The Sahara has never been an obstacle in communication between Arab world and Africa, say seminar participants

Participants in an international seminar on "the Arab World and Africa: today and future challenges" said that the Sahara (separating North Africa from Sub-Saharan Africa) has never been an obstacle impeding communication between Arab and African cultures.

Addressing this seminar, Afraa Al Khatib, a Syrian researcher and professor of History and Archeology at the Institute of African Studies of the Mohammed V university in Rabat, evoked the similarities of cultures and civilization shared between these parts of the world. She also underlined the important role played by the Arabic Peninsula in disseminating different cultural trends.

She was echoed by other participants who referred to the analysis of the different cultural links between the Arab World and Africa. Participants also launched an appeal to make of the Sahara a space for interaction between cultures and civilizations.