“But the work of Man is only just beginning, and it remains to conquer all the violence entrenched in the recesses of our passion and no race possesses the monopoly of beauty, of intelligence, of force. And there is a place for all at the rendezvous of victory” Aime Cesaire

As angry public sentiment against the refugees grows louder in Europe with the expressed fear that Muslim migrants are eroding European traditions, it exacerbates the volatile environment loaded with Islamophobia. This certainly is a political reality that cannot be ignored. It also gives rise to several concerns and questions: Is the current situation fermenting for a bigger clash? How to avert, and prevent it from spreading further? Dr. Akbar S. Ahmed, a renowned scholar, and Chair of Islamic Studies at American University, responds to the current crisis through his Journey into Europe, a documentary that seeks to understand, explain and provide a resolution for the religious and ethnic conflict that is threatening peace and security in Europe.

The documentary is based on the research project Dr. Ahmed is conducting to study relations between West and the Muslim world, and treats the subject matter in a scholarly manner. It tries to comprehend the conflict through the intellectual discourse; by questioning the Clash of Civilizations paradigm in the beginning of the documentary, amidst the scenes of burning mosques, and rallies against Muslims. “Are we seeing a clash of civilizations? Or, is this just a clash of religion and culture? Does this represent the voice of the majority of European population or we see Europe stands divided?” The gist of the documentary however, remains on building bridges, fostering better understanding and easing the tensions between Islam and the West by creating a dialogue for peaceful coexistence, interfaith harmony, and preserving diversity. It also identifies, and suggests solutions for the challenges posed to the Muslim community with respect to interfaith harmony. To study the phenomenon, the documentary conducts extended research and gathers facts and figures from across Europe, from the cross section of the population (Christians, Jews, Muslims, voices and opinions of scholars as well as ordinary people) and reflects opposing positions of those who do respect and advocate for the preservation of diversity and those who don’t.