Dialogues of Naguib Mahfouz: Amid the turbulence By Mohamed Salmawy A foreign journalist recently interviewed Naguib Mahfouz about East-West relations, asking whether room still remained for understanding and rapprochement between the two cultures. Journalist: How do you see the prospects for rapprochement between East and West in this turbulent world? Mahfouz: Art and culture are essential for understanding. Nothing brings people closer than the things that touch their hearts. This is why we understand Western civilisation better than Westerners understand us. We have been familiar with their art and literature for years. Journalist: Your winning of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1988 was a landmark. Since then the West has become more familiar with literature and culture in the Arab world. Because literature portrays all aspects of society, your writings helped us not only understand Arabic literature but offered an insight into your society. The Trilogy, for example, provides an account of an important time in Egyptian history, the period between the two great wars. Unfortunately, the new-found understanding your novels brought about has suffered a setback because of armed conflict between the Western and Muslim civilisation. The world's sole superpower has, since 9/11, repeatedly said that Islam is the primary enemy. Do you see any hope for restoring a climate of understanding? Mahfouz: Of course I do. Our world is sick. Sickness by definition is an exceptional circumstance. When we get well again we will try to understand each other better. We had imagined that the time of wars ended with colonialism. But it seems that some powers are interested in building new empires, using outdated modes to do so. But even in the middle of this East-West turmoil we still listen to Western music and appreciate foreign films. Our books are still being translated in the West. There are valiant attempts by some intellectuals in the West to understand the Arab and Muslim worlds. Journalist: What type of music do you like? And what Western literature have you read? Mahfouz: My musical taste is ecumenical. I am a big fan of Um Kalthoum and oriental singing. I also like Turkish music. But I used to listen a lot to Western classical music. One of our leading intellectuals, Hussein Fawzi, had a radio show that I used to love. It's the same for literature. I am familiar with all forms of literature, from Russia to France, and from India to England. I am optimistic. What reassures me is that, along with brute force there is also awareness in the world. There is a greater awareness of human rights and of people's right to freedom and democracy. Just as there are forces using invasion to achieve their goals, we also have the UN, the UN Security Council, the International Court of Justice and other international agencies that explore other means to settle disputes besides violence, war, invasion and occupation. I might seem too optimistic, but I can see an international mechanism emerging that may bring about a sort of international union. I am thinking of something along the lines of the EU, which is now a force to contend with in the world. I expect a union of this type to emerge and contribute to rapprochement, understanding, and cooperation among nations. Am I too optimistic?
