West/Arab friendship caravan inaugurated
Posted by: Mahmood Al-Yousif on Sun, 13 July 2003 06:43:15 AST

BAHRAIN is to be in the forefront of an international campaign aimed at healing the rift between the West and the Islamic World, in the aftermath of September 11 attacks.

Officials of The Friendship Caravan, a US-based non-profit organisation committed to promoting media-friendly cross-cultural communication between the US and Arab countries, have arrived in Bahrain for the campaign's launch in the Gulf.

President Michael Kirtley and advisory board member Linda Smythe are here at the invitation of Crown Prince and BDF Commander-in-Chief Shaikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

"Americans and Arabs are now living behind a veil of ignorance and misconception about each other," said Mr Kirtley.

"Following the September 11 incidents, the long-standing friendship between Americans and the Arab World seems to fade behind a wall of fear.

"It is our belief that only after positive change in attitude at grass roots, people will work together more harmoniously towards peaceful relations."

Beginning in October this year, The Friendship Caravan, said Mr Kirtley, would offer a forum for long-term people-to-people communication and cross cultural exchange at grass roots level.

"Employing the time-honoured communication icon of a slowly-advancing caravan, we will set out from west to east across the US, with more than a dozen camels and Arabian horses, accompanied by two trucks filled with exhibits on the Arab world," he revealed.

"The people in the caravan will include representatives of international media and scores of representatives from the Arab and Muslim world, the US and other nations who will be welcomed into American cities to share their culture and ideas.

"We hope to cover 100 cities in one year."

Events will kick off with a "Friendship Festival" organised in an Arab country yet to be chosen, with the send-off of the Caravaneers as they begin their journey to the departure point in southern California.

"We hope this Arab country will be Bahrain, one of the best official friends of the US," said Ms Smythe, who had lived in Bahrain for18 years as the Honorary Consul of Greece to the kingdom, before returning to the US in1999 .

"Bahrain's Ambassador to the US Shaikh Khalifa bin Ali Al Khalifa, Jordan's Ambassador to the US Karim Kawar and the Arab League Ambassador Hussian Hassouna have already accepted our invitation to be patrons of this high-profile event.

"We shall send a formal invitation to Shaikh Salman to be the High Patron of this mission of renewal and conciliation between the West and the Arab and Muslim World, after two years of international trauma."

The cost of the project is estimated at $ 10million, and according to Mr Kirtley, an international freelance photojournalist who had spent 30years in the Arab world, donations have already started pouring in.

The proposed "Pilot" Caravan programme for Bahrain may include:

* Hosting a business roundtable between businesses in Maryland, US, and those in Bahrain.

* Creating an internationally-televised satellite teleconference between students in Montgomery County, Maryland and students in Bahrain.

* Creating an internationally-broadcast radio call-in show between Americans and Bahrainis

* Participating in a major music concert of American and Arab musicians

* Participating in cultural festivities, town meetings and roundtables.

Mr Kirtley and Ms Smythe, who met Information Minister Nabeel Al Hamer and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr Mohammed Abdulghaffar, said the government and the civic society in Bahrain, especially the Rotary Clubs, were whole-heartedly supporting the project.

They will address the Rotary Club of Manama at1 pm today at the Gulf Hotel, the Rotary Club of Adliya at6 pm tomorrow at the Diplomat Radisson SAS Hotel, and the Rotary Club of Salmaniya at1 pm on Wednesday at the Hilton.

The American Business Association will host a luncheon reception in their honour on Tuesday.

More details of the campaign are available on the website www.friendshipcaravan.org

Updated: September 7, 2003