ISLAM-CHRISTIAN DIALOGUE

16 The opportunity, on the other hand, is to give the Lebanese a chance to regain their legendary entrepreneurial spirit, which has been the strength of its eco- nomy and the engine of economic deve- lopment in the Gulf countries. Lebanon gave rise to the first attempts to re-lau- nch the Arab culture: language, literatu- re, and philosophy in the early twentieth century. The religious pluralism, the liveliness of its culture that derives from its expression (unique in an Arab country of the Middle East) give vigor to the civilization of this small nation that could give Lebanon an opportunity to resume its leading role in the region and of being a bridge between East and West. Lebanon is the birth state of modern Arab nationalism, an ideology, that promote the unity of the Arab peo- ple and celebrate its language and culture without religious extremism. It fulfills the dream of Arab unity among Muslims, Jews and Christians. The arrival in Europe, and recently in Italy, of a large number of Arab immigrants has brought the Arab world to the attention of the West. However, the indigenous po- pulation in the Western world has only a superficial knowledge of the culture of the countries of the Middle East. This problem is compounded by the fact that immigrants, especially Muslims, tend to live in a cultural ghetto. Particularly, this lack of communica- tion between the native population and the immigrant community gave rise to a lot of misunderstanding between the two popula- tion which complicates the integration of the immigrant. The secular coexistence of different pe- oples, ethnic groups and religions on the same Lebanese land, with sentiments con- verging towards the same homeland, is an example for our social centers that aims at a full integration and a deep mutual know- ledge between the different ethnic groups that now they live in our country. The survival of Lebanon is very impor- tant for all minorities and even more for Arab-Christians, as it is a reference point for religious freedom in the Arab-Muslim Near East. The Lebanese who reside in Western countries can in their own way contribu- te to the development of their country of origin. We know, in fact, that technology is not sufficient for the integral development of a state; it is essential that it be accom- panied by an adequate cultural prepara- tion to manage the transformations. The bridge position matured over the centu- ries by the Christian Arabs between the Western world and the Arab world can allow those who live in Europe and who know the reality of the most developed societies better to offer their compatriots the indications that can assist countries Arabs in their development. The responsibilities of the Christian Arabs who emigrated to the West towards their brothers left in the countries of origin are therefore great. In the countries of the Middle East, on the other hand, the Christian Arabs, adequately helped by their emigrated brothers, are of- fered the opportunity to contribute to a de- velopment that is respectful of their identity. Mutual knowledge, testimony from per- son to person, relationships between states: on these three levels I believe the possibility of a new is played between the two shores of the Mediterranean, in the awareness that the current historical mo- ment, with the approach even the phy- sicist of such a very different mentality, he opened new frontiers on the horizon of dialogue between Jews, Christians and Muslims, united on the path to the twen- ty-first century.