Senator Abu-Ghazaleh Tackles 'Shaping the Future' at the Arab Thought Forum

26 Apr 2011

We approach the “minority planet” and heading towards a harder world, we need knowledge renaissance in parallel with the Arab renaissance – HE Senator Abu-Ghazaleh


AMMAN ------ April 26, 2011 ------------ As part of its monthly meetings and hosting of intellectuals and statesmen, the Arab Thought Forum hosted recently a lecture entitled “Shaping the Future” by HE Senator Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, chairman and CEO of Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organization (TAG-Org).

Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh started his address saying that the technological knowledge transformation in the world has developed to turn into a revolt leading us towards a new borderless world having myriad options; it is the digital cyberspace which achieves the global equality.

He added that the transformation rates are unparalleled as the knowledge world is expected to materialize in the coming fifty years, and the computer and communications costs will be zero in one world through one network “Knowledge Planet”, i.e., we will live in unlimited coastless ocean of knowledge.

“All life aspects will be available electronically, and we must quickly qualify ourselves to use one digital device in all media and communication means, and an ID in the form of a smart mobile phone having a unique internet number address that can be used all over the world and for all purposes,” he added.

He explained that the information technology will do most of the workload on our behalf, everything will be digital, the performance and prices will improve one million times than they are now, and the digital intellectual property will be the trade and main business.

Senator Abu-Ghazaleh warned that the knowledge planet we are approaching is likely to be for the minority, and we should bridge the digital gap, otherwise, we will have a risky ugly world.

“We need knowledge renaissance in parallel with the Arab renaissance,” pointing out that illiteracy is the obstacle before strengthening the weak and we have to confront this challenge. We are heading towards a harder world and harder gap, the biological gap. He added that the new knowledge will generate a human being better that the other (better mind, memory, and life). It is painful to see nations with this technology becoming better nations in terms of human development and excellence. That means that the differences will not deepen in the economy and knowledge only, but in the human factor. The world will again move to the manufacturing of a new type benefiting from the digital revolt related to the future of the world and to the way of the Man formation during his life stages,” he said.

Senator Abu-Ghazaleh stressed that the best way to predict the future is to shape it. This depends on the latent competencies of the Arab youth who should lead the knowledge revolt to achieve the knowledge society and real wealth, and then knowledgably achieve the political and economical future and ultimately the social future.
The meeting was moderated by HE Prof. Dr. Fayez Khasawneh, acting secretary general of the Arab Thought Forum.