Islam and the West: Annual Report on the State of Dialogue

Box 7.5
Information <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> Internet :
Delivering Hope <strong>and</strong> Peace to <strong>the</strong> World
Eric Schmidt
Eric Schmidt is Chairman of <strong>the</strong> Board <strong>and</strong> Chief Executive Officer of Google, Inc. Dr. Schmidt’s career has
consisted of many achievements as an Internet strategist, entrepreneur, <strong>and</strong> developer of powerful technologies.
Human history has demonstrated that information can be a key driver of progress <strong>and</strong> underst<strong>and</strong>ing across all human
societies. The ability to access, comprehend, create, <strong>and</strong> utilize information is not only an important factor in determining
<strong>the</strong> success of any one individual, but also <strong>the</strong> collective prosperity of entire human communities. In Google's more
than eight years of serving users worldwide, we have come across countless examples of individuals using information –
especially information delivered on <strong>the</strong> global Internet – to enhance <strong>the</strong>ir own productivity <strong>and</strong> happiness.
But information can play yet ano<strong>the</strong>r important role in today's world. Beyond adding value to individuals <strong>and</strong> societies
in <strong>and</strong> of <strong>the</strong>mselves, information can facilitate underst<strong>and</strong>ing <strong>and</strong>, indeed, peace among our world's many societies.
Before reconciliation, peace, <strong>and</strong> productive dialogue can be credibly attained, we must all first be able to truly underst<strong>and</strong>
one ano<strong>the</strong>r's historical experiences, present circumstances, <strong>and</strong> future outlook – <strong>and</strong> information lies at <strong>the</strong> heart of
underst<strong>and</strong>ing.
Arguably, <strong>the</strong> story of present-day <strong>West</strong>-<strong>Islam</strong>ic relations is <strong>the</strong> story of an information problem. Two groups largely
comprised of well-intentioned human beings have been driven to tense relations affecting many millions worldwide.
Why? Has <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong> misunderstood <strong>the</strong> roots of <strong>Islam</strong>ic fundamentalism? Have Muslim leaders misunderstood American
economic <strong>and</strong> cultural strength? Have leaders of both communities – in <strong>the</strong>ir proposed solutions to perceived gaps –
misdiagnosed <strong>the</strong> roots of <strong>the</strong> issues in <strong>the</strong> first place?
As <strong>the</strong> Muslim-<strong>West</strong> world dialogue continues, it is imperative that we as global leaders place an increased emphasis
on underst<strong>and</strong>ing through information, overcoming basic barriers to true underst<strong>and</strong>ing like language, religion, <strong>and</strong>
culture. We need to move from stereotypical underst<strong>and</strong>ings of <strong>the</strong> world's peoples to those based on true knowledge.
Google, for instance, has recently launched a sophisticated free translation tool with English <strong>and</strong> Arabic as one of <strong>the</strong>
first set of languages users are able to translate between. This tool will enable users worldwide to be able to translate
arangeofcontent–includingtext<strong>and</strong>entirewebpages–fromonelanguagetoano<strong>the</strong>r.Wealsoprovideo<strong>the</strong>rtools–
from web search <strong>and</strong> social networking to blogging <strong>and</strong> online video – that transcend <strong>the</strong> boundaries of language, religion,
<strong>and</strong> culture, fur<strong>the</strong>ring <strong>the</strong> goals of free expression, true self-awareness, human connection, <strong>and</strong> underst<strong>and</strong>ing.
An essential component of any positive dialogue between <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> Muslim world must consist of an effort by
all to create tools to facilitate a deeper underst<strong>and</strong>ing of <strong>the</strong> issues <strong>and</strong> people involved. Doing so will help all more
fully appreciate <strong>the</strong> diversity <strong>and</strong> complexity encompassed by <strong>the</strong> broad terms “<strong>West</strong>” <strong>and</strong> “<strong>Islam</strong>.”
At Google, we believe that information is fundamentally empowering, <strong>and</strong> that facilitating access to tools that enable
individuals to learn, create, communicate, <strong>and</strong> express <strong>the</strong>mselves more freely – especially those delivered on a neutral,
global medium such as <strong>the</strong> Internet – will add immeasurably to intercultural underst<strong>and</strong>ing <strong>and</strong> will create a clearer
path forward.
<strong>Islam</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong>: <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> on <strong>the</strong> State of Dialogue Economic <strong>and</strong> Social Development
99