[spectre] British Council quits Europe to woo Muslim world

[Joseph Gray]

The writer Heiko Recktenwald writ:
• IMHO there is (a) is no such a barrier between single persons . And if
• there is (b) a barrier between societies, groups, it may be based in
• politics and may have good reasons.

The barrier is the belief that one side is right and the other is wrong,
and that sometimes murder is OK as a result.  These beliefs are held by
individuals, though one of the structures that creates them is political.

•
• Shure, books are better than weapons. And they may follow new politics.
• Probably the best they can do today.

Amen brother.

•
• But quiting Europe may not be very clever. We will survive it, but it is
• easier to destroy something than to recreate it on one later day.

Certainly quiting Europe is also wrong, especially the farther east you
go.  Fortunately their £200 million annual budget for these European
libraries is only being reduced by 10%, giving a scant 20 million for the
Middle-East project.  Granted, they will close valuable current resources
as a result.

If it was up to me I'd match the funding in the middle-east, and keep what
is already available in Europe.  That funding would go not only to
libraries, but to artist exchange programs between the two geographies. 
But it is not up to me.   Arts residency in Basra anyone?