PRESS BRIEFING ON YEAR OF DIALOGUE AMONG CIVILIZATIONS

While terrorists saw diversity as a threat, those who favoured dialogue viewed it as a benefit for society, Giandomenico Picco, the Secretary-General’s Personal Representative for the Year of Dialogue among Civilizations, told correspondents at a Headquarters press briefing today.

That difference in how diversity was viewed had become the main theme of the United Nations Year of Dialogue among Civilizations, which will be the topic of a General Assembly session from 8 to 9 November, Mr. Picco said.  The meeting takes place just before the Assembly’s General Debate, and it is expected that several heads of State and Government will take part.

Mr. Picco said that the “Dialogue”, considered a banality by many Governments before the events of 11 September in the United States, was now drawing keener interest.  “I have been approached by several Governments with different requests focusing on . . . this issue, which may be transformed, I believe, into a soft tool of diplomacy against terrorism,” he said.

He also noted that a book called “Crossing the Divide”, written by the Group of Eminent Persons, which was set up by Secretary-General Kofi Annan to discuss international relations based on dialogue, had also become more relevant after 11 September.  The book will be presented to Mr. Annan immediately before the two-day Assembly session on the topic.

Asked whether terrorism would play a major role in the Dialogue, Mr. Picco said that terrorism had actually made the issue quite compelling.  “The Dialogue, we believe, is philosophically at the opposite end of the spectrum from terrorism.  Terrorists believe that diversity is equal to enmity, and those who take the position that dialogue should be pursued believe in the opposite.”

After 11 September, the entire idea of the Dialogue had taken on a new meaning, which was why several of heads of Government and Foreign Ministers had decided to be present when the item was being discussed by the Assembly.  “It is so germane to what the United Nations is all about that it really deserves a place in its framework . . . ” Mr. Picco said.

Another correspondent noted that Islam had become the centre of all dispute after 11 September, and asked what approach the Dialogue would take in tackling that.  Mr. Picco replied that the Dialogue focused on diversity, rather than on different religions or historic civilizations.

“I agree with you that what is happening is happening within the context of the Islamic world and has repercussions outside . . . but I believe that by focusing on the issue of diversity and not the religious aspect, we all have much to gain.”

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