On June 22, 2024, the Divan – The Arabic Cultural House in Berlin hosted a symposium on “Immanuel Kant and the Current Relevance of His Philosophy for the Arab World.” In celebration of the Kant Year 2024, the Divan Centre invited numerous renowned and international experts in philosophy and social sciences to discuss Kant’s significance for contemporary times, particularly for the Arab world, with interpretation available in both German and Arabic.
The conference commenced with an introductory lecture by the globally recognized Kant expert, Prof. Dr. Dr. Otfried Höffe, who highlighted the contemporary relevance of Kant’s philosophy. This was followed by panel discussions addressing Kant’s positions on racism and colonialism and his influence on Western and Arab-Islamic modernity. Highlights included contributions from Prof. Dr. Susan Neiman on Kant’s Eurocentrism and Prof. Dr. Rachid Boutayeb, who shed light on the cosmopolitan education of the philosopher from Königsberg.
The event provided participants with an excellent opportunity to engage in open and intercultural dialogue. Other notable speakers such as Prof. Dr. Peter Niesen, Prof. Dr. Reza Mosayebi, Ass. Prof. Dr. Ulrich Vogel, Prof. Dr. Zouaoui Beghoura, and Prof. Dr. Ali Abbood Al-Mohamedaoi contributed to making the symposium an enriching and inspiring experience. The discussions demonstrated how Kant’s philosophy continues to offer valuable insights for thinking and acting in a globalized world in the 21st century. Thus, this symposium underscored that Kant and his ideas can indeed serve as a model for the Divan.
