The notion of pluralism, and the legitimacy of pluralism in human society is a massively important issue for us in development.

I think the message of Islam, is the dignity with which we must treat women in society. Now, the notion of how that happens in practice, is very much a question of interpretation. But the basic premise, is the dignity and equality of women in society. And that goes right through the revelation of Islam, it goes to the tradition and the life of the Prophet, and the Prophet's wife, Khatija, was a woman who participated actively in daily life.

My mission as Imam encompasses theology, the social sectors, economics, culture and even the environment. Philanthropy is no more significant now than it was in the time of my grandfather. We do not content ourselves only in giving, but we also try to teach local populations to provide for their own needs.

We have taken up the annoying habit of linking each sporadic act of terrorism to the Muslim world. It is a painful confusion. The Muslim world is made up of 1 billion believers, living in 30 to 40 countries, speaking 500 languages and dialects, people who come from countries which became Muslim - some at the time of the Prophet, others three hundred years later - some speaking Arabic, others that do not. There is no Islamic entity where 1 billion believers interpret and practice their faith in the same manner.

In the third world, where demographic growth is by far one of the most important issues, the people must ask themselves whether the new generations, should take upon themselves the right to impose poverty on their children.

I view diversity as strength, and that may be a funny statement to make, but I think that in diversity there is great strength if it is understood that diversity must not be encouraged to become conflict. But the different cultures, different faiths, different languages, different traditions should be looking at common issues and starting from different standpoints but trying to resolve them collaboratively.

The world is very much influenced by the way a faith or a community communicates, and I think that there is a very, very great gap. The vast majority of Muslims today live in a rural environment. They do not communicate, they are peaceful people. The perceptions that one has of polarization, things of that sort are much more urban forces, urban expressions and if you were to ask me today whether the vast majority of the Muslims participated in any way in this polarization, I would answer probably not.

The role entrusted to me does not, in the world of today, permit to cherish any political ambitions. This was appropriate and acceptable fifty years ago: my grandfather was President of the League of Nations, my father was Ambassador to the United Nations and my uncle was the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. The roles of those members of my family were all international roles in the field of politics. They did not serve a specific country; they served a cause with international dimensions.

Go back to the origins of Islam. It was a Faith practiced in a land with no physical frontiers. The concept of the modern state is not really an Islamic concept. Islam was a brotherhood, is a brotherhood. That is the first thing - the free movement of people, the generosity of people's attitudes towards their brothers around the world.

I think there are two forms of help. There is helping people without instigating them to help themselves. And then there is helping people by helping them help themselves. I prefer the second form. I believe it is also the intent of Allah to what He said in the Quran and in the tradition that you don't help people once. You try to help them in such a way that they become self sufficient, make them help the others.