The College of Sharia and Islamic Studies at Qatar University (QU) in cooperation with Qatar University Press, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ICESCO, organized a special event to celebrate First publication of First Volume of Encyclopedia of Occidentalism, on May 23, 2022.
The publication of the first volume of the encyclopedia, which is the first scientific work in the Islamic world that studies the West. The encyclopedia was elaborated with the support of ICESCO’s Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World (FUIW), and the Qatar Committee for the Alliance of Civilizations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The celebration saw the participation of high-level Qatari officials and prominent academics and scientific figures.
In his speech on the occasion, Dr. Hassan Al-Derham, President of Qatar University, said: “Today we are celebrating together the first publication of First Volume of Encyclopedia of Occidentalism. Which is the first scientific work in the Islamic world that studies the West in four parts by the publication of Qatar University. In line with the university’s mission in its orientations and strategy based on academic freedom, openness and qualitative excellence in education and research, to be the preferred choice for students and researchers for sustainable economic and social development.”
The President of the University expressed his deep thanks to His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the Qatar Committee for the Alliance of Civilizations, for his generous sponsorship of this encyclopedia, and for the outstanding support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Qatari Committee for the Alliance of Civilizations for the various programs and initiatives of Qatar University in the field of dialogue among civilizations.
In his speech on the occasion, HE the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Ahmed bin Hassan Al Hammadi said: "Today we commemorate a historic occasion marked by the launch of the Encyclopedia of Occidentalism, the first encyclopedia published in the Islamic world, which has lacked scientific and encyclopedic studies that track the steady dynamic development of the Western world from the beginning of the Gregorian calendar to the present, using an objective, accurate vision and an authentic scientific methodology that reflects the correct understanding of the subject."
He added that the issuance of this huge scientific project came in implementation of the Qatar National Vision 2030, which emphasized “the care and support of dialogue of civilizations and coexistence between different religions and cultures” and in line with the goal that the Qatar Committee for the Alliance of Civilizations seeks to achieve, which is “to achieve understanding between nations and peoples, and to establish solid relations.”
Dr. Ibrahim Al-Ansari, Dean of the College of Sharia and Islamic Studies, said that Encyclopedia of Occidentalism project; It is one of the major scientific intellectual projects with effective academic, educational, research and development impact, in light of an international and global situation characterized by interference and ideas of conflict and clash, and it comes in the midst of the lack of integrated knowledge in the Islamic world in our time that possesses distinct mechanisms in understanding the Western mind and criticism of Western civilization, its culture and the diversity of its curricula.
The Dean of the College added: “The College of Sharia and Islamic Studies at Qatar University, in cooperation with the Qatar Committee for the Alliance of Civilizations and the Federation of Universities of the Islamic World of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization - ICESCO, celebrates this outstanding achievement, which is the publication of the first section of the Encyclopedia of Occidentalism in four parts.
In turn, Director General of ISESCO Chair in Alliance of Civilizations Dr. Ezz El Din Maamish stated that the idea of creating an encyclopedia specialized in Western studies is an exceptional interest that has emerged in the contemporary era (especially in the last two decades) in the topic of dialogue of civilizations and coexistence between religions and cultures. The relentless pursuit of finding ways and mechanisms to confront hate speech, eradication and colonialism, which was embodied by a group of extremist political, social and cultural movements, prompted by an exciting theoretical discourse by some of the most prominent thinkers influential in Western public opinion; Thus, they established a transcendental pivot, which directed the global feeling and conscience towards forms of conflict and clash that are not conducive to civilized communication and religious and cultural coexistence.
Source: Qatar University