“You take delight not in a city’s seven or seventy wonders,
but in the answer it gives to a question of yours.”
Italo Calvino, Invisible Cities
“Khaldun’s ancient wisdom is more relevant than ever: for peace to be sustainable, it must be cultivated from the bottom up within cities and communities. Indeed, this perspective is central to the broader ‘Abrahamic vision’ for regional integration. This vision was designed to transcend formal treaties, and also prioritize cross-border, people-to-people engagement as an essential foundation for a new era in the MENA region.”
In an era where international relations are traditionally dominated by the rigid structures of nation-states, a new and dynamic force is re-emerging from the ancient foundations of civilization: the city. While state-level politics often encounter diplomatic deadlocks and the limitations of formal treaties, cities, as the primary hubs of life, economy, and culture possess a unique capacity to build pragmatic bridges between peoples. In the Middle East and North Africa, a region undergoing accelerated urbanization, “city diplomacy” offers a “soft” alternative to traditional power politics, fostering regional integration through the quiet work of civil and intercultural cooperation.
The concept of cities as cultural intermediaries is deeply rooted in regional history. The 14th-century scholar Ibn Khaldun, in his seminal work The Muqaddimah, emphasized the power of cities as enabling spaces that foster harmonious relations between diverse groups. He viewed cities not merely as administrative centers, but as strategic hubs for interaction, trade, and diplomacy. Today, as peace agreements like the Abraham Accords face challenges in gaining deep-rooted public acceptance, Khaldun’s ancient wisdom is more relevant than ever: for peace to be sustainable, it must be cultivated from the bottom up within cities and communities. Indeed, this perspective is central to the broader ‘Abrahamic vision’ for regional integration. This vision was designed to transcend formal treaties, and also prioritize cross-border, people-to-people engagement as an essential foundation for a new era in the MENA region.
The demographic reality of the 21st century further underscores this shift. As of 2022, approximately 60% of the MENA population - 279 million people live in urban centers. This figure is projected to reach 362 million by 2035, driven by an annual urban growth rate of 2.2%. The region is now home to several “mega-cities” with over 10 million residents, including Cairo (20.5 million), Istanbul (16.8 million), Tehran (14.5 million), and Baghdad (10 million). Alongside these giants, vibrant metropolises like Riyadh, Casablanca, Tel Aviv, and Dubai host millions of young, dynamic residents. These centers of knowledge and technology are increasingly capable of addressing global challenges, from climate change to migration, complimentary and sometimes also independently of national agendas.
To realize the full vision of regional peace, cities must play a pivotal role in shaping a new narrative of solidarity. Peace is not merely an agreement signed between leaders; it is the result of a set of values embodied in a gradual and sustainable process of implementation. Shared culture constitutes an important source of “soft power” in the development of international relations, enabling the creation of trust and the dismantling of tensions.
A city is much more than its physical structures, its streets and buildings; its significance lies in its ability to develop and disseminate core values such as tolerance, multiculturalism, and interfaith moderation. Cities with diverse populations or rich histories can become a community network, amplifying a multicultural narrative as a central motif in fostering regionalization. Across the region, three cities stand out as “lighthouses” of this potential: Abu Dhabi, Essaouira, and Haifa.
“Abu Dhabi’s new model of “co-creation” offers a potential solution for sustainable migrant management while maintaining a sense of belonging based on individual contributions to city development, rather than ethnic identity. The sense of personal security and the separation between economy and politics contribute to Abu Dhabi’s success as a new urban model.”
Abu Dhabi, UAE: From Economic Migration to Multiculturalism
The capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi, has experienced a significant demographic shift in recent decades, transforming it into a prominent multicultural and interfaith city in the MENA region. Since the discovery of oil in the 1960s, the city has become a major destination for migrants from Asia and the Muslim world, contributing to a rich variety of cultures, languages, and religions. Abu Dhabi recognized that the traditional national narrative based on a single Emirati identity no longer suited the new reality of diverse society. Instead, they adopted a new national story emphasizing cultural diversity as a primary asset.
Abu Dhabi’s new model of “co-creation” offers a potential solution for sustainable migrant management while maintaining a sense of belonging based on individual contributions to city development, rather than ethnic identity. The sense of personal security and the separation between economy and politics contribute to Abu Dhabi’s success as a new urban model.
The city not only implements multiculturalism within its domain but also promotes it throughout the region. Abu Dhabi stands as a prime example of ‘Abrahamic’ coexistence in action, most notably through the ‘Abrahamic Family House’—an interfaith complex that serves as a physical manifestation of this shared vision, encouraging deep-rooted dialogue among the three monotheistic religions. Additionally, the work of the ‘Hedayah Center’ in combating extremism, alongside major international conferences such as the ‘Abu Dhabi Peace Forum’ and the ‘“International Dialogue of Civilizations & Tolerance”’, demonstrates the city’s impact as a global center for promoting multiculturalism.
“Located on Morocco’s Atlantic coast, Essaouria is a notable example of multiculturalism, tolerance, and interfaith moderation. The city has turned its cultural assets into an economic growth engine, primarily through numerous cultural events such as the Andalusian Atlantic and the Gnaoua Festivals…The festivals have increased the number of visitors to the city and led to the creation of new jobs…Today, Essaouira, which was once home to nearly 20,000 members of a vibrant Jewish community, has almost no Jews left.”
Essaouira, Morocco: Cultural Diplomacy as a Growth Engine
Located on Morocco’s Atlantic coast, Essaouria is a notable example of multiculturalism, tolerance, and interfaith moderation. The city has turned its cultural assets into an economic growth engine, primarily through numerous cultural events such as the Andalusian Atlantic and the Gnaoua Festivals, which enrich cultural life and fuel the local economy through tourism. The festivals have increased the number of visitors to the city and led to the creation of new jobs. The city’s Jewish heritage and its broader multicultural story are reinforced by projects such as “Bayt Dakira,” which was inaugurated by HM King Mohammed VI and with the initiative of the King’s advisor Andre Azoulay.
The strategic decision to invest in the creation of dynamic and living cultural spaces, rather than merely a museum, was a pivotal choice. Today, Essaouira, which was once home to nearly 20,000 members of a vibrant Jewish community, has almost no Jews left. However, Essaouira, and Morocco as a whole, have successfully integrated Jewish culture as an integral part of the Moroccan national identity. This blend of tangible and intangible cultural recognition has become a significant draw for the Moroccan Jewish diaspora worldwide, who frequently visit as a gesture of longing and connection.
“Haifa, the Israeli port city,…became a cultural center where artists, writers, and religious leaders from all parts of the MENA region met. (…) Additional initiatives include interfaith meetings and events such as the “Bay of Hope” hosted as part of the Internation Bay Conference for Regionality, which featured participation from diverse religious and community leaders from Haifa and beyond... These efforts underscore the city’s commitment to coexistence and illustrate Haifa’s renewed role as a beacon of tolerance, diversity, and unity across the region.”
Haifa, Israel: Coexistence and Shared Life Amid Crisis
Haifa, the Israeli port city, was already a multicultural city during the British Mandate, where economic development and prosperity went hand in hand with migration. The city became a cultural center where artists, writers, and religious leaders from all parts of the MENA region met, with figures like Umm Kulthum and Mahmoud Darwish leaving a significant mark. The then-mayor, Hassan Bey Shukri, ensured a status quo among the city’s diverse residents, helping to develop coexistence and the well-known legacy of Haifa since then as a lighthouse of tolerance and interfaith.
Central to Haifa’s spiritual and multicultural landscape is the presence of the “City Saint,” Elijah the Prophet. His sacred cave is a rare site of shared veneration, holy to believers from four different religions who visit the site freely to find common spiritual ground. In this single limestone space, he is revered as Eliyahu HaNavi by Jews, Mar Elias by Christians, and El-Khadr (the Green One) by Muslims and Druze. This convergence of names for a single figure serves as a living “diplomacy of faith”.
The current crisis in the MENA region has not diminished solidarity and coexistence within the city; rather, it has strengthened the sense of partnership among Jewish and Arab-Palestinian residents. In April 2024, Mayor Yona Yahav announced a program to teach Arabic to all students starting from the second grade onward to enhance shared life in the city. Additional initiatives include interfaith meetings and events such as the “Bay of Hope” hosted as part of the Internation Bay Conference for Regionality, which featured participation from diverse religious and community leaders from Haifa and beyond, as well as local and international experts, practitioners and guests from across the MENA region. These efforts underscore the city’s commitment to coexistence and illustrate Haifa’s renewed role as a beacon of tolerance, diversity, and unity across the region.
“The ‘tale’ of these three cities suggests that the future of the MENA region depends on a new approach that places civil, cultural, and spiritual connections at the forefront. This diplomacy of faith, rooted in a shared Abrahamic vision, allows cities to act as the primary driving force in advancing regional integration.”
Integrating Cities for a New MENA Region
The ‘tale’ of these three cities suggests that the future of the MENA region depends on a new approach that places civil, cultural, and spiritual connections at the forefront. This diplomacy of faith, rooted in a shared Abrahamic vision, allows cities to act as the primary driving force in advancing regional integration.
By creating inter-city collaborations with an emphasis on cultural connections, a regional inter-city bridge can be developed, strengthening and complementing existing political and economic channels. As global affairs evolved, the prominence of cities in international diplomacy was often overshadowed by state-centric approaches. However, today’s resurgence of city diplomacy underscores the significant potential that cities hold in peacebuilding and regional stability.
As urban centers continue to emerge as influential players, their historical significance, as noted by Ibn Khaldun, reaffirms the vital role they play in addressing local, regional, and global challenges. The re-emergence of the city on the global stage is the essential foundation for a sustainable regional order where inhabitants live in peace, prosperity, and well-being.
Einat Levi is the co-founder of the Center for City Diplomacy and a member of the Coalition for Regional Security. She is an expert on Morocco and MENA partnerships and was a member of the founding team of the Israeli Mission to Morocco.