Event Summary
 
Prof. Dr. Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, Secretary-General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, discussed the history of Europe’s relationship with the Muslim world. In doing so, he addressed how this relationship has affected Turkey’s EU accession process as well as how Turkey’s potential EU membership may shape the future interplay between Islam and Europe.
 
Dr. İhsanoğlu began by emphasizing the need for Europe to view its relationship with Turkey within the larger context of Europe’s deep, historical connection to the Muslim world. He explained that Europe’s current objection towards Turkey joining the EU stems from a kind of cultural xenophobia. The common perception of Europe as a Christian continent has led current EU members to question whether a Muslim nation, such as Turkey, belongs in the EU. However, as Dr. İhsanoğlu asserted, historically, Islam has been “part and parcel” of the European continent. For example, the contributions of Arab scholarship helped to bring about the Age of Enlightenment in Europe. Furthermore, many of Europe’s smaller ethnic groups who have inhabited the continent for centuries are Muslim, and today, Muslim Europeans are the second largest ethno-religious group in Europe. Thus, Dr. İhsanoğlu questioned the degree to which Islam is an intruder in Europe and suggested, instead, that Islam is a key, historical component of the region.
                 
In regard to Turkey’s EU accession process, Dr. İhsanoğlu asserted that if Europeans can move beyond their current “Christian-only” mind set, there will surely be a place for Turkey in the EU. European rejection to Turkey’s accession is not a question of politics or economics, but of culture. As such, Turkey’s accession process has significant implications for the future of Europe’s relations with the rest of the Muslim World. Not surprisingly, the media in Muslim nations has been monitoring Turkey’s accession process closely, hoping that Turkey’s entry into the EU will provide a gateway for smoother relations between the Europe and the Middle East, as well as increased acceptance of Islam within European societies.
 
Dr. İhsanoğlu concluded his talk with optimistic remarks regarding the Muslim World’s relationship with the U.S. According to Dr. İhsanoğl, the U.S. lacks the kind of deep-seeded aversion to Muslims that exists in Europe. President Obama’s infamous Cairo speech declaring America’s intent to end its cultural clash with Muslim nations exemplified this more liberal attitude. Thus, speaking on behalf of the OIC, Dr. İhsanoğlu asserted that as long as the U.S.-Muslim World relationship is built upon mutual respect and understanding going forward, relations between these two entities will likely grow.
 
Bios:
 
Prof. Dr. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu is a Turkish academic, diplomat and currently the Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference. Ihsanoglu was born of Turkish family in Cairo, Egypt, where he later studied science at Ain-Sham Univeristy, receiving his BSc in 1966. He obtained his MSc from Al-Azhar University in 1970, and his PHD from Ankara University in 1974.