Saturday, November 16, 2024 at 7:17 p.m.
Rabat – The concept of global universalism and the importance of common human values in the face of current global challenges were, Saturday in Rabat, at the center of a meeting between the Senegalese thinker and philosopher, Souleymane Bachir Diagne, and the French philosopher , Frédéric Worms.
During this meeting organized at the initiative of the Royal Institute for Research on the History of Morocco as part of the 10th edition of the “Rendez-vous de la Philosophie”, the two protagonists endeavored to define the concept of universalism and to link it to global humanity, based on respect for cultural and linguistic pluralism, breaking with “Western hegemony”.
The French philosopher, Frédéric Worms, explained that “universalism is only understood by contrast, by identifying what is common and comparing it with what is fragmented and specific,” noting that universalism carries a meaning of fragmentation and of division on the one hand, and recognition of the specificities of individual experiences on the other.
He added, in this context, that a global and realistic vision of unified global universalism requires recognition of social, cultural, linguistic and religious divisions, calling for overcoming dissensions through dialogue with a view to building a world harmonious and united.
The Senegalese philosopher Souleymane Bachir Diagne, for his part, criticized Western philosophy which considered European culture as the center and the norm by marginalizing other cultures and denying the role of Islamic philosophy in the transmission of ancient Greek thought, thanks to figures like Al Farabi, Ibn Sina and Ibn Rochd.
During this meeting under the theme “Contested universalism”, he insisted on the need to believe in a “horizontal universalism” based on equality, evoking, in this regard, the Bandung conference (1955), a landmark event that recognized the equality between all cultures and languages of the world.
Mr. Diagne also addressed global environmental and health challenges, specifying that “our good health also depends on that of others”, a lesson learned from the Covid-19 pandemic.
The “Rendez-vous de la Philosophie”, organized by the French Institute of Morocco in partnership with Moroccan and French institutions, celebrate a decade of intellectual exchanges between Europe and Africa.
On the occasion of this 10th edition, hosted by the Moroccan writer Driss Ksiks and the French philosopher Camille Riquier, four philosophical evenings were held in different cities in Morocco, between November 11 and 16. These meetings explored the theme of universalism by questioning its objectives, its contexts of application, and the current state of humanity.
