“Arabs of the Future” Conference – Workshop One
The Arab Narrative for the Future: An Alternative Vision
Since Arabs in the modern era became aware of their state of backwardness and the weakness and division that continues to plague them, they have sought to catch up with a future that seems to race ahead of them like a speeding cart. To this end, they devised numerous grand theoretical visions and narratives, believing these would unite their fragmented state and harness their energies for their goals. At different times, they spoke of the Islamic Ummah, Arab unity, and the revival of the Caliphate.
However, after nearly a century of such ambitions, they have found only mirages. They now face a series of harsh realities, including:
- The comprehensive collapse of entire Arab states and societies.
- The disintegration of Arab national security.
- The near-total absence of Arabs from the various fields that shape civilization.
- Perhaps most distressingly, a collapse in morale and the erosion of moral frameworks among segments of the Arab peoples, particularly after the setbacks suffered following the partial failure of the Arab Spring and the success of counter-revolutions.
Faced with such conditions, it has become essential for these peoples to develop a new vision and narrative for the future—one that avoids the mistakes and obstacles of the past. Chief among these mistakes is the tendency to frame solutions and theories from the perspective of states and regimes rather than from the perspective of the people themselves.
It has become abundantly clear that the regimes often labeled “Arab” are, in fact, the greatest obstacle to the ambitions and future of the Arab peoples. As a result, it is imperative for these peoples—led by the political and intellectual elites who bear the responsibility for change—to begin crafting a new narrative and vision for the Arab future. This vision must align its objectives, mechanisms, and outcomes with the interests of the peoples themselves.
Workshop Objective
In response to this pressing need, this workshop invites the selected Arab elite participants to work on formulating possible and suitable scenarios for an alternative Arab narrative for the future. The conference aims to produce clear ideas that can, at the very least, be promoted and mobilized across the Arab world.
Key Questions for the Narrative’s Development
The starting point for this formulation lies in updating our answers to the following questions:
- “Who are we?”
- What do we mean by “Arabs of the future”?
- What unites us as peoples within the Arab region?
Answering these questions may involve rethinking the concept of “identity”—perhaps moving towards a dynamic, multilayered identity that resembles a bouquet of flowers, composed of diverse and original components, without reducing any group to a “minority.” This collective identity would recognize the cultural and religious rights of all components of the “nation.” It would be a forward-looking identity, grounded in shared language, deep-rooted culture, enduring civilization, and a unified future project.
Discussion Themes
In addition to addressing these fundamental questions, the workshop delved into the following themes:
- The nature of the alternative Arab narrative (its essence).
- The mechanisms for implementing this vision and narrative, both existing and potential.
- Guarantees for its success in achieving its goals.
- Anticipated initial challenges and strategies to address them.
- Criteria for measuring success and failure according to a proposed timeline.
