As part of its commitment to strengthening sustainable partnerships and constructive intellectual collaboration with Mohamed Bin Zayed University for Humanities (MBZUH), TRENDS Research & Advisory, through its virtual office in Paris, participated in the symposium, Integration and Multiculturalism: Reality and Aspirations, organized by MBZUH during the Paris Book Festival and hosted at the joint pavilion of both institutions at the Grand Palais in Paris.
The symposium formed part of a joint program of intellectual and academic activities organized by TRENDS and MBZUH at the festival. It reflects their active contributions to enriching intellectual dialogue, building bridges of engagement with global think tanks and academic institutions, and promoting constructive, meaningful dialogue on the international stage.
Structural Imbalances
Dr. Wael Saleh, Director of TRENDS’ virtual offices in France and Canada, stated during his intervention at the symposium that rethinking the issue of integration and multiculturalism requires a robust analytical framework that unpacks the tension between normative discourse, which celebrates diversity and coexistence, and the socio-institutional reality that reveals structural imbalances hindering genuine integration. He argued that contemporary debates remain constrained by reductionist approaches that assume a false homogeneity among social groups, thereby obscuring the internal diversity of actors and the variation in their intellectual and political positions.
Acceptance of Pluralism
Dr. Saleh stressed that integration should not be measured by religious or cultural identity, but rather by the extent of practical commitment to the principles of the civil state, including the rule of law, the separation of religion and politics, and the acceptance of pluralism. Individuals within Muslim communities, as well as within host societies, do not constitute homogeneous blocs, but rather span a wide spectrum of views on religion, Islamism, and citizenship.
He also addressed the relationship between radical ideologies and the requirements of coexistence, noting that those ideologies share structural characteristics with other forms of extremism, such as totalitarian tendencies, the politicization of religion, the construction of exclusionary binaries, and the ability to mobilize populist sentiment. These features, he explained, often make them obstacles to integration within democratic frameworks.
Silent Marginalization
Dr. Saleh also highlighted the practical dimension of integration, underscoring the central role of economic and professional inclusion as a condition for its success. Drawing on the Canadian experience, he pointed to a gap between multicultural discourse and actual practice, particularly in the recognition of foreign talent and its integration into the labor market, leading to forms of silent marginalization.
He concluded that integration should be understood as a process of convergence between different worldviews within a shared civic framework, rather than the erasure of identities. He stressed the need to redirect public policies to remove structural barriers and strengthen professional integration.
Honoring the Special Guest
In a related context, the Paris Book Festival 2026 honored TRENDS Research & Advisory as a special guest, recognizing its international efforts to support knowledge, culture, and the publishing industry. The ceremony was attended by H.E. Catherine Pégard, French Minister of Culture; Dr. Khaled El-Enany, Director-General of UNESCO; Vincent Montagne, President of the French Publishers Association; and Valérie Pécresse, President of the regional council of Île-de-France, at the Grand Palais in Paris.
The TRENDS pavilion at the festival attracted a wide range of academics, researchers, experts, and specialists, who commended the center’s scientific contributions and its global research vision, grounded in foresight through knowledge. The TRENDS research team also met with H.E. Tinatin Rukhadze, Minister of Culture of Georgia, to discuss ways to enhance cooperation in cultural and intellectual exchange and strengthen knowledge connectivity.
Structural Imbalances
Dr. Wael Saleh, Director of TRENDS’ virtual offices in France and Canada, stated during his intervention at the symposium that rethinking the issue of integration and multiculturalism requires a robust analytical framework that unpacks the tension between normative discourse, which celebrates diversity and coexistence, and the socio-institutional reality that reveals structural imbalances hindering genuine integration. He argued that contemporary debates remain constrained by reductionist approaches that assume a false homogeneity among social groups, thereby obscuring the internal diversity of actors and the variation in their intellectual and political positions.
Acceptance of Pluralism
Dr. Saleh stressed that integration should not be measured by religious or cultural identity, but rather by the extent of practical commitment to the principles of the civil state, including the rule of law, the separation of religion and politics, and the acceptance of pluralism. Individuals within Muslim communities, as well as within host societies, do not constitute homogeneous blocs, but rather span a wide spectrum of views on religion, Islamism, and citizenship.
He also addressed the relationship between radical ideologies and the requirements of coexistence, noting that those ideologies share structural characteristics with other forms of extremism, such as totalitarian tendencies, the politicization of religion, the construction of exclusionary binaries, and the ability to mobilize populist sentiment. These features, he explained, often make them obstacles to integration within democratic frameworks.
Silent Marginalization
Dr. Saleh also highlighted the practical dimension of integration, underscoring the central role of economic and professional inclusion as a condition for its success. Drawing on the Canadian experience, he pointed to a gap between multicultural discourse and actual practice, particularly in the recognition of foreign talent and its integration into the labor market, leading to forms of silent marginalization.
He concluded that integration should be understood as a process of convergence between different worldviews within a shared civic framework, rather than the erasure of identities. He stressed the need to redirect public policies to remove structural barriers and strengthen professional integration.
Honoring the Special Guest
In a related context, the Paris Book Festival 2026 honored TRENDS Research & Advisory as a special guest, recognizing its international efforts to support knowledge, culture, and the publishing industry. The ceremony was attended by H.E. Catherine Pégard, French Minister of Culture; Dr. Khaled El-Enany, Director-General of UNESCO; Vincent Montagne, President of the French Publishers Association; and Valérie Pécresse, President of the regional council of Île-de-France, at the Grand Palais in Paris.
The TRENDS pavilion at the festival attracted a wide range of academics, researchers, experts, and specialists, who commended the center’s scientific contributions and its global research vision, grounded in foresight through knowledge. The TRENDS research team also met with H.E. Tinatin Rukhadze, Minister of Culture of Georgia, to discuss ways to enhance cooperation in cultural and intellectual exchange and strengthen knowledge connectivity.
