We have looked at them with suspicion and fear. Now they represent the hope we would like to see in our own lives and in our countries. The Arab world, or at least what it represents in the European imagination, has profoundly marked the last ten years of the West, reflecting its deepest fears. From the attack on the Twin Towers, which led some to theorize the clash of civilizations, to this new and sudden explosion that does not seem linked to any terrorist movement but rather to a widespread desire for freedom and dignity. The young generations of the Arab world—those who communicate through the internet and who cross the sea on makeshift boats—want to build a new future. Is it the hope and promise of a world as we would like it that replaces the threat of terror? Is this a new historical phase? Is it the best response to the era of terrorism, to its methods, and to its interpretation of the world and its power dynamics?
