Rediscovering Enlightenment at the Global Stage
Two weeks ago, on April 12, I had the amazing chance to attend the Global Enlightenment Forum (GEF), which was hosted in the University of London's historic Senate House. Entering such a prominent academic building was like entering a live source of knowledge. The opportunity to interact with academics and thinkers from around the globe, each of whom brought new and frequently difficult viewpoints to the discussion, was what really made the experience life-changing. Open-ended discussions throughout fields, cultures, and generations created an environment of sincere communication that I will always cherish.
Participants at the event were asked to consider how Enlightenment concepts might be effectively incorporated into Arab culture. I tackled this subject with a great deal of dedication and curiosity. I started my essay by going over the true meaning of Enlightenment principles, which include reason, individual liberty, and the quest for knowledge. I then compared it to the intellectual heritage of the Arab world, especially the golden age of science, philosophy, and literature that have long been forgotten in contemporary interpretations.
In both the forum conversations and my own study, the conflict between these Enlightenment principles and the current obstacles to their implementation caught my attention. The issues include colonial history, economic hardships, and authoritarianism. But in order to show that integrating such concepts is far more than simply an idealistic fantasy, I used Tunisia as a case study. Tunisia's post-revolutionary achievements in human freedoms, democratization, and legal reform show a road toward enlightened progress, although a confusing one.
The event changed the way I view knowledge in general and went beyond merely being an academic activity. Instead of being a Western export to be imposed, the Enlightenment is a collection of principles that, with careful adaptation, may enable nations to reinvent themselves. Instead of repeating history, the Arab world needs to reclaim its place in the global intellectual discourse, rooted in both tradition and change.
GEF served as a reminder to me that knowledge is not limited, nor linear. It is an ongoing, worldwide conversation, and I am privileged to have been part of it.
Noreen Salah Eldin Ahmed Fouad Hassanein Hassan