The period from the 8th to the 14th centuries was not only an era marking the existence of the Muslim empire in Andalusia; it was one of the historical eyewitnesses on the remarkably outstanding model of interfaith tolerance in which nowhere else in the world had there been so long and so close of a relationship between the three faiths: Islam, Christianity and Judaism. To pay tribune to that era and bridge its impact on our modern time, the Foundation of Three Cultures came to the forth with the aim to unite Christian, Jewish and Muslim cultures and contribute in synergizing the three regions’ efforts to face up the third millennium’s challenges. The aim of this presentation, accordingly, is to bridge up the past with present of interfaith and intercultural coexistence in Andalusia by zooming in on the work of the foundation as a non-state body that works to create a framework for multilateral relationships to promote shared prosperity, peace and intercultural understanding across the Mediterranean.

1. THE CULTURES OF SPAIN CONFERENCE “CENTURIES OF MULTICULTURALISM AND INTER-FAITH
DIALOGUE WITHIN THE ANDALUSIA REGION”
The Role of Non-State Actors in Interfaith Bridging:
The Foundation of Three Cultures
Abdeslam Badre – Morocco
badre@culturaldiplomacy.org
abdeslambadre@yahoo.com
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icd - Institute of Cultural Diplomacy The Cultures of Spain Conference -
Spain - October 2012

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OUTLINE
I. Impacts of Andalusian Muslims’ Scholarship on Modern Time
II. Non-State Actors in Interfaith Dialogue: The Case of the
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“FundaciónTresCulturas”
3.1. Background of the Foundation
3.2. Behind the Scene
3.3. Goals & Objectives
3.4. Implementation Strategy
3.5. Beneficiaries
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WHY FUNDACIÓNTRESCULTURAS?

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BILATERAL CULTURAL DIPLOMACY:
Cultural Diplomacy
NGOs MODEL 1
Country A
NGOs
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Country B
Private Public
Sector Sector
Country A Country APublic Private
Sector Sector
Country B Country B
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NGOs BILATERAL CULTURAL DIPLOMACY:
Cultural Diplomacy
Country A MODEL B
NGOs Country B
Private
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Sector Individuals
Country B
Country A
Public Individuals
Sector
Country B Country B
Public Sector
Country A
Private Sector
Country B
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“FUNDACIÓNTRESCULTURAS”
Cultural Diplomacy
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
 1995: the Euro-Mediterranean Conference in Barcelona
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 1998: The Kingdom of Morocco and the the autonomous
government of Andalusia joined forces to create an
organization
 March 1999: the creation of the FundaciónTresCulturas
in the Spanish city of Seville
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THE FOUNDATION’S VICE
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PRESIDENT, ANDRE AZOULAY
called on Moroccan and
Spanish civil societies to
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break cliches and "get
mobilized" to give a new
impetus to relations
between the two
countries, to evaluate the
evolution of the two civil
societies "in a world
undermined by doubts and
intellectual nervousness."
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BEHIND THE FOUNDATION
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 King of Morocco, Mohammed VI
 King Juan Carlos of Spain
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 The National Palestinian Authority
 The Peres Peace Centre
 Various figures from the worlds of
banking
 Academicians
 Representatives from the Junta de
Andalusia
 Ministers from
Spanish, Moroccan, Israeli and
Palestinian governments 8

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IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY
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“In a complex, political world, it is culture that
provides the best channel for dialogue.”
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GOALS & OBJECTIVES
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 The Foundation’s main objective is to unite Christian, Jewish and
Muslim cultures from the region. The main key principles guide the
Foundation’s work:
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 The relationship between Andalusia and Morocco
 The Middle Eastern Alliance and support from the European
Union for similar projects that bring Mediterranean countries
closer together
 The core ethos of the foundation are
Peace, dialogue, coexistence and stability
 In particular, dialogue and cooperation between the Israeli and
Palestinian representatives is one of the focal objectives of the
foundation. 10

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IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY
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 Conferences
 Debates
 Talks
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 Exhibitions
 Concerts by musicians from the region
 Offers Arabic and Hebrew Language courses
 Collaborates in book fairs - such as one most recently held in Cairo
 Participates in commemorative events such as International Holocaust
Remembrance Day
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IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY …
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 Regular events at the headquarters in Seville, such as:
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 “Cinema Tuesdays”: less well known films and pertinent to the objectives of
the foundation are shown
 In recent years a number of Mediterranean cities and regions like
Beirut, Tangiers, Istanbul and Sicily have been represented on the silver
screen and audiences have been treated to screenings of such delights as
Turtles can Fly, No Man’s Land and CaroDiario (Dear Diary).
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IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY…
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The library houses a comprehensive collection of books and
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
documents on such issues as the Arab world, Euro-
Mediterranean relations, human rights, conflict
resolution, development and migration
 Books are lent free of charge, which is vital to achieve the
objective of promoting an interest and understanding of
different cultures at the very heart of Andalusian society.
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 Foundation: “FundaciónTresCulturas”
THE FOUNDATION
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

Birth: 1999 (SEVILLE)
Location: SEVILLE PROFILE SUMMARY
 Stands out for:
 Being the meeting point of the Mediterranean.
 Promote Countries of the Mediterranean to
joined forces to celebrate their diverse cultures
and build a platform for international
understanding and dialogue.
 Culture is lending its services to the peace
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process.
 Funding:Governor of Andalusia and the Kingdom of
Morocco.
 Directed to: the Community Muslim, Jewish and
Christian Community of Seville, and Spain at Large.
Researchers, Artist, Academicians, and wide public
 Headquarter building: It remains a striking example
of Moroccan art, and the impressive building boasts
a variety of amenities, including an auditorium with
capacity for 200 people, an exhibition
area, archives, classrooms, a central square and a
library specializing in Mediterranean topics and the
Arab world.
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THANK YOU!
Reference:
 http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/031219/20
03121928.html
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 http://www.tresculturas.org/secciones/actividades/otras
%20actividades/imgs/fotos_antiguas/_MG_4199.jpg
 http://www.tresculturas.org/exposiciones360/albordedeu
npoema/
 http://www.tertuliaandaluza.com/cultura/fundacion-tres-
culturas-del-mediterraneo/lang/en/
 http://www.hispanicmuslims.com/andalusia/andalusia.ht
ml
 http://www.geocities.com/mfbeig/abercrombie.html 43.
Burke, James. Boston: Little Brown & Company, 1985.
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