Misunderstandings among societies and cultures are still common. The West’s view of Islam fails to see the compatibility of democracy and Muslim societies. Terrorism, too easily associated with Islam, further blurs the picture. Underdevelopment is not the fate of Muslim societies. Prosperity, democracy and good governance can exist. Freer and more participatory structures are needed to benefit from human assets. The Turkish experience has shown that democracy and Islam are compatible and the West can contribute to this. Yet all countries have to find their own solutions, applied at their own speeds. Imposing change is not helpful. Locally owned projects will have a greater chance of success. Please click here to read the text in full