Does going to Mecca to perform the Hajj make Muslims more moderate?

" Muslim pilgrims in the holy city of Mecca "

"So does the Hajj open minds, or does it expose Muslims to radical views that unite them against the non-Islamic world? To find out, researchers David Clingingsmith, Asim Khwaja, and Michael Kremer surveyed more than 1,600 Pakistanis, about half of whom went on the Hajj in 2006. In a recent, as yet unpublished study, they report that those who went to Mecca came back with more moderate views on a range of issues, both religious and nonreligious, suggesting that the Hajj may be helpful in curbing the spread of extremism in the Islamic world. " (Slate.Com by Ray Fisman)

This is a fascinating study. One aspect of a Hajj is you pretty much meet with everybody from all around the world and that, in some respect, will open minds.