ABRATALKS - Dr. Othman El Kachtoul

In this eighth episode of Abratalks (recorded in French), we welcome Dr. Othman El Kachtoul — diplomat, scholar of Islam, and university lecturer. Born in Tangier into a traditional family with distant Spanish roots, Othman studied engineering in France before beginning his career at Decathlon. Drawn by his passion for dialogue and intercultural understanding, he later joined the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. After several diplomatic postings in the Middle East, earning an agrégation in Arabic and completing a PhD on the Islamic State, he transitioned to academia, where he now teaches Islamic studies. This thought-provoking conversation explores the role of diplomats in fostering dialogue, the critical study of religion, and the often-overlooked convergences between the sacred texts of the three monotheisms. It also delves into questions of identity, coexistence, and the transmission of knowledge — at a time when rising radicalism and the import of Middle Eastern conflicts into France are challenging national cohesion.

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