Geza Tessenyi, Founder and President of the Intercultural Communication and Leadership School (ICLS), a non-profit association based in Rome and Islamabad, and CEO of Positive Majorities Intercultural Communication Systems (Positive MIX Ltd, London)
Alumnus, Italian Intercultural Seminar – May 2006
Spotlight on Alumni: August International Alumni E-Newsletter
1. How would you characterize inter-faith relations between Jews, Muslims and Christians in Europe today? What are the opportunities for, and challenges to, dialogue? Which countries have been the most successful in these efforts toward reconciliation and which still struggle?
I would need to rephrase the first question as our work in the ICLS does not deal with “inter-faith relations” as such. We are working on relations between people of different religious, ethnic and cultural backgrounds. The distinction matters because in European cities a significant part of the population is secular as opposed to religious. Without this significant part, our work for local intercultural cooperation could achieve only a segment of its aim. Jews, Muslims and Christians as well as secular people have been able to show positive examples of restraint in many if not most places in Europe at times of provoking international and national events. These ‘positive majorities’ are our constituency and we assist them in developing intercultural communication and leadership and in disabling within the communities loud or violent extremists who hijack the image and the fate of the entire community.
The most important opportunity for intercultural cooperation (we prefer this term and concept to ‘dialogue’), is to rely on the human capacity of interpersonal communication as distinct from inter-institutional dialogue. One of the big challenges is to overcome the temptation of believing that law and order measures in themselves are sufficient to resolve conflict or tension between people who live in a diverse environment. This can be understood against the background of ethnic and religious segregation as an agent of radicalization of people, particularly the youth. Another big challenge is posed by inconsistent integration policies.
I would hesitate to rank countries according to their success in dialogue as the actual scene of events can be found in the cities where different people live next door to each other. Within the same country, cities can achieve remarkably different levels of ‘success.’
2. What role do the Intercultural Communication and Leadership School and Positive MIX Ltd play in European inter-faith outreach?
I think I gave a brief insight on this through my answer to the previous question. For more details, please refer to www.intercivilization.net or contact us through the website.
3. How can European policy- and opinion-makers empower moderate religious leaders while addressing the threats posed by radical voices? How can we explain the growing popularity of radical imams and associations in Europe?
There is a general problem with ‘religious leaders’ in many parts of Europe. Many of them have little or no impact on their religious or cultural community, and even less on young members of their community. Developing intercultural leadership, equally rooted in the different sides of the ‘divide’ and engaging the youth, is not a nuance in democracy but a crucial question of good governance in countries and cities where new demographic trends change the political landscape. I think this is the area where empowerment and support of leadership might make more sense. Once there is a realistic way of social, economic and political participation, popularity of the ‘radicals’ can quickly evaporate. I truly don’t know whether that popularity today is ‘growing’ or only more noticeable than before.
4. How does your personal, cultural identity impact, if at all, your life’s work?
My cultural identity is inseparable from my religious identity and this is in the core of the choices I have been making in my work.
5. How would you characterize the European outlook toward Israel and the Arab-Israeli conflict? What effect, if any, does the European perspective have on local European Jewry?
Complete frustration about the conflict. This is how I would characterize it. Otherwise, there is no such thing as one ‘European outlook’ or ‘European perspective.’ Even if the question means the European Union as Europe, there are very different perspectives by different member states, from the Netherlands to Poland, from Hungary to the UK. The ongoing historical suffering of the people of the region has to stop: perhaps this is the only thing everyone agrees on in Europe, regardless of individual sympathies. In light of all this, I can’t really answer the second part of the question while I am not sure that there is a monolithic European Jewry, either.
6. You traveled to Israel on an educational seminar in May 2006. Could you share with us some of the people you met and places you found to be most interesting or memorable?
A working breakfast with Rabbi David Rosen, a meeting with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a visit to the Yad Vashem [Holocaust Memorial] in Jerusalem.
7. Many Project Interchange alumni return to their home countries with increased interest and background knowledge about Israel and the Middle East. Did your participation in the seminar impact your professional life, and if so, how? How did it affect your understanding or defy your expectations of Israel?
Soon after my participation in the PI seminar came the 2006 Lebanon war. Both events convinced me about the urgency of bringing the ICLS to the Middle East to work with people from the different sides of the regional conflict. I have come to see the historical potential Israeli people have and the joint responsibility in resolving this unparalleled conflict which has its impact around the world.
8. Do you have any suggestions or advice for Project Interchange as we develop future programs from Europe?
Not at this stage. I save them for the 25th anniversary event of PI later this year