMONYAWARDPRESENTATION

-Souvenirspresentation-Disperseoftheopeningceremony

12.00PM–2.00PM Lunch

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2:00PM–04.00PM

ROUNDTABLEDISCUSSION–1Theme: “Social, Cultural and civilizationalsignificance of Ibn Battuta’s travels and its’reflection on harmony & tolerance to explorepositiveculturalheritage”Moderator:PanelistsandPresenters:

04.00PM–04.30PM

TEABREAK

4.30PM–6.00PM

ROUNDTABLEDISCUSSION-2Theme: “Integrative theories& approaches tomulti-religious & interfaith communities forpeacebuildingandharmonioussocieties”Moderator:PanelistsandPresenters:

06.00PM Dinner&EndofDAY1

DAY2

7APRIL2017/FRIDAY8:00AM–9:00AM

BREAKFAST

9:00AM–11:00AM

KEYNOTESPEECH:ROUNDTABLEDISCUSSION-3Theme:“Inter-civilizationalConflict:Exploringthe Islamic Humanist Prospective for aReconciliationofConcepts”Moderator:

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PanelistsandPresenters:

11:00AM-11:30AM TEABREAK

11:30AM–1:00PM

ROUNDTABLEDISCUSSION-4Theme: “The institutional Role in ensuringharmony & peace inmulti-cultural andmulti-religiousenvironment”Moderator:PanelistsAndPresenters:

1:00PM–2:00PM

LUNCH&ZUHRPRAYER

2:00PM–4:00PM

ROUNDTABLEDISCUSSION-5SUB: “How the Role of inter-cultural andcivilizationalintegrativemethodscansolvetheEthnic&Religiousconflicts”Moderator:PanelistsandPresenters:

4:00PM–5:00PM

CLOSINGCEREMONY:-SPEECHES -CONFERENCERESULATION-SOUVENIRSPRESENTATION-ENDOFTHESEMINAR-PHOTOSESSION

5:00PM HITEA&DISPERSE

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8.ORGANIZINGCOMMITTEE

PATRON

Prof.Dr.AzizBOUSLIKHANEFounderPresident

InternationalUniversityofAgadir(Universiapolis)TheKingdomofMorocco

H.E.Mr.NassirAbdulazizAl-Nasser

HighRepresentativefortheUnitedNationsAllianceofCivilizations

H.E.Dr.T.M.ThomasIsaacMinisterforFinance

GovernmentofKerala,India

ADVISORS

SheikhSayyidIbrahimulKhaleelulBukhariChairman

Ma’dinInternationalAcademy,KeralaIndia

MadamSouadBENNANIVicePresident

InternationalUniversityofAgadir(Universiapolis)TheKingdomofMorocco

LionM.K.BasharPMJFFounderandChairman

BSBGroupandCAMBRIANSchoolandCollegeBangladesh

CHAIRMAN

Asst.Prof.MohammadMOHIUDDIN

Director,InternationalRelationsandCooperation&SchoolofIslamicFinanceandBusinessManagementInternationalUniversityofAgadir(Universiapolis)

MANAGEMENTBOARDOFTHECONFERENCE

Dr.AbbasPanakkal

DirectorInternationalRelations,Ma’dinAcademy,Kerala

India

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Mr.ArifulIslamBusinessDevelopmentManager,BSBGlobalNetwork

Bangladesh

UstazJamalELACHMITDirector

School/FacultyofBusinessAdministration(ISIAM)InternationalUniversityofAgadir(Universiapolis),Morocco

Dr.IliasMAJDOULINE

DirectorSchool/FacultyofPolytechnic

InternationalUniversityofAgadir(Universiapolis),Morocco

Mr.UmerMelmuriDirector

Communications,Ma’dinInternationalAcademy,KeralaIndia

Mr.AnassBOUSLIKHANEDirector,SchoolofTourismandHotelManagement


MadamHabibaELBARADAIDirector,InnovationCentre


Mr.ZakiBOUSLIKHANEDirector,BusinessDevelopment


MadamKhadijaKhouyaCoordinatorofInternationalCourseandLecturerinPolytechnicInternationalUniversityofAgadir(Universiapolis),Morocco

Dr.MdHabiburRahman

Asst.Prof.attheSchoolofIslamicFinanceandBusinessManagementInternationalUniversityofAgadir(Universiapolis),Morocco

Dr.LasisiAbassAyodele


Dr.BenaoualiMohamedCherif


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Dr.SelimAhmed


JihaneMARINE

ResponsibleforCommunicationInternationalUniversityofAgadir(Universiapolis),Morocco

Documents

1ST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON “PEACE IN DIVERSITY: … · organizing the international conference and launching Ibn Batuta International Center for intercultural and civilizational