Today multi- and bilateral relations between the Mena region and the west are on track. The trade relations between the two sides are on a very positive path. The west has a highly innovative economy and wealth of knowledge and skills to share. Also, the west now show an important involvement in many projects internationally. And with the new context of recession, they tend to expand their business opportunities. In the same vein, the Mena has an open economy that depends heavily on foreign markets.

الروابط بين منطقة الشرق الأوسط والغرب ليست اقتصادية فقط. الجانب الاجتماعي مهم بشكل خاص في هذه العلاقات. النقطة المهمة هي أن كلا المجتمعين لا يزالان يواجهان مشاكل عندما يتعلق الأمر بالتماسك الاجتماعي. إن الجرائم بين الشباب ، والعنف الأسري ، والراديكالية ، والتطرف ، والعنصرية ، من الظواهر اليومية التي يجب التغلب عليها. لا يزال الحوار والتسامح بحاجة إلى التشجيع. ومع ذلك ، فإن التغييرات السياسية الأخيرة لا تساعد في تحسين العلاقات بين المسلمين وغير المسلمين. توجد الآن اتجاهات جديدة مثيرة للجدل للغاية وتخلق تحديًا اجتماعيًا حقيقيًا. في الواقع ، هناك ثقافة الخوف والكراهية وعدم الثقة المتبادلة المتزايدة بين المسلمين وغير المسلمين وقليل جدًا من السياسات أو المشاريع أو البرامج لجسر الانقسام اقتربت من النجاح.

In the fields of culture and arts, many efforts have been realized. We can see nowadays many exchanges between the youth of the two communities. There are projects such as exhibitions, which show the desire of sharing cultural references. Yet those exchanges are not enough. In fact, kids have no easy access to the references of their own culture, which is still portrayed through stereotypes and preconceived ideas promoted by the mainstream media. The language is also a big barrier to these exchanges but many things have to be done to share talents and knowledge on the fields of theatre, music, dance, painting, writing etc.

We have set up Iamena because of the history between the Mena region and the west and all the economic, social and cultural challenges we have talked about above. But we are organizing the forum also because of many global issues that concern the East and the West in general and which concern many minorities in The west and need to be discussed such as: sustainability, bridging cultures, peace in the World, intercultural understanding, fighting against extremism, and so on.