Elephant beds

Editor's Note Europe enjoys the lion's share of my travels outside the Arab region, stemming from my interest in the history of architecture and urban development, as well as the ease of access and mobility between its cities without prior preparation. The pursuit of luxury may be the motivation for many to visit the "Old Continent," but personally, I do not see it as the main driving factor, for reasons that cannot be elaborated here. There is another aspect that characterizes my travels there, which is exploring the cultural unity among the people of the Mediterranean coasts across its various countries. This has led me to visit the southern part of the continent more than any other place. As a result, I often find myself immersed in experiencing the Mediterranean lifestyle (referring to the Mediterranean Sea), which sometimes dominates its culture over the national identity of each of those countries. I find myself drawn back to the time of their territorial unity under Roman rule. However, this cultural unity almost diminishes as we move away from the coast; one of the manifestations of this is the linguistic diversity that has historically distinguished Europe—especially when considering its geographical extent. Many of these languages were linked to an ethnic unity upon which states were founded, particularly in the eastern part of the continent. Perhaps today, this diversity paints a wonderful civilizational scene that characterizes our cultural experience when visiting; yet, in the past, it was a cause of fierce wars, especially during the height of nationalist movements that contributed to the emergence of historical phenomena such as Nazism. It is said that Europe has learned lessons from its bloody past, which led its countries to avoid armed conflicts (within their borders!) and to pursue political and economic unity after World War II. However, this rosy picture almost fades when we see the reality in Kosovo through one of your investigations in this issue. In that country, the horrific events of the late 1990s still cast their sad shadow on the population to this day. There are wounds that have not healed, personal files that remain open, and political repercussions that have not been resolved. Perhaps what gives the conflict in Kosovo—and earlier in Bosnia and Herzegovina—another dimension is religious diversity. Whether we like it or not, this element is strongly present in the collective consciousness of peoples, as it forms an additional measure of their adherence to the civilizational path. Whenever I look at the horrors of massacres and conflicts based on race and religion around the world, it becomes clear to me the genius of wise leadership in the United Arab Emirates, exemplified by instilling the values of tolerance among all segments of society. Some may see tolerance as a natural result of cultural diversity, but establishing its principles systematically and officially is part of a long-term enlightened vision, based on human capital as the core to sustaining its economic and cultural renaissance.