A ‘Zone’ for the EU and the GCC’s Inter-religious and Inter-cultural Engagement

Abstract: This article argues that the resurgence of religion in international relations and the parallel rise of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) create a unique opportunity for structured inter-religious and inter-cultural engagement between the European Union (EU) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Both the EU and the GCC, while institutionally committed to secular international relations, confront theo-political pressures along their respective borders—ranging from political Islam and regional instability in the Mediterranean to civilizational narratives emanating from Russia, Turkey, China, and the United States. Against this backdrop, the article proposes the institutionalization of Inter-Religious Engagement (IRE) as a normative and strategic instrument of foreign policy. SEZs and particularly Saudi Arabia’s NEOM project— are infrastructural “stages” upon which EU-GCC cultural and religious diplomacy can be enacted. Tracing the historical rise of SEZs from Shannon to contemporary global networks, the study interprets the resurgence of city-states and transnational economic hubs as heralding a neo-Hanseatic order. In this context, NEOM and related Gulf and MENA region SEZs are conceptualized as extra-national platforms capable of hosting innovative forms of cultural cohabitation, economic integration, and faith-based engagement beyond the constraints of traditional nation-state politics. The article concludes that a coordinated EU–GCC–Jordan partnership centered on SEZs and IRE could catalyze a new Mediterranean order grounded in sustainable development, cultural pluralism, and strategic cooperation. The appendix “Cultural Diplomacy at the Heart of Europe’s New Global Strategy” examines the evolution of cultural diplomacy within the European Union’s external relations, particularly in the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern regions. It traces the incorporation of culture into EU policy from the 1995 Barcelona Declaration of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership through the post-9/11 security paradigm and into the transformative period following the Arab Spring. While early EU engagement with its Southern Neighbourhood prioritized normative commitments to democracy and human rights, cultural and religious dimensions were initially underemphasized. The rise of Islamist militancy, regional upheavals after 2011, and growing instability within and beyond Europe prompted a strategic recalibration. The 2016 EU Global Strategy and the Strategy on International Cultural Relations marked a decisive shift, positioning culture—alongside energy and economic diplomacy—as a central pillar of EU foreign policy. The article underscores the Mediterranean as the principal arena for this strategy, with the GCC emerging as a key partner and Jordan maintaining privileged status within the European Neighbourhood framework. Ultimately, the article contends that the EU seeks to advance a “convergence of civilizations” through cultural diplomacy, though the practical mechanisms for achieving this remain underdeveloped and open to further inquiry.