In adapting to life in the melting pot of America, I discovered that the same soft power of science has a huge influence in building bridges between cultures and religions - and has the potential to do so with the Muslim world.
Interpretation
Science can unite diverse cultures and promote understanding.
Ahmed Zewail highlights the ability of science to transcend cultural and religious boundaries, emphasizing its role as a unifying force in a diverse society like America. He suggests that through scientific collaboration and dialogue, deeper connections can be established, particularly with communities such as the Muslim world, fostering mutual respect and understanding.
In practice
A speaker at a cultural event discussing the importance of science in bridging gaps between communities.
In the 1970s, what I, as a young foreign student studying in the United States, found most dynamic, exciting and impressive about this country is what much of the world continues to value most about the U.S. today: its open intellectual culture, its great universities, its capacity for discovery and innovation.
As a cultural product of both 'East' and 'West', I do not believe there is a fundamental basis for a clash of civilisations, or that the West is the cause of all problems.
The greed of gain has no time or limit to its capaciousness. Its one object is to produce and consume. It has pity neither for beautiful nature nor for living human beings. It is ruthlessly ready without a moment's hesitation to crush beauty and life.
How you approach the problem of suffering depends on how you approach life itself. There are only two ways. Either meaning is surrounded by matter, or matter is surrounded by meaning.
Liberty is always freedom from the government.
There lives more faith in honest doubt, believe me, than in half the creeds.
Wonders are many, and none is more wonderful than man; the power that crosses the white sea, driven by the stormy wind, making a path under surges that threaten to engulf him.
We have believed - and we do believe now - that freedom is indivisible, that peace is indivisible, that economic prosperity is indivisible
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