Secretary-General urges active effort to ‘discover what is best’ in other beliefs,

to overcome prejudice, in remarks to alliance of civilizations event

 

Following is UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s remarks at the General Assembly informal discussion on the Alliance of Civilizations High-Level Group Report in New York, 18 December:

Mr. Prime Ministers, let me thank you for coming here specifically to discuss this Alliance of Civilizations.  I think your presence here indicates the importance you attach to the subject, and harmony in our world.

And Madam President, we are very pleased with your statement.  Today we are talking about Alliance of Civilization, and we will be doing something which is unusual in this hall -- you will be hearing four different languages at this level -- Arabic, Spanish, Turkish and English -- underscoring what we are trying to do.

At last September’s World Summit, the assembled Heads of State and Government agreed that “all cultures and civilizations contribute to the enrichment of humankind”, and committed themselves to “encouraging tolerance, respect, dialogue and cooperation among different cultures, civilizations and peoples”.

The Alliance of Civilizations is the most visible attempt so far at the international level to translate this commitment into action.  I pay tribute to Prime Minister Erdogan and Prime Minister Rodríguez Zapatero for sponsoring this timely and critical initiative.  And I also express my gratitude to the members of the High-Level Group for devoting so much time and energy to this cause.

The High-Level Group’s Report, launched last month in Istanbul, shows us a way forward.  It emphasizes that the problem is not the faith but rather the conflicts, terrorism and other events of the past several years that have exacerbated tensions amongst people.  And it presents specific recommendations for rebuilding trust and confidence between people of different faiths and cultures.

The Report’s proposals –- in the areas of politics, media, education, youth and migration -- comprise an action plan to improve cross-cultural relations.  Many of its suggestions -- such as media campaigns to fight discrimination, or the critical review of educational materials -- seek to foster tolerance and dispel stereotypes at the local and individual levels.  But the High-Level Group particularly stresses concerted action at the national and international levels to address broader political issues that must underpin any process of reconciliation and dialogue.

Today’s meeting gives Member States an opportunity to discuss these suggestions, and to keep the momentum going.  We have learnt through experience that it is not enough to publish insightful reports, and applaud great ideas, unless we then do something about them, and put them into action.  In this period of rising tensions among societies, none of us should simply call from the sidelines for peaceful coexistence, and then go on with our life as usual.

Instead, we should make an active effort to learn more about each other, to understand the source of our differences, and to discover what is best in each other’s beliefs and traditions.  Only in that way can we overcome suspicion and prejudice.  Only in that way will we heal past wounds and move ahead together.

It also seems appropriate that we gather at the United Nations to consider the Alliance of Civilizations Report.  After all, this Organization was created in the belief that dialogue can triumph over discord; that diversity is a strength, not a threat; and that the peoples of the world are far more united by their shared fate than they are divided by their separate identities.

The United Nations –- at its best -– epitomizes the work of the Alliance; it is the forum where dialogue can flourish and bear fruit in every field of human endeavour.  And it is when such dialogue takes place every day -– among nations, within and between communities and cultures –- that peace will truly be lasting, and our prosperity can finally be secure.

So let us work together to transform this Report into action, and let us work to strengthen and improve not any single society or any one nation, but all of human civilization.

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For information media • not an official record