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Background
Promoting dialogue among civilizations and cultures constitutes a key component of UNESCO’s missions and activities. In the face of globalization, stresses are being put on the differences that divide the globe. In order to counter these new challenges, UNESCO has committed itself to create new bridges between cultures and civilizations. This new mandate coincides with the United Nations General Assembly’s adoption of the United Nation Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace and the Global Agenda for Dialogue among Civilizations, under UN General Assembly resolution # A/56/6/6 dated 21 November 2001.
The call for a Dialogue among cultures and civilizations highlights the necessity for nations to promote dialogue as an essential tool in working towards greater peace and understanding. The way to combat the fear that is brought on through the ignorance of what we do not know and do not understand is through open and mutual dialogue.
Conferences The International Ministerial Conference on "Dialogue Among Civilizations
- Quest for New Perspectives" held in New Delhi from 9-10 July 2003, led to
the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration, which was a turning point on the dialogue among cultures and civilization initiative.
Another significant event is the Regional Forum on Dialogue among Civilizations co-organized by UNESCO and the Presidency of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in Ohrid on 29-30 August 2003, which came out with the "Message from Ohrid' that envisioned political declarations and commitments to undertake practical actions in the establishment of this initiative.
A high level conference was held in Issyk Kul, Kyrgyzstan from 10 to 11 June, 2004 with the theme namely "In the 21st Century - Dialogue of Cultures or Conflict of Civilizations?" which focused on the topics of shared values cultural diversity and heritage, as well as water and sustainable development.
To continue this effort, major meetings were held at the International Conference in Rabat (Morocco) June 14 to 16 2005. These workshops gathered 100 experts from various countries and debated under the heading “Fostering Dialogue among Cultures and Civilizations through Concrete and Sustained Initiatives”
Strategic approachesThe main purpose of these meeting and discussions is in hopes of obtaining a firmer strategy on how to promote a culture of peace and understanding throughout the world.
The way this goal hopes to be achieved is through: revising the way that multicultural subjects are taught and being dealt with in the education systems. Reform in elementary school and university, calling for a revision of textbooks on key subjects, which are related to multicultural understanding. The writing of teachers' guides and prototype programmes, the teaching of human rights and multicultural education. There by fostering greater understanding, in hopes that with understanding comes tolerance and peace.
Another workshop examined science and technology, and the role of indigenous knowledge, the notion of ethics and responsibility in science, the establishment of regional cooperation mechanisms and the promotion of scientific collaboration.
By way of open discussion among equals, a consensus will begin to emerge on how best to move forward with further implementation initiatives.
Further Perspectives2001 was proclaimed as the “United Nation Year of Dialogue among Civilizations”
The Secretary-General of the United-Nations spoke about a need for dialogue among civilization in an address on 6 February 2001 saying:
The United Nation itself was created in the belief that dialogue can triumph over discord, that diversity is a universal virtue, and that the peoples of the world are far more united by their common fate than they are divided by their separate identities. The United Nations – at its best – can be the true home of the dialogue among civilization; the forum where such dialogue can flourish and bare fruit in every field of human endeavor. Without this dialogue taking place every day among all nations – within and between civilizations, cultures and groups – no peace can be lasting no prosperity can be secure. That is the lesson of the United Nation’ first half century. It is a lesson that we ignore at our peril.
Many wars have stemmed from people’s fears of those who are different from them and it is only through dialogue that such fears can be overcome.
