A Laboratory for Inclusive Secularism and Moderate Traditionalism
Rethinking Coexistence in the Arab World and the Middle East
The concept of secularism, as it historically developed in the West—particularly in its French version—often elicits incomprehension or rejection in the Arab world. This mistrust is often linked to the idea that secularism equates to a denial of religious identity, or even a form of cultural hostility.
However, a contextualized, balanced, and well-explained approach can make secularism a powerful tool for coexistence, capable of guaranteeing both freedom of conscience and balance between believers and non-believers, between spirituality and the public space.
Ashteret proposes an original approach, structured around two complementary axes:
1. Adapted Secularism
This is not about exporting a Western model, but about opening a space for reflection on the conditions for harmonious coexistence in pluralistic societies.
Ashteret defends a contextualized secularism, respectful of religious sensitivities while affirming the necessity of a benevolent neutrality in the public space. A secularism that protects, rather than excludes.
2. A Moderate Traditionalism, Rooted but Open
Faced with the rise of fundamentalisms, we advocate for a reclaiming of spiritual traditions through an open, moderate, and non-violent interpretation.
This enlightened traditionalism opposes the political or identity-based instrumentalization of religion, while valuing the ethical and symbolic anchoring of Middle Eastern societies.
This approach aligns with the spirit of the Abraham Agreements, which prioritize dialogue, mutual recognition, and stability based on shared values.
Concretely, Ashteret commits to:
- Organizing debates, workshops, and training sessions on secularism in Middle Eastern and Arab contexts, linking them to educational, social, and institutional challenges.
- Offering tools for reflection to decipher the tensions between religion, identity, modernity, and memory, in Arab, Middle Eastern, but also European societies.
- Facilitating intellectual production on these topics through publications, opinion pieces, and cross-dialogues, in Arabic, French, and English.
By combining secular modernity and spiritual rootedness, Ashteret defends a balanced, bold, and humanist vision of coexistence:
A vision capable of overcoming divides, resisting extremes, and restoring shared trust between citizens, traditions, and institutions.