Landmark meetings arranged by the United Arab Emirates UAE will bring Arabs and Muslims from all over the world and Danish youths in a meaningful dialogue aimed at bridging the gap between Muslims and Danes in the aftermath of publication of caricatures depicting the Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) in a degrading manner, the local news agency WAM reported.

The dialogue which will witness great gathering of Muslim and Danish youths from the Danish Youth Council - Denmark's largest youth organization with over 70 affiliates, will tackle issues like freedom of expression, integration, the so-called clash of civilizations, the perils of inter-cultural dialogue and the media role in promoting global understanding.

The initiative, "The Search for Mutual Understanding", has been organized by the Tabah Foundation under the direction of scholar and teacher Habib Ali al-Jifri, and the youth and training Ta'aheel consultancy.

"This is an opportunity for genuine cultural, intellectual and spiritual exchange," said Tabah Foundation's Amienoella Abderoef.

The forum, which will also be attended by the venerable Syrian scholar and globally respected Islamic theologian Dr Said Ramadan al-Buti, will conclude with a declaration by participants on Monday 17 April.

- Scholars discuss Danish cartoons:

The debate sparked by the 12 blasphemous cartoons which were published in recent months ridiculing the holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and hurt the Muslim world is still going.

Yesterday, students, residents and media took their shoes off to gather at the entrance of the Islamic Center of Greater Lansing to hear the perspectives of six scholars.

Farhan Abdul Azeez, president of the Muslim Students' Association, stated that the controversy sparked by the ridiculous cartoons will end only when people are educated about the Islamic religion. "We need to turn this negative into a positive by educating people," Azeez said. "Once you educate people, things will change."

Also Omar Soubani, leader and one of the founding members of the Islamic Center, spoke on the perception of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in the Muslim culture.

"God created him in such a way that his manner, his ethics, his behavior was so good, so honored, by even God," he said. "Many Muslims felt the pain and the assault of Muhammad (in the cartoons). He was denounced, smeared with injustice, without justification."

Rev. Frederick Fritz, whose church, the University Lutheran Church, lies not far from the Islamic Center, stressed the importance of respecting religions and religious tolerance.

"This is what a neighborhood and neighbors is about," he said. "You shall love your neighbor as yourself and be opposed to violence in all forms — it's the tool of the dark side and will never bring people together."

Journalism Professor Folu Ogundimu denounced the publication of the cartoons saying that the media crossed the line by publishing those drawings humiliating the Holy Prophet.

"There's a difference between political discourse and the discourse of religion," he said. "With political discourse, there are hardly any boundaries.

"Religious discourse is something else. It's the only exception of where we can justify limits to freedom of expression.

"Religion differentiates us from other living beings. It's a gift to have a belief in something. When you attack this aspect, you render us nonhuman."