Activities of Secretary-General in Indonesia, 26-29 August
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, accompanied by Madam Ban Soon-taek, departed New York on Tuesday, 26 August to Bali, Indonesia, to attend the sixth Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations.
Upon arrival in Bali, on Thursday, 28 August, the Secretary-General met with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Among other topics, they discussed the recent elections in Indonesia, the situation in the Middle East, Myanmar and Iraq, as well as the partnership between the United Nations and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
In the afternoon, the Secretary-General visited the Green School in Bali, dedicated to environmental sustainability, and attended the closing ceremony of the Youth Event organized by the Government of Indonesia and the Alliance of Civilizations on Unity in Diversity. He praised the young participants in this event for raising their voices to drown out the extremists, and encouraged them to be solid global citizens and leaders of today. (See Press Release SG/SM/16105.)
He also participated in an Intercultural Innovation Award Ceremony, co-organized by the Alliance of Civilizations and BMW Group to honour and support projects that help promote intercultural dialogue.
On Friday, 29 August, the Secretary-General addressed the sixth Global Forum of the Alliance of Civilizations. In his remarks, he said that the Alliance of Civilizations is making a difference on the ground, highlighting its work in places like Pakistan, Kenya, Philippines and Israel-Palestine.
He also shared his concern regarding inter-religious and intercultural tensions in many places in the world, from Iraq to the Central African Republic, Myanmar, Sri Lanka or South Sudan, and said that, in all cases and all regions, the response must aim at extremists, as well as those who enable them with weapons and other forms of support. (See Press Release SG/SM/16108.)
The Secretary-General then held a joint press conference with President Yudhoyono and the High Representative of the Alliance of Civilizations, Nassir Abdulaziz Al Nasser, where he emphasized that promoting tolerance and inter-religious and cross-cultural dialogue has never been more important.
The Secretary-General then participated in a United Nations Alliance of Civilizations Group of Friends Ministerial Meeting and held bilateral meetings with José García-Margallo, the Foreign Minister of Spain and with Ayad Ameen Madani, the Secretary-General of the Organization for Islamic Cooperation.
After a Global Forum Dinner and Cultural Evening hosted by R.M. Marty M. Natalegawa, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, he departed to Apia, Samoa, to attendthe third Conference of Small Island Developing States.