Note to Correspondents

GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO CONVENE FIRST EVER HIGH-LEVEL DIALOGUE ON INTERRELIGIOUS

AND INTERCULTURAL UNDERSTANDING AND COOPERATION FOR PEACE, 4-5 OCTOBER

The General Assembly will undertake its first ever formal High-Level Dialogue on issues of interreligious and intercultural understanding and cooperation, including freedom of religion and belief, and the need for respect for a diversity of religions and cultures, on 4 and 5 October, at United Nations Headquarters.

In conjunction with the High-level Dialogue on Interreligious and Intercultural Understanding and Cooperation for Peace, an informal interactive hearing with civil society representatives will be held to provide a platform for exchange of views among Member States and civil society, including non-governmental organizations and the private sector.

The President of the General Assembly will open the High-level Dialogue at 10 a.m. on 4 October in the General Assembly Hall.  The Secretary-General will also address the meeting.  Leading academics, religious leaders and other civil society representatives will participate in two interactive panels on challenges and best practices of interreligious and intercultural cooperation, in the Trusteeship Council at 3p.m.  The High Representative of the Secretary-General for the Alliance of Civilizations, Jorge Sampaio, will address the interactive informal hearing.

On 20 December 2006, the General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/61/221 on “promotion of interreligious and intercultural dialogue, understanding and cooperation for peace”, which encouraged Member States, the United Nations system and civil society (including the media) to undertake a range of initiatives in an effort to promote understanding, tolerance and respect for diversity of religion, belief, culture and language.  The resolution also called for the General Assembly to conduct a high-level dialogue and informal interactive hearing with representatives of civil society.  On 25 May 2007, the General Assembly adopted by consensus resolution A/61/269 setting the dates as 4 and 5 October.

Both resolutions acknowledged existing initiatives aiming to promote tolerance, understanding and universal respect on matters of freedom of religion or belief, and cultural diversity, including the Alliance of Civilizations and other interfaith and intercultural initiatives at the national, regional, interregional and international levels.

Media wishing to attend the High-level Dialogue or informal interactive hearing who do not have United Nations accreditation should send a fax on official letterhead to Gary Fowlie, Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit, fax: +1212 963 4642. For further information on accreditation requirements, see www.un.org/media/accreditation.

For further information or interview requests, contact Janos Tisovszky, Spokesperson for the President of the General Assembly, tel.: +1 917 367 2068 or +1 917 367 0292, e-mail: tisovszky@un.org or gaspokesperson@un.org; or Renata Sivacolundhu, Department of Public Information, tel.: +1 212 963 2932, e-mail: sivacolundhu@un.org.  See also the website for the General Assembly at www.un.org/ga.

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For information media • not an official record