The coexistence with people, traditions
and institutions of other cultures presents itself today as an irreversible
fact. Speeded up in the last decades of the last century, it faces
individuals and governments with new situations and challenges; without
returning to serious reflection on some basic social concepts, these
challenges will hardly be resolved. The voluntary or forced migration,
the oblivion of the factors defining the cultural identity, the multiplicities
of religions concentrated in the same territory, effect of lay attitudes
growing in some parts of the planet, religious fundamentalism in others,
the need of relearning to talk and tolerate, the perplexity in face
different ways of perceiving solidarity, are situations that are raising
issues not only in Europe but in many other parts of the world.
Fortunately, the Catalan nation produced a thinker who fought a lifetime
to resolve similar conflicts. Ramon Llull, recognized as the patriarch
of inter-religious dialogue, was in his time, the only writer in the
West who directed more than half of his work for an Arab-Muslim public.
At the same time, he introduced into the European traditions arguments
and customs that were already common in the Arab world, such as to
write in vernacular on philosophical and theological topics. He suggested
the creation of a League of Nations, and was aware of the right of
self-determination of nations. He is considered amongst the most in-depth
knowers of Islam Western culture has ever had. Also the Globe magazine
considered Ramon Llull one of the founders of Europe.
