EGIC: What medieval Spain can teach us about AI, tolerance and global unity

 Rome — In a time marked by deep global divisions, the ethical challenges of artificial intelligence, and mounting distrust between cultures, a recent conference in the Eternal City presented a bold proposition: perhaps the answers lie not in the future, but in the past. At the heart of the discussion at the EGIC conference was medieval Spain, particularly al-Andalus, a region where Muslims, Jews, and Christians coexisted and collaborated for centuries. Far from being a relic of the past, scholars argued that this period of cultural fusion offers essential insights into how we might build a more tolerant and technologically balanced future.

 Far from the religious warfare often associated with the Middle Ages, Andalusia stood out as a rare example of coexistence. Muslim rulers did not enforce conversion or religious persecution upon conquest; instead, a society flourished where interfaith dialogue, intellectual exchange, and cultural diversity were celebrated. “It was more than tolerance,” one speaker noted. “It was a mutual curiosity  an intentional effort to learn from one another.”

 This climate gave rise to extraordinary developments. The Arabic numeral system, adapted from India, revolutionised European mathematics. Hebrew, once limited to biblical use, was encouraged by Arab scholars to flourish in poetry, philosophy, and public discourse. The scientific, medical, and literary output of the time influenced not only Spain but the rest of Europe and, eventually, the world.

 A highlight of the conference was the keynote by Professor Emanuele Pinelli, who explored the work of Ramon Llull, a 13th-century Catalan philosopher, theologian, and logician. Llull developed a system of rotating wheels and combinatory tables to simulate reasoning what he called the ars combinatoria  in an effort to demonstrate religious truths through logic rather than force. “Llull wasn’t just ahead of his time,” said Pinelli. “He laid the foundation for mechanical thought, the very idea that logic could be processed in a repeatable, programmable way.”

 Llull’s influence extended to later intellectual giants like Leibniz, who developed binary systems and envisioned a universal logical language, and ultimately to Alan Turing, whose theoretical machines gave rise to modern computing.

 Pinelli warned against reducing AI to a tool for profit or control. Instead, he urged the global community to harness it as a means of creating understanding, just as Llull used logic to bridge religious divides. “With the right algorithms and values,” he explained, “AI can support respectful communication across cultures, promote ethical decision-making, and contribute to more peaceful global relations.” In other words, AI should be a bridge, not a barrier  a theme that resonated strongly across the conference.

 Mitchell Belfer, President of the European Gulf Information Centre (EGIC), a Rome-based think tank, reminded attendees that modern narratives often oversimplify medieval Spain. “It wasn’t a neat ChristianMuslim divide,” he said. “There were multiple Arab cultures, diverse languages, and varying political goals.” When Arab rulers entered Iberia, they encountered Latin-speaking locals. This language gap initially caused tension but ultimately gave rise to remarkable linguistic, philosophical, and scientific synthesis. One particularly striking example discussed was the re-emergence of Hebrew as a living, creative language  spurred not by Jewish isolation, but by encouragement from Muslim leaders who believed that every culture had something to contribute.

 Moreover, the social structure of Andalusia was unique. Unlike elsewhere in Europe, being Jewish or Christian did not inherently limit one’s opportunities. This meritocratic model contributed to the region’s economic and cultural success.

 The parallels with today are striking. As Europe redefines its relationship with the Middle East, and as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries rapidly diversify their economies and recruit international expertise, the story of Andalusia offers both inspiration and caution. Several speakers pointed out that economic success today is tied to openness not isolation. “Civilisations grow stronger when they embrace exchange, not when they chase purity,” said one panellist.

 Organisations such as BRICS, now expanded to include members like the UAE, signal a shift in global influence. But if the so-called “global majority” countries in Africa, Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East  are to rise sustainably, they must uphold civil liberties, education, and tolerance, the same values that once made Andalusia a global beacon.

 Perhaps the most powerful idea from the Rome conference was that history is not linear, nor are our struggles new. There have been times  like in medieval Spain  when cooperation across faiths and cultures led to an explosion of innovation and human flourishing. And, as one speaker concluded, “These things happened before. They can happen again.”

 Indeed, ideas are bulletproof. And some of the most enduring ones tolerance, curiosity, and the belief in progress through unity  were born not in labs or parliaments, but in the gardens and libraries of a multicultural Spain nearly a thousand years ago.

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