General Assembly Session 62 meeting 19

The Acting President

Before giving the floor to the first speaker, I would like to remind members that there are still 34 speakers remaining on the list. In order for us to exhaust the list by this afternoon I strongly appeal to speakers to make their statements as concise as possible.

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, chairman of the delegation of the State of Qatar.

Mr. Al-Nasser (Qatar)

At the outset, I would like to congratulate the President on his election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-second session and to wish him success in his mission. I also wish to welcome the convening of this important dialogue as it represents a reactivation of the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The dialogue is also a response to the appeals launched by the heads of State and Government at the conclusion of the 2005 World Summit that stressed the importance of respect for and understanding of religious and cultural diversity and the value of dialogue on interreligious cooperation.

I also wish to take the opportunity to express my deep appreciation to the principal sponsors of resolution 61/221, namely, Pakistan and the Philippines, and to the other sponsors, for their tireless efforts. Thanks to those efforts the idea of convening this important dialogue during the current session of the Assembly took shape in order to promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among people of different religions, cultures and languages.

While all religions and cultures share a common set of human values, manifestations of fanaticism and religious and ethnic conflicts are on the rise and increasingly constitute a threat to sound relations between States. The State of Qatar was among the first countries to note in many regional and international forums the importance of drawing attention at all levels to the need to strengthen relations among peoples of different religious and ethnic backgrounds. In fact, the State of Qatar submitted to the international community proposals on how to address religious and cultural clashes among nations.

In that regard, I wish to recall one of the important proposals made by His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the Emir of the State of Qatar, during the round table organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization at the margins of the Millennium Summit in September 2000. Those proposals addressed ways to achieve the goal of strengthening relations among human groups at three levels. The first level consists of a purely scientific mechanism that includes experts in history, politics and sociology and aims to expose the root causes of the conflict between peoples and cultures. The second level targets opinion leaders in various fields of the media with a view to discovering the best ways to shed light on the impact of misconceptions and bad images that might be conveyed by media outlets about different cultural groups. The third level includes political leaders and government leaders who belong to different cultural groups, as they would be the most capable of uprooting tensions and reducing chances of clash.

In the context of promoting dialogue among Islam, Christianity and Judaism, the State of Qatar has not confined its role to launching initiatives; it has also begun transforming its initiatives and appeals on promoting interreligious dialogue and mutual understanding into action. The State of Qatar firmly believes in the significance of giving the utmost importance to the principle of interreligious dialogue among the three divine religions in an effort to find solid ground to build a world of peace and understanding.

That deep belief has been the driving force that pushed the wise leadership of the State of Qatar, in the person of His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, to host in the city of Doha a series of international interreligious conferences in what has become an annual event and which we expect will strengthen dialogue and communication. That series began with the first Conference on Interreligious Dialogue, which was held in Doha in April 2003; the latest is the fifth Conference, which was held in May 2007. This series of meetings has resulted in an important initiative that established the Doha International Centre for Interreligious Dialogue, which, in turn, set up an international advisory board to guide the work of the Centre in order to bring the three divine religions closer together.

The State of Qatar believes that interreligious dialogue will have a positive impact on the dialogue among peoples and civilizations. That is the reason why our country has responded positively to the initiative of the former Secretary-General of the United Nations, His Excellency Mr. Kofi Annan, to establish the Alliance of Civilizations. The State of Qatar contributed to the work of the High-level Group on the Alliance, set up by Mr. Annan in 2005, through the important participation of Her Highness Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser al-Missned, the wife of our Emir. The Group included a host of eminent leaders from the five regional groups and was tasked with developing a set of initiatives in the areas of education, youth and media in order to achieve the lofty goal of the Alliance: to bring peoples and cultures closer together to build peace and stability in a world weary of the scourge of war and religious and ideological conflict.

The State of Qatar will continue its support for national, regional and international efforts to promote dialogue and understanding among religions, cultures and peoples.

I wish to conclude my statement by recalling the words spoken by His Highness the Emir of the State of Qatar at the opening session of the third Conference on Interreligious Dialogue, held in 2005, where His Highness stressed that

"pursuing dialogue [would] win new adherents who believe that dialogue is more effective than bickering, and that communicating is more useful than keeping one's distance. Dialogue has become an urgent need to get rid of the burdens of yesterday and recognize the mistakes of today".

The Acting President

I now give the floor to Her Excellency Mrs. Mona Juul, chairperson of the delegation of Norway.

Mrs. Juul (Norway)

Today, the issue of religious and cultural identity is receiving more attention and is more central to global relations than ever before. Religion and culture define man and woman, and influence how we interact and relate to one another. Our right to freely choose our religion or belief is clearly stated in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Still, the coexistence of diverse religions and cultures at times represents a challenge for societies and nations worldwide.

Religious and cultural identity has always been used to define the different sides in conflict situations. In recent years we have seen how religion has been used to promote and deepen several conflicts, both violent and non-violent. In most cases, the conflicts are really power struggles over political issues rather than clashes based on religious differences.

However, religion and culture can play quite a different role. Religious and cultural leaders have stood up against wars and the use of violence. Religious and cultural leaders as well as non-governmental organizations can play important roles in enhancing tolerance and promoting respect for religious and cultural diversity. They can make valuable contributions to peace and justice. In more secular societies there is often a tendency to underestimate that potential. It is therefore encouraging that national Governments and the United Nations, through high-level meetings such as this one, seek to involve those communities in order to better understand and deal with the role of religion and culture in national and international politics. We need international arenas such as this forum, where religious, cultural and political leaders can meet and exchange views.

Norway believes in the potential of interreligious and intercultural dialogue. Through dialogue we can enhance mutual understanding and respect for freedom of religion and belief and for cultural diversity. Dialogue can have a considerable impact. It represents a possibility to seize the middle ground, and to challenge the dominance of the extremes.

When receiving the Path to Peace Foundation award, Sheikha Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa said,

"Promoting a true dialogue among civilizations and religions is perhaps the most important political instrument that we can use to reach out across borders and build bridges of peace and hope."

For the same reason, Norway is initiating, supporting and encouraging dialogue projects in several countries. Through those projects, we work closely with religious leaders in Norway and internationally.

Moreover, we have established a forum in our Ministry of Foreign Affairs where religious leaders, academics and diplomats meet to discuss important issues related to religion and foreign policy. It is a very valuable arena for the Ministry, the religious communities, the non-governmental organizations and the research institutes alike.

Although dialogue is the most important path to greater tolerance, respect for diversity and common understanding, dialogue is rarely without obstacles. Dialogue may also challenge decision-makers and religious leaders. Respect, acceptance and appreciation of cultures, traditions and religions must be mutual in order for dialogue to take place. Without fundamental respect for differences and recognition of the human dignity of the other, there can be no true dialogue. Basically, this means that we must be willing to both talk and listen. We must acknowledge that our dialogue partner has insights, convictions, values and abilities that could potentially make us reconsider our positions.

Fundamental respect for diversity is indeed a prerequisite for dialogue. And of course, increased respect for differences may also be a result of dialogue. It is important to underline that respect for cultural and religious diversity should not be misconstrued as uncritical acceptance of all facets of religion and culture. Both religious and cultural values can be used and misused; they can serve both good and bad purposes. There is often a need to identify elements in a dialogue process that could obstruct the promotion of tolerance, understanding and universal respect. It is necessary to balance respect for each other's viewpoints with an open and sometimes critical approach to issues relating to culture and religion. This is often challenging, and striking the right balance will continue to be essential in efforts for dialogue.

Many speak as if there is an ongoing conflict between the so-called Muslim and Western worlds. We do not think that there is such a conflict; nor do we think that those are the right names for them. The discourse has been polarized and is too often dominated by extreme elements. This approach, however, prevents us from engaging in fruitful discussions, making it more difficult to find middle ground. Constructive dialogues must necessarily involve people and communities from different segments of society.

It is also important to keep in mind that dialogue takes time. It takes time to build the necessary knowledge, trust and confidence to change our own perceptions and those of the other party. The time perspective is not always compatible with national and international political demands for quick and durable results. Thus, patience and commitment to dialogue are necessary.

Although dialogue as a political response to threats to democracy, peace and stability creates dilemmas and challenges for decision-makers, there is a definite need for interreligious and intercultural dialogue and cooperation among the world's communities if we are to transform conflict, build peace and ensure respect for basic human rights. It is important that the United Nations, as the representative of the international community, continue to promote interreligious and intercultural dialogue as an important political mechanism for enhancing mutual understanding and respect for freedom of religion or belief and cultural diversity.

The Acting President

I now give the floor to His Excellency Jorge Skinner-Klée, Chairman of the delegation of Guatemala.

Mr. Skinner-Klée (Guatemala)

I would like to congratulate those who promoted the initiative to convene this High-level Dialogue, because the topics that we are discussing are undeniably timely. No one should forget the valuable contribution of religions to civilizations and to the very identity of the individuals making up those civilizations. This leads us to recognize the need to accept the obvious cultural diversity that characterizes the world of today, which is an inexhaustible source of collective and fertile enrichment for contemporary societies.

Promoting tolerance and dialogue within each civilization is essential to generating respect, peaceful coexistence and cooperation among individuals and among peoples, thus protecting the diversity of beliefs, cultures and languages. All Members of the United Nations and of the human family accept the challenge of fighting for peace and friendly relations between States, which in turn calls for promoting respect for fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of belief, the essential condition of which is tolerance. At the same time, tolerance is the premise of respect for the rights of others; without respect, there is no possibility of harmony or concord.

I am from a multi-ethnic, multicultural and multilingual country. Within that multicultural context, we enjoy a freedom of worship that makes our social fabric multifaceted. We have Christians, Jews and Muslims living together, alongside a very extensive and varied indigenous community whose Mayan cosmological vision has been excluded, debased and oppressed for five centuries. It is being reassessed, however, in the context of contemporary society, allowing us to alleviate social tensions and inequities, improve mutual understanding and prevent racism and discrimination.

In the context of the peace agreements that ended a 40-year fratricidal war, we have concluded one such agreement on the identity and rights of indigenous peoples. The agreements were achieved through years of dialogue and mutual understanding. In that respect, we also wish to acknowledge the virtue and fortitude of women over the centuries, which have allowed cultures to survive and have protected and transmitted the goods and values of tangible and intangible cultural heritage, while ensuring the education of successive generations.

Guatemala does not see tolerance as a means of institutionalizing inequalities and hierarchies, or of holding people back and perpetuating their exclusion and discrimination, thereby trampling the intrinsic dignity of the individual. We encourage tolerance that promotes genuine dialogue, opens our minds to the knowledge of others, and familiarizes us with the values, customs and religion of each culture. Such a dialogue is an active learning experience and leads to mutual understanding. Such dialogue is possible between individuals and nations if it is based on equality, and between cultures and religions if based on honesty, equity and, most importantly, respect.

We firmly believe that ignorance leads to the worst forms of intolerance. In a globalized and cosmopolitan world, migration, for instance -- be it motivated by economic reasons or conflicts -- has clearly shown the need for us to learn about one another and to promote tolerance, universal values and mutual understanding in order to achieve peaceful and fruitful coexistence, with the equal participation of men and women.

We therefore pay tribute to this Organization, which has provided the entire human family with instruments that allow us to promote the universal values set down in the provisions of the United Nations Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity. The latter even goes so far as to assert that intercultural dialogue is "the best guarantee of peace" and an "imperative indissociable from respect for the dignity of the individual".

Guatemala has actively participated in the UNESCO Culture of Peace programme and supports all initiatives, such as that promoted by Turkey and Spain, related to the Alliance of Civilizations, as well as the activities of the Tripartite Forum on Interfaith Cooperation for Peace. In raising cultural diversity to the level of shared heritage of humankind, modern multicultural societies have taken a major step towards recognizing that this heritage is a living and renewable treasure and thus a process that guarantees the survival of our species.

It is impossible in so few minutes to discuss formulas that will resolve the long-standing problems arising from exclusion, prejudice, racism, xenophobia, fanaticism and intolerance. We are encouraged, however, by the fact that the international community has at its disposal authoritative instruments that establish basic standards for human coexistence.

Now is the time for action to reduce ignorance about our neighbours and to attenuate social tensions with a view to strengthening international cohesion and solidarity. We need to end the clandestine trade behind armed conflict and war, and truly combat poverty, hunger, malnutrition and ignorance; racism and intolerance towards immigrants and ethnic, cultural and religious minorities; and prejudice and stereotypes based on religion or culture. Those are the real triggers of conflict. We must also recognize that violence is never the appropriate response to such problems.

Mahatma Gandhi said:

"I reject violence, because the good that it appears to produce does not last long; in contrast, the badness that it produces is long-lasting."

A few days ago before this Assembly, we celebrated the anniversary of the birth of the universal humanist Mahatma Gandhi, whose legacy of non-violence is as relevant today as it has ever been. It is therefore fitting that we should celebrate the International Day of Non-Violence. We are fully convinced that 365 days a year should be devoted to eliminating violence from our lives and from our thinking, since if we are unable to form societies that engage in dialogue, grow in respect for cultural diversity, cooperate to achieve development, and learn to live in peace, we will lose ground to conflict, war and injustice.

Mr. Sahel (Morocco)

I am pleased at the outset to congratulate Mr. Kerim on his election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-second session, and we are hopeful that his work will be crowned with success.

I wish also to extend my warmest thanks to Sheikha Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa, who organized several meetings on the topic of interreligious and intercultural cooperation and understanding.

Today's High-level Dialogue is being held in circumstances marked by ongoing ethnic and doctrinal intolerance and violence; hence the importance of such initiatives as our meeting today to discuss the optimal avenues of cooperation to achieve greater understanding and rapprochement among religions and cultures and to uproot all forms of hatred and extremism.

On this occasion, we highly appreciate the strenuous efforts of the United Nations to consolidate the foundations of such dialogue. We also express our appreciation for the final report of the High-level Group for the Alliance of Civilizations, which includes important recommendations to activate and concretize the dialogue among cultures and religions.

We wish also to express our gratitude for the appointment of Mr. Jorge Sampaio as High Representative of the Secretary-General for the Alliance of Civilizations and head of the Group of Friends of the Alliance so that he can endow that initiative with mechanisms to activate the recommendations of the High-level Group. As a member of the Group, the Kingdom of Morocco will spare no effort to contribute to the success of its mission. The Kingdom of Morocco places the issue of dialogue among cultures and religions at the level of strategic options. We believe that there is a pressing need to strengthen openness, which will ensure religious and cultural coexistence and stability and peace among States.

Based on this firm conviction and the instructions of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Morocco has launched a number of bold and responsible initiatives. We recall here, for example, the first World Conference of Imams and Rabbis, held in Brussels in 2005. The second such conference was held in Seville in 2006 under the honorary chairmanship of His Majesty King Mohammed VI and King Juan Carlos of Spain. It focused on the important role of dialogue among religions as an effective means to combat violence and marginalization, and on the main role of men of religion in establishing rapprochement among people.

In addition to supporting such initiatives and attempting to foster serious dialogue among religions and cultures, Morocco suggested, at the most recent Arab summit in Khartoum, the drafting of an international charter that would specify rules requiring respect when referring to the holy sites and spiritual beliefs of all peoples.

Through his religious lessons throughout Ramadan, His Majesty King Mohammed VI dealt with topics directly related to the spreading of tolerance and mutual respect within Islam and between Islam and other religions. Morocco is of the view that the dialogue among religions and cultures is a main pillar in the relations among States and should go beyond circumstantial requisites and should be part of a continuous process firmly based on respect for human rights, particularly the rights of freedom, dignity and life without discrimination among races, religions, cultures and nations.

Achieving this requires conscious and continuous efforts that will enable us to go beyond self-interest and to enrich our common knowledge and experiences. Knowledge of the other and understanding the cultures of others are the only means to overcome hatred and malice and will enable us to achieve lasting peace, as well as enabling each member of the international community to live in peace, tranquility and dignity.

We believe that diversity of religious and cultural activities and meetings on the international level contribute considerably to national and international awareness of the importance of dialogue among religions and its central role in achieving peace. We are of the view that promoting understanding among religions and cultures in educational curricula will lead to correcting the negative images of the other and replacing it with a culture of tolerance and openness. Dialogue among religions and cultures is related to the need to defend such crucial issues as our aspiration to achieve freedom, dignity and development. Affirming our spiritual and cultural diversity within the framework of dialogue does not cancel out cooperation and commitment, but will help us achieve our desired goals.

Morocco, in conclusion, emphasizes the need to coordinate all initiatives related to dialogue among religions that are embraced by the United Nations so as to speed up follow-up work on the matter. Establishing a specialized unit within the Secretariat to take care of this is a practical proposal that should be supported.

The Acting President

I now call on His Excellency Mr. Alisher Vohidov, chairman of the delegation of Uzbekistan.

Mr. Vohidov (Uzbekistan)

Let me, at the outset, express gratitude to the organizers and initiators of this event. There is no doubt that we particularly need to note the great contribution that the delegations of Pakistan and the Philippines have made and thank them for the efforts they have undertaken.

Today's realities clearly demonstrate the growing relevance of the further reinvigoration of international efforts to strengthen intercultural and interreligious dialogue, which, today, can be seen as one of the key issues on the international agenda. Promoting such a dialogue is increasingly relevant to augmenting stability and development in today's world.

Given this, the role of the United Nations, more than ever, is important in encouraging tolerance, mutual understanding and cultural diversity. We commend the importance of the High-level Dialogue currently underway in promoting intercultural and interreligious understanding and cooperation for the betterment of the world.

Uzbekistan is a multi-ethnic State, where, side by side, 136 ethnic groups and minorities live together. Such ethnic and cultural diversity is something we see as a national heritage, as a source of fruitful interaction and enrichment of those people of varying cultures and ethnic groups who live in our country. All this stems from the many years in which cultures and religions have interacted in Uzbekistan.

The territory of Uzbekistan, today and for many centuries, has served as a bridge linking East and West. Thanks to its proximity near the great Silk Road, our ancient land became known as an important crossroads on this road where varying civilizations and cultures interacted with each other, and this interaction, accordingly, became famous as an invaluable contribution to the development of all humankind.

In our ancient land, together with the holy sites of Islam, we carefully preserve unique and distinct monuments of Buddhist culture in the Surkhandarya valley, Jewish historical monuments in Samarkand and Bukhara, very early monuments of Zoroastrian culture in Khorezm and pilgrimage sites for Muslims, Christians and Jews in Samarkand and Bukhara.

The traditions of tolerance, goodness and respect for other cultures and religions has formed the basis of the national policy established in the years that have followed independence. These principles have been enshrined in the Constitution of the country, which emphasizes that all of its citizens have equal rights and freedoms and are equal before the law, without distinction on the basis of gender, race, ethnicity, language, religion, social origins or social status.

Since the first days of Uzbekistan's independence, the President of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov, has defined the issue of strengthening interreligious and intercultural accord as one of the priorities of State policy. Because of this approach, today's Uzbek society is a worthy example of cultural pluralism and tolerance.

On the initiative on the head of our State, the year 1992 saw the establishment of the Republican Inter-ethnic Cultural Centre, which provides valuable assistance of all kinds to the activities of more than 140 cultural centres representing the various ethnic groups living in Uzbekistan today. The Centre does its utmost to contribute to their work of maintaining and developing the unique traditions, customs and languages inherent in each ethnic group. Representatives of varying ethnic groups living in the country are contributing to the strengthening of the independence of our State and constructing a democratic society. They are given every opportunity to develop their native language, culture, theatre and fine arts, folk art, customs and traditions.

As delegates know, the intercultural dialogue has not only an ethnic but also a religious dimension. In this regard, strengthening interreligious harmony has a key role to play in our common efforts to ensure harmony among the varying cultures in developing the culture of the world. In this context, I would note that since the beginning of independence in Uzbekistan, religion has been seen as a factor for forming people's spiritual outlook on the basis of the principles of morality and preserving the rich spiritual and moral legacy of our people. Especially now, when humankind is going through a complex process of development, religion has particular relevance in moral and spiritual terms, bringing together diverse peoples in their joint efforts against evil and violence.

At present, Uzbekistan has representatives of 16 religious faiths. There are more than 2,000 religious organizations operating, including Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Buddhist and others. To interact with religious organizations and to provide them assistance in carrying out their activities, and to jointly work out measures to promote interreligious and inter-ethnic peace and harmony, the Government of Uzbekistan has established a council on affairs of faith under the Committee for Religious Affairs in Uzbekistan. This Council includes leaders of the Board of Muslims in Uzbekistan, Tashkent and Central Asia, the Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church, representatives of the Roman Catholic Church, the Union of Churches of Evangelical Christian Baptists, the Centre of Churches of Christians of the Full Gospel, the Evangelical Lutheran Church and the religious Jewish Society of Tashkent.

In the years since Uzbekistan's independence, the first translations of the Koran into Uzbek were published, as was the Hadith Collection of Al-Bukhari, the Bible, the 16 books of the Old Testament and the entire New Testament, the history of the apostles and other religious literature. In late 2004, the Muslim leadership of Uzbekistan, along with the Republican Society for the Blind, published the Holy Koran in braille. I emphasize that Uzbekistan became the third State in the world to carry out this noble undertaking.

I take this opportunity to note that, to the great credit of Uzbekistan with respect to Islamic culture and science and in terms of protecting monuments and further enriching the legacy of Islam, the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization declared Tashkent a world capital of Islamic culture for 2007. The holding this year in Tashkent of international conferences called "Islam and Tolerance: the example of Uzbekistan", "Uzbekistan's contribution to the development of Islamic civilization", is yet another salient example of the constant and extensive attention Uzbekistan devotes to the promotion of intercultural and interreligious cooperation.

It is no secret that today in different corners of the world there are, unfortunately, trends towards a growth of intercultural and interreligious intolerance. Such trends could disrupt the process of promoting understanding between peoples and representatives of different faiths and could set serious precedents in terms of escalation of interreligious confrontation and extremist undertakings. In this regard, the consolidation of international efforts is increasingly relevant, as is a joint and coordinated response to pressing challenges in the area of intercultural and interreligious dialogue. Effective new steps are needed to preserve an atmosphere of tolerance in relations between peoples, religions and cultures, based on equality and mutual respect.

For its part, the Republic of Uzbekistan firmly condemns any manifestations of religious or ethnic intolerance, terrorism or extremism, as well as attempts to use religion to justify them. We are undertaking every effort, nationally, regionally and globally, to promote interreligious and intercultural mutual understanding and cooperation for the cause of peace.

The Acting President

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Liu Zhenmin, chairman of the delegation of China.

Mr. Liu Zhenmin (China)

China supports the convening of this High-level Dialogue on Interreligious and Intercultural Understanding and Cooperation for Peace, initiated by the delegations of Pakistan and the Philippines, during the current session of the General Assembly.

Religious and cultural diversity is a valuable asset of society and an important engine for human creativity and progress. The ever-deepening globalization process has further narrowed the distance among different religions and cultures. In the current world, various religions and cultures present us with great opportunities to learn from each other, but they are also experiencing unprecedented conflict among themselves. The evolution of human history has shown that difference is the motivation and starting point for dialogue; equality is the prerequisite and basis for exchanges; and candid and pragmatic dialogue and exchange can help drive our efforts to maintain peace and promote development.

The Chinese Government has always upheld the concept of harmony in diversity. We encourage dialogue on the basis of equality and are opposed to extremism and the imposition of one's own beliefs and values on others, as well as discrimination, prejudice and xenophobia based on religious, ethnic or other grounds. In the current international situation, this dialogue on the theme of interreligious and intercultural understanding and cooperation is very relevant and important. Promoting dialogue and cooperation among religions and cultures is conducive to enhancing mutual understanding and peaceful coexistence among peoples of the world and is beneficial to the global diversity and the common progress of humankind.

The evolution and development of Chinese civilization over the past 5,000 years have proven that religion and culture can play a positive role in harmonious development. The openness and inclusiveness of the Chinese culture have enabled various religions and cultures to flourish in China. From indigenous Taoism to imported Buddhism, Islam, Christianity and Catholicism, all major religions of the world are able to coexist peacefully and to grow steadily in China. While developing themselves, the five religions have also enriched the Chinese culture. "Harmony is most precious; love should be universal" -- these are the traditional concepts of Chinese culture. China believes that if various religions and cultures avoid self-righteousness, subjectivity and prejudice and instead practice mutual tolerance and understanding, it is then possible to avoid confrontation and conflict of a religious nature.

The Chinese Government respects freedom of religion and pursues a policy of independence in running religious affairs. According to incomplete statistics, there are currently more than 100 million religious believers in China, about 85,000 religious sites, 300,000 clergy, more than 3,000 religious groups and 74 religious schools to train clergy.

China actively supports the participation of its religious community in international cooperation and exchanges, as a way to increase mutual understanding and promote common development. Last June, the Chinese Government hosted in Nanjing the third Asia-Europe Meeting Interfaith Dialogue. The Nanjing Statement on Interfaith Dialogue, adopted on that occasion, made proposals for the promotion of interfaith dialogue. The Statement has been distributed as an official document at the current session of the General Assembly.

In order to work towards the peaceful coexistence of different religions and cultures, the international community should base its action on the following three approaches.

First, we must adopt the approach of "harmony in diversity" in addressing international affairs. "Harmony in diversity" means being harmonious but not homogeneous, different but not confrontational. This approach will help us not only to maintain friendly relations with our neighbours and resolve conflicts, but also to facilitate religious and cultural dialogue as part of our common effort to maintain peace and security.

Secondly, we must strengthen education and public awareness. Respect for different religions and cultures should be incorporated into text books. There should be cultural exchanges and cooperation in the field of education, and efforts should be made to advocate religious and cultural equality, tolerance, mutual respect and peaceful coexistence.

Thirdly, we must enlist the aid of the media. The media bear a special responsibility in promoting tolerance, peace, fairness and harmony. We should encourage the media to play a positive role by disseminating peace values common to all cultures and religions and promoting harmony, understanding and mutual respect.

Actions speak louder than words. Engaging in interreligious and intercultural dialogue and cooperation has become a necessity universally recognized by the international community. We have seen the emergence of various initiatives and mechanisms within the framework of the United Nations. We hope that these initiatives and mechanisms can complement each other and form a synergy so as to make use of the platform offered by the United Nations, where all ethnic groups, cultures and religions are represented, to construct a bridge of communication and cooperation with a view to promoting the common development of human society and building a harmonious world.

The Acting President

I give the floor to Her Excellency Ms. Kirsti Lintonen, chairperson of the delegation of Finland.

Ms. Lintonen (Finland)

Finland fully associates itself with the statement made earlier by the representative of Portugal on behalf of the European Union.

As noted earlier by other speakers in this very interesting discussion, there have been many calls and cries for dialogue over perceived civilizational, cultural, ethnic and religious boundaries in recent years. Religion has again become both an important source of identity and a political force. This development has been noted globally, as globalization has resulted in national borders losing some of their earlier relevance in matters of culture and religion.

Since religious identity is increasingly forming the basis for political action, it is clear that religious discourse and religious activities are fast becoming important arenas for negotiating all types of social issues. Consequently, debates over religion, including public conflicts over religious themes, often reflect a reality outside the realm of religion. For example, many of the recent controversies relating to religious issues involving people of immigrant origin cannot be understood unless the social situation of these populations is taken into account.

Dialogue focused on religion is always useful, but it does not cure the illnesses of social reality, such as unemployment, feelings of unworthiness and marginalization. Social problems can be changed not through discussion but through deeds. Exclusion and repression never lead to sustainable solutions, reflected in tolerance, diversity and mutual respect. On the contrary, exclusion and repression push those who are denied a voice to uncompromisingly assert a distinct identity or to resort to violence.

Against this background, it is easier to see that some of the challenges we face in building multicultural and multireligious societies are not due to differences among religions as such. Instead, they are reflections of social problems that give rise to small groups that seek to build an ideological foundation and gain support for their political cause. We must not allow these extreme views to overshadow those of the majority and the mainstream.

The role of religious communities in defusing conflicts cannot be overemphasized. The faithful need to discuss respect for religious beliefs and freedom of expression within their own communities in addition to pursuing dialogue with other religious communities in order to develop a common understanding of religious tolerance. The situation demands self-reflection and adaptation to changed circumstances from everyone: citizens, Governments and other actors, including religious organizations and the media.

We need to cross the threshold of suspicion and distrust through mutual respect of the other and free ourselves from prejudices in order to recognize the common values of holiness, humanity and peace present in all cultural and religious traditions.

We need to counter the misuse of religious identity and feelings for divisive ethnic and political purposes. Encounters free of political overtones and agendas between authentic representatives of religious communities have revealed the potential for spiritual discourse in overcoming bitter historical and political memories and prejudices.

All of us are encouraged by the multitude of local, regional and international initiatives and processes that promote intercultural and interreligious dialogue and understanding. However, this positive development makes coordination imperative.

Since 2006, the Alliance of Civilizations initiative has put intercultural and interreligious dialogue firmly in a multilateral context and on the agenda of the United Nations. The Alliance has the great advantage of bringing together many threads emanating from other initiatives and processes in this field. We would like to stress the need for concrete measures and the implementation of the Action Plan. All of us need to step up our efforts in the areas of education, youth, gender, migration and media.

For Finland, the Alliance of Civilizations is a key forum for the development and implementation of measures to prevent divisions from arising among different populations, religions, cultures and civilizations -- a task that seems to be becoming more and more important in the entire world, Europe included.

The Acting President

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Mohammed Al-Allaf, chairman of the delegation of Jordan.

Mr. Al-Allaf (Jordan)

Jordan welcomes the High-level Dialogue on Interreligious and Intercultural Understanding and Cooperation for Peace. We thank both Pakistan and the Philippines for this initiative, which constitutes a promising beginning and foundation for intellectual contacts between cultures and religions.

The international community has reached a crucial turning point: either we must resign ourselves to the situation of tension in the world and accept the consequences of conflict and dispute, or we must appeal to reason and good sense by laying the foundations of a positive and constructive dialogue that enhances the common denominators of various cultures and religions, placing them at the service of humankind.

In recent years, we have seen a reduction in the power of the left in many parts of the world; that has gone hand in hand with a proliferation of political trends that consider Islam to be an adversary. Islam is in no way an adversary. The political trends in the media and cultures that mobilize to promote that view are simply desperate and unrealistic, and in no way reflect the tolerance that is advocated by monotheistic religions and world civilizations. We have the right to question the agendas of such schools of thought and their real hidden objectives.

Currently, over 20 prestigious academic institutions are organizing events that, although held at a great distance from one another, share the topic of Islamic fascism. That is not just a spontaneous, innocent, non-political and non-ideological approach; it is an organized, systematic and deliberate approach seeking to establish an imaginary link between Islam and violence. We would therefore wish to see today's High-level Dialogue on Interreligious and Intercultural Understanding and Cooperation for Peace become a historic option for people not just to enhance communication and understanding, but also to avoid the trap of tension, conflict and war.

The tensions, conflicts, closed-mindedness, discrimination and prejudice prevailing in today's world lead us to believe that the dialogue that we wish to achieve at this stage must be based on the principles of mutual respect, equality and the rejection of terrorism, extremism, racism and fanaticism of all kinds. The dialogue we seek is one that would reconcile and balance deep-rooted traditions and modernity. Jordan wishes to send the message that dialogue and coexistence are the only options that will overcome the current tensions arising from the diversity of cultures and religions so that we can all live in harmony in a climate of peace, security and stability.

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan believes in the importance of reason and, through its Government, has developed a message, known as the Amman Message, of dialogue and communication at the national, regional and international levels. The Message reveals the true face of Islam, a vector of noble human values and principles; it seeks to absolve Islam of ignorant and biased thinking that links it to terrorism and violence and accuses it of fanaticism and prejudice. The message is all the more important in providing for a series of practical agreed measures between clerics from Muslim countries and the spiritual leaders of the various Muslim sects with respect to combating extremist thought and takfiri thinking, whereby some Muslims charge others with unbelief; eliminating violence; and promoting tolerance and acceptance of others by clearly identifying those who are authorized to issue Islamic fatwa. That will help to reduce political, religious and intellectual tensions and to mobilize local and international public opinion on the tolerance that is a feature of Islam, contributing to the understanding of Islam as a partner and not as an adversary.

Moreover, the Governments of Jordan and Spain have reached an agreement on the Amman statement of 24 April 2006. In the context of the statement, a working group comprised of prominent representatives of civil society has been established to identify practical means to promote respect and understanding between the West and the Arab and Muslim worlds. In the Euro-Mediterranean context, an institute for dialogue among cultures has been established to demonstrate that dialogue between partners has unlimited possibilities.

Jordan believes that the United Nations is still the ideal forum for discussing these issues. The United Nations brings us together, despite our differences. Jordan therefore welcomes the Alliance of Civilizations initiative and the upcoming convening of its first annual meeting in Madrid on 15 and 16 January 2008. The meeting will be a great opportunity to exchange opinions and views among civil societies, academic circles and the private sector, and will enable the adoption of practical measures to promote dialogue among the members of the Alliance.

In conclusion, modern civilizations have found themselves in a deplorable isolation from the world and from one another. The world, meanwhile, has achieved its greatest successes through cooperation exchange and communication on all fronts -- technological, scientific, and arts and literature. Let us therefore work together to check this destructive acceleration of conflict and build instead an edifice of hope and confidence in the future.

The Acting President

I give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Henry MacDonald, chairman of the delegation of Suriname.

Mr. Macdonald (Suriname)

I commend the initiative of organizing this High-level Dialogue on Interreligious and Intercultural Understanding and Cooperation for Peace in order to advance the values of mutual understanding and tolerance.

In that regard, I am privileged to present Suriname as a model of successful interreligious and intercultural collaboration. Let me start by informing the General Assembly that Surinamese society is multi-ethnic, multicultural, multilinguistic and multireligious. The make-up of Suriname's population comprises approximately 10 main ethnic groups and at least as many mixed types originating from its colonial past. We have an ethnic composition that is very diverse, consisting of descendants from all corners of the world, including the native Amerindians; Europeans; African maroons and creoles; Asians from India, Java and China; people from the Middle-East, including Lebanese, Syrians and Jews; and other groups. In addition to the aforementioned, we practice different types of religion: Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Baha'i and shamanism.

As a result, different languages are spoken in Surinamese society, which also contributes to our rich and colourful culture, expressed through many different folkloric and cultural traditions, such as rituals and ceremonies, arts and crafts, music and performance, cultural dances and, most importantly, a diversified cuisine. It is this colourful diversity of cultures and cultural expressions and the harmonious relationships between groups which makes a profound impression on foreigners visiting the country.

The acceptance of and appreciation for each individual group for the different cultural expressions of the others is extraordinary. What is noticeable is that all these ethnic groups with different cultural backgrounds and traditions coexist and cooperate peacefully with each other. This is reflected in the political representation in the Administration. Growing up in such a society teaches one to respect values and traditions from different groups existing and living together in harmony and peace.

All of that does not mean that everything is perfect. We have our differences. However, the constitution of Suriname guarantees that "no one shall be discriminated against on the grounds of birth, sex, race, language, religious origin, education, political beliefs, economic position or any other status", and that "everyone has the right of freedom of religion and philosophy of life".

The Government respects those rights in practice and seeks to protect them at all levels, and it does not tolerate any form of their abuse, either by Governmental or by private actors. The Government, consequently, does not establish requirements for recognition of religious faiths. On the contrary, Governmental policy and practice contribute to the free practice of religion. The amicable common relationship among religious groups in our society contributes to religious freedom. Most citizens, particularly those living in Paramaribo, our capital district, celebrate, to varying degrees, the religious holidays of other groups.

Since 1989, the Inter-Religious Council in Suriname has been the venue for consultation and dialogue among the main religions in the country. The Council is composed of the principal representatives of those religions. Council members meet at least twice each month to discuss planned ecumenical activities and their position on Governmental policies when necessary. It is noteworthy that, in the past, this institution has been instrumental in bringing about solutions to major national political impasses.

On the regional level, the Inter-Religious Council in Suriname cooperates with its Caribbean counterparts with the aim of discussing regional and global issues. In situations of cultural and religious pluralism, it is increasingly apparent that mutual understanding and respect for differences play a vital role in maintaining the unity necessary for genuine progress and for ensuring that the spectre of interreligious or inter-ethnic conflict does not haunt us.

At the international level, peaceful coexistence of different values and cultures remains a challenge. We therefore continue to support and promote dialogue among civilizations and remain convinced that a culture of peace and understanding can be significantly enhanced through this kind of dialogue in order to promote mutual understanding, respect and tolerance among religions, cultures and peoples all over the world. Let us be mindful of the fact that dialogue among civilizations, cultures and religions is an effective remedy to prevent conflicts on national, regional and international levels. We are therefore looking forward to further enhancing the aims of interfaith dialogue when Cambodia hosts the next such dialogue in 2008.

The Acting President

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Takahiro Shinyo, chairman of the delegation of Japan.

Mr. Shinyo (Japan)

Last year, in its resolution 61/221, the General Assembly said it was alarmed that serious instances of intolerance and discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief, including acts of violence, intimidation and coercion motivated by religious intolerance, were on the increase in many parts of the world and threatened the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms. The Assembly went on to emphasize the need for strengthening respect for diversity of culture and religion or belief, dialogue and understanding as the way to end discrimination and violence based on religious and other differences.

One year earlier, in 2005, the Declaration issued at the conclusion of the Bali Interfaith Dialogue, held within the framework of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), expressed similar concern, and we therefore need to keep this statement in mind as well, especially the resolve of its signatories in the areas of education, culture, media, religion and society.

I believe this High-level Dialogue provides us with an important opportunity to advance the goals of the Bali Declaration and General Assembly resolution 61/221, and I am pleased to be able to participate in it.

It is the view of Japan that interreligious and intercultural dialogue contributes to mutual understanding, and that it not only resolves existing conflicts but also helps to prevent new conflicts from arising. To enhance mutual understanding, education is clearly of critical importance. We simply must convey to our people at all levels, including the national and regional levels, that there are many religions and cultures in the world other than our own and that tolerance for them is essential if we are to secure for people everywhere the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Also important for the promotion of interreligious and intercultural dialogue are the activities of the private sector, including non-governmental organizations, and those of local authorities. All Member States should likewise heed the messages delivered by representatives of religious groups at the Informal Meeting of Leaders on Interfaith Dialogue and Cooperation for Peace and at this High-level Dialogue. Greater understanding is necessary at both the community and national levels.

I would like also to briefly describe the steps Japan is taking in this area. Japan has made a positive commitment to the dialogue among civilizations that UNESCO is leading. In 2001, at the United Nations University in Tokyo, we hosted the international seminar on education and the protection of cultural heritage in South-Eastern Europe. This was a discussion about how education can help make people understand other nationalities and cultures. Participants, in addition to South-Eastern European countries themselves, included UNESCO, UNICEF and the Council of Europe.

In 2005, Japan hosted the World Civilization Forum 2005 in Tokyo. Japan was one of the co-chairs of the counter-terrorism meeting of the Regional Forum of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), held in Singapore in May 2007, and contributed to the first discussion there on intercivilization dialogue. Last July, Japan became a member of the Group of Friends of the Alliance of Civilizations. Last May, the fifth ASEM Conference on Counter-Terrorism was held in Japan; participants emphasized the need to engage in intercultural, interreligious and intercivilizational dialogue on the fight against terrorism.

To date, in addition to the World Civilization Forum I mentioned earlier, we have hosted the Seminar for Intercivilizational Dialogue with the Islamic World five times, dispatched an exchange and dialogue mission to the Middle East three times, and invited people involved in Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia to visit and speak with people in Japan. Thus, we have made continuing and varied efforts to promote intercultural and intercivilizational dialogue.

Before concluding, I would like to say just a few words about human security, which is what a society achieves when its people are free from fear and scarcity and are able to live their lives with dignity. That is to say, it is the idea and goal of the protection and empowerment of each person.

Japan believes that the idea of human security has much in common with the purpose of interreligious and intercultural dialogue, which is the satisfaction of human rights and fundamental freedoms. We are therefore convinced that such dialogue can and should be advanced through the pursuit of human security.

The Acting President

I give the floor to Her Excellency Ms. Claudia Blum, chairperson of the delegation of Colombia.

Ms. Blum (Colombia)

My delegation welcomes the decision of the Assembly to convene the first formal High-level Dialogue on Interreligious and Intercultural Understanding and Cooperation for Peace. In particular, we commend the Philippines and Pakistan for their leadership in that initiative.

Colombia, as a multi-ethnic, multilingual and multicultural nation, assigns great significance to culture, diversity, intercultural peaceful understanding and intercultural dialogue in the advancement of societies.

Cultural diversity is an asset and a fundamental value of humankind that must encourage the formulation of effective solutions to address national, regional and global challenges. In the context of globalization, which has had important benefits and simultaneously poses significant challenges, intercultural dialogue between civilizations is of increasing relevance. It is a significant objective at a time when stereotypes and inappropriate arguments are proliferating, inciting confrontation between civilizations with respect to issues relative to welfare, armed conflict, terrorism, human rights and migration, among others. Intercultural dialogue is necessary to promote attitudes that counter such stereotypes and to contribute to the creation of conditions conducive to peaceful coexistence.

My delegation would like to submit some considerations on recommendable actions related to the subject before us today.

At the national level, States must promote and protect their own cultural identity and diversity, while encouraging social respect for cultural diversity at the international level. In that respect, legislative and political actions are recommended in order to guarantee and promote respect for cultural rights, to promote and preserve the local and world heritage, and to support artistic expression.

Furthermore, greater importance must be attached to legal and political measures taken to protect and promote the rights of national ethnic, cultural, religious and linguistic groups and minorities. It is also important to guarantee the rights of migrants, who are subject in diverse contexts to xenophobia and other discriminatory practices based on culture, religion, language or nationality.

Dialogue must be promoted not only among governmental or political actors. The promotion of messages of understanding of and esteem for cultural diversity is also the responsibility of social, economic, academic and artistic leaders, representing influential sectors within societies. Changing attitudes begins at the community and even at the family levels.

Religion is an integral dimension of cultural diversity. UNESCO has recognized that. The Colombian Constitution recognizes the right to freedom of religion and the freedom of all, either individually or in community, to practice their religion or beliefs. Furthermore, our Constitution establishes equality of faiths under the law. Colombia considers that interreligious dialogue and the full guarantee of rights related to religion are also essential to counteract irrational expressions that use religion as a way of justifying confrontation.

The mass media can also contribute to promoting understanding and peaceful coexistence. It is appropriate for media from all regions of the world to establish, on a voluntary and autonomous basis, permanent spaces to analyse and deepen their function in the peaceful interaction of civilizations, taking every political, social and economic context into account. In any case, to that end freedom of information and expression cannot be restricted in any form that transgresses international human rights instruments. Freedom of information and expression is an essential foundation of democratic systems and coexistence.

Child and youth education is another essential aspect. It is critical to create the capacity for analysis in children and youth, and to promote their understanding of the value of cultural pluralism and respect for differences. Promoting such values is no threat to the consolidation of national culture. On the contrary, awareness of the intrinsic richness of diversity implies greater recognition of and regard for one's own cultural identity, while avoiding belligerent attitudes.

At the multilateral level, my delegation feels that a cooperative approach among nations must exist. Such an approach should be based on respect for a nation's identity and for existing international obligations, and ascribe value to the cultural diversity and particularities of human groups as a collective asset. It must promote dialogue over the confrontation, politicization or irrational obstacles to cultural diversity that persist in certain spheres.

Given the reality of a world exposed to irresponsible expressions of cultural conflict, the United Nations can deepen the analysis, formulation and implementation of actions that enable such destructive trends to be prevented and reversed. In that respect, Colombia recognizes the role of such initiatives as the Alliance of Civilizations and such organizations as UNESCO. It is important for actions to be coordinated and to have clear focal points in order to avoid the dispersal of effort.

With such an approach, the United Nations can contribute to counteracting extreme positions that seek to justify violence and disrespect among individuals and peoples. Both in dialogue among States and in the work of entities of the United Nations system, a respectful, open and constructive view of the historical differences and cultural diversity of human societies is fundamental for the achievement of consensus, in the certainty that such diversity is not an obstacle to the full accomplishment of this Organization's principles and purposes and of the universal values of international peaceful coexistence, and with the vision that such diversity is one of the factors that drives the development of nations.

The Acting President

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Sirodjidin Aslov, chairman of the delegation of Tajikistan.

Mr. Aslov (Tajikistan)

On behalf of my delegation, I would like to extend to the President of the General Assembly my sincere appreciation for organizing today's Dialogue. The theme of this Dialogue is an urgent issue for my country and for the entire region.

Some nine years ago, when the Assembly decided to proclaim the United Nations Year of Dialogue Among Civilizations, we held the view that cultural and religious diversity was not a threat but an asset and a major driving force for humankind's progress. Such diversity is the source and inspiration for dialogue based on mutual tolerance and respect. Since that time, numerous events have been held with the aim of fostering mutual understanding, trust, tolerance and respect.

Regrettably, however, we have to note that what we witness in today's world is a lack of tolerance and ever-increasing alienation. We are certain that once we fully realize that cultural and religious diversity is a source of strength, rather than a cause for disagreement, our dialogue will become stable and long-term. We believe that such a dialogue will take place only once we recognize that we are living in a world of diversity, but that we share common values.

In Tajikistan, a culture of tolerance and respect has been shaped over several thousand years marked by interaction among diverse cultures and religions. Today, these values are codified in the principal law of our country, the constitution. Article 26 of the constitution, in particular, states that each citizen has the right to determine his or her religious preference and participate in religious ceremonies. In Tajikistan today, representatives of many confessions such as Christianity -- including Orthodoxy and Lutheranism -- Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, the Baha'i faith, Krishnaism and others freely observe their religious traditions and participate in religious ceremonies.

Last year, Tajikistan, together with other States, sponsored General Assembly resolution 61/221. Tajikistan is a party to the Interfaith Dialogue and Cooperation for Peace initiative, whose second ministerial meeting was held in New York recently. In this connection, I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate the need to enhance the activities of the Secretariat focal point appointed in accordance with that General Assembly resolution.

This is a time of unified efforts and common aspirations to address the major challenges facing humankind. Mutually advantageous international cooperation is thus becoming an imperative if we are to reduce and prevent new global threats and dangers, such as terrorism, extremism, illicit drug trafficking and transnational organized crime. Current trends towards nationalism and extremism, as well as the risk of military conflict, require us to expand and promote intercultural and interfaith dialogue at the regional and international levels.

No party to international relations should remain indifferent to such issues. For this reason, searching for new modes of cooperation and integration for regions and countries, developing the dialogue of civilizations, safeguarding peace, establishing an environment of trust and renouncing ethnic and religious confrontation among diverse cultures should become the primary focus of our dialogue.

Currently, my country is hosting a meeting of leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Eurasian Economic Community and the Organization of the Treaty on Collective Security. Those organizations, in cooperation with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Organization of the Islamic Conference, are not only considering and implementing a variety of treaties and agreements on economic, social and security issues but are also devoting special attention to cooperation in culture, science, education, health care and other areas. We believe that further development of cooperation among those organizations also promotes the formation of a unified social and cultural realm, which can sustain cultural diversity and dialogue among cultures and religions. It has already become a tradition for Tajikistan and friendly States to exchange culture days. By organizing such events, we not only strengthen friendship among our peoples but also foster intercultural and interfaith dialogue.

In conclusion, I would like to highlight that dialogue is also important for another goal that is vital to humankind: achieving development. Through the exchange of experience and the joint search for solutions, we will be able to deal with today's and tomorrow's social and economic issues of common concern. Here, it is essential to ensure continued dialogue at all levels, from local to national, regional and international, with the broad participation of women and young people.

The Acting President

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Bashar Ja'afari, chairman of the delegation of the Syrian Arab Republic.

Mr. Ja'afari (Syria)

I am pleased to address the General Assembly, this important international forum, to discuss a highly important matter which for years has been the object of consideration by thinkers worldwide: the culture of peace and the centrality of interreligious and intercultural dialogue, understanding and cooperation for peace.

On 10 and 11 May 2007, at the initiative of the President of the General Assembly at its sixty-first session, the Assembly convened an informal thematic debate entitled "Civilizations and the challenge for peace: Obstacles and opportunities". That debate is relevant to the matter under discussion here today. It culminated in our current High-level Dialogue on Interreligious and Intercultural Understanding and Cooperation for Peace, whose aim is to encourage tolerance, international understanding and respect for religions, faiths and cultural diversity. The two organizers of this High-level Dialogue -- the delegations of Pakistan and the Philippines -- have painstakingly prepared this Dialogue by focusing it on the challenges, best practices and strategies for cooperation among religions and cultures in today's world. Perhaps these matters accurately encapsulate the issues and problems faced by the international community with regard to interreligious and intercultural understanding and cooperation for peace. Building bridges of interreligious and intercultural understanding and cooperation will definitely help to support peace in the world, disseminate a culture of peace in societies and will narrow the gap of misunderstanding and ignorance among peoples. It will also lighten the burden of prejudice and subjectivity born of intellectual extremism in a world that is not free from ideological and political complexities.

In that connection, it is important for enlightened people worldwide to hasten to advance interreligious and intercultural dialogue, according priority to intellectual exchange and respect for the identity of the other, and not to mix religion and politics.

The issue of demonizing the other to spawn divisiveness, threats or conflict must be addressed during the present Dialogue, which is being held under General Assembly auspices. We must ensure the transparency and objectivity and political neutrality of the dialogue and thus the acceptability of its results. We believe that any serious dialogue designed to consolidate interreligious and intercultural understanding and cooperation for peace should not be unilateral or limited to selectively fostering ties of understanding and cooperation between specific religions or cultures at the expense of inclusive interreligious and intercultural understanding and cooperation for peace.

In that regard, we must understand that the lack of understanding among human beings is based on misunderstanding of religions and cultures, and not on structural shortcomings in these lofty ethical concepts. Human history shows that consummate and elegant models of intercultural understanding and cooperation arose during ancient times when intellectual and military clashes were rampant. Yet in recent decades, the international community has witnessed violent clashes and a lack of dialogue and understanding, while at the same time, some vaunt intellectual phenomena such as globalization and the communications and information revolution.

The twentieth century was the most violent in human history, although it also witnessed unprecedented scientific progress and advances in human communications. During the twentieth century, two world wars erupted and took the lives of millions of human beings. The same century saw the most violent colonial injustices against African, Asian and Latin American cultures that date back to the beginning of time. That century also witnessed the first use of nuclear weapons by man against man.

At the beginning of the twenty-first century we are witnessing radical forms of human violence in more than one place in the world, as if there were a return in the thinking of political decision makers to a concept of human relations based on violent clashes among many sovereign States. We had hoped that such reactionary thinking had ended once and for all.

It is saddening that the international community is forced to hold a dialogue on interreligious and intercultural understanding and cooperation for peace at a time of globalization and the information revolution: an age that presupposes that human beings are no longer ignorant of or indifferent to one another.

Is it conceivable that such a significant matter should not be on the agenda of hundreds of prestigious intellectual and religious institutions and universities? Is it conceivable that in the twenty-first century we should still be seeking best practices and strategies for interreligious and intercultural cooperation? Is that attributable to massive human ignorance over the centuries?

Responding to these challenges requires a comprehensive intellectual revolution against all forms of intellectual isolation and all preconceived ideas. The response rests on promoting cultural discourse, augmenting contacts and communication, bridging the gap of misunderstanding and settling international disputes justly and equitably while remaining committed to the elimination of injustice and to putting an end to foreign occupation everywhere and to using religion politically for expansionist and settlement purposes, while ignoring the rights of others and their cultural and holy sites.

In conclusion, my country supports the proposal submitted by the Philippines and Pakistan to establish a new focal point in the United Nations. My delegation concurs with the November 2006 report of the High-level Group on the Alliance of Civilizations established by the Secretary-General, and the important political views it sets out, relating in particular to an end to the Israeli occupation of the Arab territories and a just settlement of the Palestinian question.

The Acting President

Before giving the floor to the next speaker, I would like to inform members that there are still 21 speakers remaining to be heard. I would therefore again appeal to members to make their statements as concise as possible by summarizing the statements and circulating the full texts.

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Habib Mansour, chairman of the delegation of Tunisia.

Mr. Mansour (Tunisia)

At the outset, let me say how proud and pleased we are to take part in today's meeting on a theme which is of great importance to Tunisia, given that the rapid and profound changes under way worldwide have led to challenges that are difficult to ignore or disregard. The question of interreligious and intercultural dialogue clearly falls within that framework.

I would be remiss if I did not express our appreciation and gratitude to the Government of Pakistan and the Government of the Philippines for having taken this important initiative and for their efforts to organize this High-level Dialogue on Interreligious and Intercultural Understanding and Cooperation for Peace.

Tunisia attaches great importance to the report of the Secretary-General on interreligious and intercultural dialogue, understanding and cooperation for peace (A/62/337) and the report of the Director-General of UNESCO on the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World, 2001-2010 (A/62/97). Here, my delegation would like to thank that organization for its constructive efforts on behalf of children. We are certain too that UNESCO will play a valuable role in the implementation of the recommendations in those reports.

Interreligious and intercultural dialogue is among the core themes in the recommendations set out in the 2005 World Summit Outcome (resolution 60/1). Indeed, heads of State or Government underscored enhanced cultural relations among peoples and nations as the only way to foster understanding and harmony and to counter extremism. That approach will guarantee just and lasting peace among all peoples. Tunisia's cultural policies are in total harmony with the World Summit recommendations. In that context, Tunisia is eager to disseminate the values of peace, tolerance and dialogue among the peoples and civilizations with which our country has interacted. Based on those principles, my country attaches great importance to national policies and measures to preserve our national identity to ensure understanding among peoples, openness to and positive and effective interaction with others. That approach to society is founded on reconciling our genuine interaction with modernity on the one hand with preservation and consolidation of our national identity on the other. One Tunisian option has been to solidify the pillars of our national culture, which are firmly based on Islam and its values of tolerance.

For that reason, the President of the Republic has established a university chair in dialogue among civilizations and religions, with a view to providing an intellectual space conducive to dialogue. Furthermore, the President has instituted the International Presidential Award on Islamic Studies and has undertaken efforts to promote values such as moderation, tolerance, solidarity and openness. These initiatives give form to the contribution that Tunisia can make, thanks to its glorious history, to enriching the culture of humanism and spreading universal values and principles that are the common heritage of all peoples, despite their uniqueness.

Our university chair in dialogue was established to strengthen the foundations of peace and development, and as part of a series of other similar initiatives including the 1995 Carthage Charter on Tolerance in the Mediterranean, which calls for interreligious and intercultural dialogue for tolerance and human rights. Another Tunisian initiative was the establishment of the World Solidarity Fund to counter poverty, which the Assembly endorsed in its resolution 57/265 of 20 December 2002, thus backing our approach to the fight against poverty and marginalization as factors creating tension worldwide.

In pursuance of the General Assembly's 2001 proclamation of the Global Agenda for Dialogue among Civilizations (resolution 56/6), Tunisia has hosted a seminar on dialogue among civilizations. There, my Government reiterated its appeal to build a new world free of hatred and antagonism and called for tolerance and dialogue. Tunisia has also hosted a number of meetings and events for experts, such as the seminars organized together with the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization on the theme "Human civilizations and cultures: from dialogue to alliance". Tunisia has repeatedly reaffirmed that dialogue among civilizations is one of the core principles that can curb trends towards violence and terrorism and that can lay the basis for dialogue and cooperation for world peace, security and prosperity.

Based on those principles and conclusions, my delegation supports all initiatives to buttress this interreligious and intercultural dialogue. We are certain that this dialogue is the best way to protect humankind and its common values from the dangers posed by intolerance, closed-mindedness, extremism, marginalization and terrorism.

The Acting President

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Jean-Daniel Vigny, chairman of the delegation of Switzerland.

Mr. Vigny (Switzerland)

We thank the Philippines and Pakistan for having worked to convene this meeting. We would also like to thank the Secretariat and the representatives of civil society for the excellent preparation of this High-level Dialogue.

As a meeting point of diverse cultures and religions, Switzerland has had to learn peaceful coexistence within the confines of a small territory. It had to forge national unity transcending faiths, languages and economic interests. In the course of our history, religions have on occasion clashed violently. However, thanks to a shared determination to focus on what unites us on a practical level rather than on what separate us ideologically, we succeeded in ending these tensions a century and a half ago.

Switzerland has integrated this lesson of history into its policy of promoting peace. Dialogue on values does not by itself build trust; indeed, it can sometime even accentuate differences. To move forward together, therefore, it is essential to focus on solving specific problems and to find practical solutions with the parties concerned. This is why, in the context of its policy of promoting peace, Switzerland supports projects that aim to define concrete ways for communities or groups with different values and concepts to live together. However, Switzerland does not support intercultural or interreligious dialogues exclusively on abstract values or doctrinal truths.

Consequently, we fully support the Alliance of Civilizations initiative, which takes account of the political dimension of interreligious and intercultural tensions and aims to find practical solutions to such disputes. My country therefore reaffirms its full support for the High Representative Jorge Sampaio in attaining the objectives of the Alliance of Civilizations.

Ensuring respect for religious and cultural diversity is not only a simple question of political will. It is part of the far broader question of the proper functioning of the rule of law and the principles governing it: non-discrimination, freedom of expression, freedom of thought and freedom of religion or belief. It is important that we reaffirm our commitment to those rights. We are concerned about an increasing risk of stereotyping religions and beliefs and a lack of understanding for the values and practices of other religions or beliefs. We are alarmed by growing religious intolerance and discrimination based on religion or belief. Religious intolerance is a worldwide problem and is not limited to certain religions and beliefs. Followers of all religions and beliefs, as well as non-believers, are victims of human rights violations.

Freedom of religion or belief is a multifaceted right. The many aspects of this fundamental human are guaranteed by various international legal instruments. Discrimination based on race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status falls within the scope of human rights legislation. In addition, it has to be stressed that the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights forbids any form of incitement to religious hatred.

Switzerland is firmly convinced that it is not religion as such which has to be protected, but the non-discriminatory exercise -- individually or as a member of a group -- of all human rights, including the right to freedom of religion or belief. We are convinced that we can successfully combat discrimination if we agree to approach the issue under the umbrella of religious discrimination rather than in the context of defamation of religion.

The concept of defamation of religions is not appropriate in a human rights context, since it is individuals, both believers and non-believers alike, who have rights -- and, to some extent, the communities to which they belong -- not religions or beliefs as such. As the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, Asma Jahangir, outlined in a recent report, the lack of an objective definition of the term "defamation of religion" makes the whole concept open to abuse. Due to the wide diversity of religions and beliefs, it is natural that genuine differences of opinion exist. Furthermore, it would be difficult and potentially dangerous to define in abstracto what constitutes defamation of religion or even to find an impartial and independent body for adjudicating such a case.

Switzerland is convinced that tolerance and mutual respect are essential to overcome differences in perceptions, concepts and ideas. Once again it is only by a constructive and respectful dialogue that we will truly overcome our divergences in opinion in order to promote mutual understanding and surmount these challenges successfully.

The Acting President

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Ivan Romero-Martínez, chairman of the delegation of Honduras.

Mr. Romero-Martínez (Honduras)

My country, Honduras, very much welcomes the opportunity to participate in this High-level Dialogue on Interreligious and Intercultural Understanding and Cooperation for Peace. We are of the view that this is one of the most pertinent subjects today and that it is of particular importance to humankind.

Universal respect for human thinking is as sacred as freedom itself: freedom of action, freedom of religion and political freedom. Thus, in participating in this important debate, we base our approach on the belief that one of the unifying forces of mankind is freedom. It prepares us for a permanent readiness to interact with diversity and for tolerance, ongoing and respectful dialogue, and a culture of peace among individuals with diverse outlooks and visions. It prompts us to create a culture of peace and not a culture of war. Therefore, we support all the endeavours in which this Organization and its bodies are engaged.

We support the reports and recommendations of the Secretary-General, and we support above all else the efforts that help us to combat fanaticism, intolerance and violence. We believe in dialogue and in a culture of peace. Dialogue between religions and cultures is a categorical imperative in our view. But there can be no dialogue without freedom; and there can be no freedom without a clear policy of tolerance and respect among all protagonists in a world that is increasingly global.

My country, Honduras, consistently respects all religions and cultures. Our constitution provides that all Hondurans are equal before the law, and it declares punishable any discrimination based on gender, race, class or other offence against human dignity. It also guarantees the free exercise of all religions and beliefs, without pre-eminence for any of them. All men are born free and equal in rights. Our Constitution also seeks to enforce and perpetuate a rule of law that guarantees a political society and encourages conditions in which individuals can realize their full potential as human beings in a context of justice, freedom, security, stability, pluralism, peace, representative democracy and concern for the common good.

We are pleased to note that the Secretary-General's report (A/62/337) emphasizes that in Honduras the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) established an Inter-Ecclesiastical Committee on HIV/AIDS Prevention which brings together leaders and representatives of the Catholic, Evangelical, Episcopalian and Adventist Churches as well as the Ministry of Health and the theological community. The Committee meets regularly and organizes forums and discussions on their churches' response to HIV and AIDS. Thus far, it has organized four inter-ecclesiastical forums on HIV/AIDS prevention throughout the country. The objective of forums is to encourage a common religious approach for dealing with those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. This in our view is a living example of the alliance of religions.

In this universal forum, it daily becomes more imperative for us to unite our thoughts and our hearts in acts of tolerance and mutual respect. Freedom of belief should also go hand in hand with the freedom to exercise that belief. The establishment of a world of peace and love should go hand in hand with the genuine political will to achieve this. The desire to build an alliance of civilizations and to strengthen the dialogue between religions and cultures is within the political will of the States represented here. Let us promote this; let us act in this fashion; and let us work, day by day, to translate into reality all the words and desires that are expressed here.

The Acting President

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Nguyen Tat Thanh, chairman of the delegation of Viet Nam.

Mr. Nguyen Tat Thanh (Viet Nam)

My delegation wishes to express its appreciation to Pakistan and the Philippines for the initiative and leadership culminating in this very timely and important meeting.

I wish to thank the Secretary-General for his report.

Having been victimized by many destructive wars, the Vietnamese people treasure peace, stability and development. We therefore fully support the efforts by countries, communities and people around the world to pursue these ends through dialogue and cooperation.

In today's global village, interaction keeps increasing between religions and cultures of all parts of the world. It is an opportune time for us all to learn more about one another, not only about our commonalities or shared values, but also about our differences; to enhance unity; to accept and benefit from diversity; and to live with a culture of peace, non-violence, respect, understanding and tolerance.

In this regard, the importance of education and the media in promoting respect, understanding and tolerance must be emphasized. Concerted efforts in this respect need to be carried out at the global, regional, national and local levels.

We commend the efforts by the Alliance of Civilizations, the Tripartite Forum on Interfaith Cooperation for Peace and the United Nations system, especially UNESCO and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), as mentioned in the report of the Secretary-General, in promoting and implementing this idea. Viet Nam welcomes the designation of a focal point in the Secretariat to coordinate mutually reinforcing activities of the United Nations system in that field.

At the regional level, Vietnamese representatives of different faiths and religions actively participate in the interfaith dialogue and exchange of experience and best practices within the framework of the Asia-Europe Meeting and in the Asia-Pacific region to further strengthen understanding and cooperation across regions.

Viet Nam is a multi-ethnic and multireligious country with 54 nationalities and many different religious communities composed of 20 millions believers living side by side in harmony, sharing the spirit of fraternity, mutual respect and assistance, while respecting and cherishing each other's unique identity. Vietnamese of different nationalities, religions and cultures joined forces in the struggle for national independence in the past and are now side by side, shouldering the task of national construction. In war or in peace, the strength of the country lies in both the unity and the diversity of its people.

Back at its first meeting in 1945, the provisional Government of Viet Nam, under the leadership of President Ho Chi Minh, issued the motto "Freedom for religious solidarity between believers and non-believers". Our 1992 Constitution reaffirms that spirit in concrete terms. Our national experience and policies in that connection guide our activities at the global level.

Before concluding, I wish to assure the General Assembly that Viet Nam will continue to make every effort, together with countries and peoples of the world, to foster understanding and cooperation in the name of peace and development for all.

The Acting President

I give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Samuel Outlule, chairman of the delegation of Botswana.

Mr. Outlule (Botswana)

The delegation of Botswana welcomes the convening of this High-level Dialogue on Interreligious and Intercultural Understanding and Cooperation for Peace. Several statements have already been made with a great deal of eloquence and conviction. We add our voice to this important debate because peace is indivisible and the promotion of a culture of peace is both a national and a global imperative.

In contributing to this debate, we are conscious of the fact that our deliberations are an important part of the beginning of establishing the basis for mutual understanding. It is our expectation that the statements will be followed by introspection and the readiness to make choices for tolerance. What matters in the end is not what we are able to say about the peaceful nature of our respective religions and cultures, but rather what we are prepared to do to ensure that our faiths are used as instruments for the realization of peace and good will to humankind. We must do so by empowering national institutions to promote a culture of tolerance, compromise and accommodation.

A combination of religion and culture has been the defining attribute of societies since antiquity. Whilst religion is a personal matter concerning the relationship between an individual and God, at the same time it binds us together because our lives as human beings are interconnected. Thus, faith and a way of life not only bind people together, but have over the years been instrumental in informing and shaping the development of relations between peoples and States.

This High-level Dialogue may be taking place a little too late, as it comes at a time when intolerance and hatred spurred by religious beliefs and a clash of cultures are growing at an alarming rate. And yet we cannot afford to despair or fail to act in the face of the challenges confronting us and developments we witness. At the same time, we must avoid a reactionary response by acting in a positive, purposeful and forward-looking manner. We must be fair and balanced in the search for solutions to global problems. In that way, we can avoid the politicization of religions and cultural beliefs that often leads to extremism and intolerance.

In the search for solutions to contemporary challenges associated with relations between civilizations, we do not have to reinvent the wheel. In the fifth century B.C., the Chinese philosopher Confucius once said:

"My conduct must be guided by the golden rule of only doing and saying what I would like to have done or said to me, and never doing or saying anything that I would not like to have done or said to me."

That statement demonstrates that the desire to live in peace with one another has been the objective of people from time immemorial.

There can be no doubt that the granite foundation of interreligious and intercultural understanding and cooperation for peace is for all religions to encourage their followers to be kind, tolerant, merciful, just and honest with each other and other people. If religion or the followers of any faith fail to abide by those teachings, it will be difficult if not impossible to promote mutual understanding, cooperation and peace.

In an increasingly borderless world, diverse societies, individuals and communities with different cultures and religious beliefs are called upon to live together in harmony. Individuals and communities of different faiths and cultures living side by side have in them the inherent capacity to strengthen each other and to solve concrete problems confronting them here on Earth. The world will be a better place if we can all concentrate our actions on working together to improve the human condition here on Earth without necessarily abandoning our aspirations for the next order of existence.

The challenge we face is to strengthen policies that enhance the integration and participation of all citizens on the basis of equality and respect. It would be particularly helpful if religion did not assume a name. In that respect, parents and societies could bring up children without passing value judgements on other faiths or dehumanizing descriptions about followers of other faiths, thus sowing the seeds of future intolerance and a sense of superiority.

It is important to give greater attention to education and training that emphasize broad knowledge about other cultures and religions and the need for them to cohabit in peace and harmony. It is true that, historically, education and knowledge have forced religions to be more just, fair and tolerant.

Let us recognize that interreligious and intercultural dialogue is not the challenge or monopoly of the faithful alone. It is the challenge of all people and organizations of civil society who love humankind, respect life, and value harmony and the diversity of peoples on Earth. We should not forget that, through the centuries, religious people inspired by fanaticism, fundamentalism, a sense of superiority and the selfish pursuit of personal salvation have caused wars and human suffering.

In that respect, secular individuals, non-governmental organizations and States therefore have a major contribution to make in promoting international understanding and cooperation for peace. Interreligious and intercultural understanding and cooperation must be rooted in universal values of respect for human rights, non-discrimination, non-violence and democracy. Those are values of collective wisdom, conscience and progress of humankind, uniting peoples of all faiths and cultures.

Africa is home to many religions and cultures. In Botswana, we are a society of many cultures, languages and religious practices, but as is the case elsewhere in Africa, we have embraced several other religious beliefs from outside the continent and today those have become an integral part of the social fabric of our societies. The Constitution of Botswana guarantees freedom of worship. Faith-based organizations are formally recognized as key players and partners with Government in many aspects of our national development effort.

We welcome the initiative of Spain and Turkey that led to the establishment of the Alliance of Civilizations. It reflects a strong belief in dialogue as the best means to remove misunderstanding, tension and conflicts, and an effective mechanism for achieving compromise, tolerance and peaceful coexistence among peoples.

Let me conclude by emphasizing that religion and culture are part of humanity and constitute very important aspects of the modern world. They cannot be wished away. Our societies have become more interconnected and interdependent because of globalization, migration and new information and communication technologies.

In this modern age, we must therefore strive to make a culture of science and technology whose priority is the search for solutions to the immediate problems of people here on Earth. That will make it possible for religions and cultures to flourish. That will in turn enable us to celebrate our diversity and use it as a platform for human progress, mutual understanding and peace.

The Acting President

I give the floor to Her Excellency Ms. Sanja Stiglic, chairperson of the delegation of Slovenia.

Ms. Stiglic (Slovenia)

Allow me to begin by saying that Slovenia aligns itself fully with the statement delivered yesterday by the representative of Portugal on behalf of the European Union.

I am particularly honoured to address the General Assembly on this occasion. We all agree that the improvement of understanding and cooperation among people of different religions and cultures is a must if we are to forge together a world in which we can live side by side in peace. That indubitable common objective is a simple yet resounding example of the fact that we as human beings have far more things to bind us together than to keep us apart.

We all know that the globalized world of today stands at an important crossroads. Events of the past few years have aggravated relations between different parts of the world to the point where we can no longer shy away from directing all our efforts to establishing an active dialogue among the world's ethnicities, religions and cultures. We all have to join in that effort so that we can, together, build bridges between our different cultures and contribute to better understanding between our civilizations and a better future for us all.

Let me note at this point that the need for interreligious and intercultural dialogue is not in any way limited to intercontinental conversations or even to conversations among different countries. The reality of a multicultural society exists within our countries themselves. Those differences, too, must be acknowledged, but they should never divide us. Rather, they should be seen as an opportunity to find new ways to achieve mutual understanding and greater respect for each other.

Given the growing number of different initiatives on intercultural and interfaith understanding -- such as the Alliance of Civilizations, the Asia-Europe Meeting Interfaith Dialogue, the Euromed Barcelona process, the Council of Europe white paper on intercultural dialogue, and many others -- we believe that there is a need for enhanced coordination, cooperation and complementarity among them, and particularly among those within the United Nations framework.

My country wishes to contribute to the interreligious and intercultural dialogue by promoting global understanding, overcoming prejudices, and representing a pillar of humanism and cooperation in the Mediterranean. In that regard, I would like to focus on two particular elements that can, in our view, most effectively contribute to dialogue, peace and cooperation. These, in our view, are human rights and diversity education.

Ariel and Will Durant wrote that education is the transmission of civilization. We believe that the true transmission of civilization is its continuous enhancement, not by the mere emulation of established paradigms, but precisely by learning new things, by trying to understand foreign concepts, by seeking to empathize with the values of others, by promoting solidarity among peoples, and by building a comprehensive global culture of human rights and mutual understanding.

As part of the intercultural dialogue, it is important to promote mobility, especially that of young people, for what better way is there to learn about the rest of the world than to travel to it? With the hope of bringing together young people from around the world so that they may learn from each other, my country recently presented an initiative to establish a Euro-Mediterranean university, with its seat in Piran, Slovenia. It is our hope that the university will be able to contribute in some way to dialogue among youth and scholars from diverse religious and cultural backgrounds in the Mediterranean basin.

Allow me to take this opportunity also to mention another initiative that has special importance for us. In May 2006, the Slovenian Government established the Centre for European Perspective. The Centre was established with the intent of developing new thinking aimed at addressing outstanding issues in the European Union and wider Europe. One of the Centre's main objectives is also to work towards the establishment of tolerant societies by implementing projects that will create and maintain conditions for a successful dialogue among the different religious and cultural communities within Europe and beyond. We have organized numerous meetings and round tables with political and religious leaders alike from the western Balkan region.

We have also established this year a task force on intercultural dialogue. Members of the task force are international and Slovenian experts of different profiles or backgrounds, such as politicians, religious representatives, dignitaries, academics and representatives of various public institutions and organizations. My country truly believes that intercultural dialogue should be encouraged and fostered, and we want to do something about it. It must be stressed, however, that a crucial precondition for any such dialogue is freedom of expression of thought, conscience, religion and belief, and we shall continue to work in support of those important rights.

For the coming year, the Centre for European Perspective has planned two projects that are aimed at fostering dialogue between cultures in Europe. The first project will concern questions of secularism, political radicalism and immigration in the European Union; the second will try to answer the important question of how to make people of different religions and cultural backgrounds who come to Europe feel at home in the European Union.

Allow me to conclude by stating that respect for human dignity and diversity is the cornerstone of any peaceful and prosperous society. Let us build, then, upon our common values and translate them into action. My country, for one, extends its hand to anyone who wishes to join us in bringing more understanding into this world.

The Acting President

I give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Juan Antonio Yáñez-Barnuevo, chairman of the delegation of Spain.

Mr. Yáñez-Barnuevo (Spain)

Allow me to begin by congratulating the President of the General Assembly and the sponsors of this initiative, the Philippines and Pakistan, for organizing this High-level Dialogue. The participation of Government representatives and prominent active members of civil society provides us with a good opportunity to share ideas and opinions that will allow us to advance along the road of understanding among peoples and societies belonging to different cultures and religions for the good of peace and the progress of peoples.

Spain is aware of the importance of the challenge posed by the need for understanding among nations and peoples in today's world, and is a firm defender of dialogue and cooperation as instruments for fighting intolerance and discrimination based on cultural or religious differences.

We are convinced that the grave problems arising from the lack of mutual awareness, from intolerance in the face of difference, or from rejection of what is foreign require joint action by the international community, especially in the framework of the United Nations. This Organization has offered of late a good example of commitment in that field by adopting in the General Assembly, after many years of negotiations, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Spain is therefore very pleased with the progress made with initiatives such as this, in which we participate with conviction, and with others, such as the Alliance of Civilizations, which Spain is co-sponsoring with Turkey and which has already been consolidated as a United Nations initiative, as was highlighted by the Secretary-General in his statement yesterday at the beginning of this Dialogue.

We believe that the complementary nature of initiatives with similar goals is a clear and valuable sign of the importance which the international community attaches to the need to encourage tolerance, respect, dialogue and cooperation in promoting understanding and coexistence among civilizations, cultures and religions in a globalized world such as ours today. That complementary nature must find appropriate ways to avoid any unnecessary duplication and to combine valuable efforts to the same end.

In that regard, I support the statement made yesterday by the Minister of State of Portugal on behalf of the European Union with respect to the role that could be played by the Alliance of Civilizations in ensuring such coherence. The statement read out yesterday on behalf of the High Representative of the Secretary-General for the Alliance of Civilizations, Mr. Jorge Sampaio, had a similar thrust.

The contribution of the Alliance of Civilizations to the common goal of understanding among religions and cultures, as well as to cooperation for peace, could be synthesized in the following elements. First, the Alliance of Civilizations has a mandate that is essentially pragmatic, focusing on joint action and on obtaining specific results. One of its goals is to move from the realm of ideas towards the practical, concrete and specific.

With that spirit as guide, the implementation plan for the next two years, as presented last June by Mr. Sampaio, the High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations, contains ideas, projects and concrete programmes that are focused on action in four specific areas: youth, education, migration and the media. Those areas are thought to be where major contributions could be made to combat the lack of dialogue and understanding among peoples and societies that belong to different cultures and religions. The goal is to encourage mutual understanding, to end preconceived notions about the other, and to promote exchange and coexistence in order to encourage respect, tolerance and dialogue, rejecting any amalgamation of religion or belief, regardless of denomination, with extremism and violence. We must do all that through education and with the cooperation of the media as we specifically address collective groups that are especially vulnerable in those matters, such as youth and migrants.

Secondly, as noted by the High Representative, it is necessary for decisions on this issue to be adopted with a global focus. At the same time, however, the development of activities at the local level is critical, since it will guarantee their true implementation and ensure that their content effectively penetrates the societies they address. The problems that arise from a lack of understanding among peoples and societies of different religions or cultures germinate and develop at the local level, even when they rise to the global level. For that reason, action must be directed mainly at the very heart of societies themselves.

In that regard, we feel that another good point of departure could be the suggestion made by High Representative Sampaio at the recent ministerial meeting of the Group of Friends of the Alliance of Civilizations that international organizations -- be they universal or regional -- develop their own work programmes for cooperation with the Alliance of Civilizations, in particular in the four thematic areas on which the initiative focuses. He also suggested that States develop national strategies for transcultural dialogue pursuant to the principles of the Alliance of Civilizations.

At the national level, Spain is already working on defining its own national plan for the Alliance of Civilizations, a goal of which, among others, will be to address the national and international aspects of intercultural and interreligious dialogue. In addition, I take this opportunity to highlight the First Annual Forum of the Alliance of Civilizations to take place in Spain on 15 and 16 January 2008. The Forum will seek to be a platform for reinforcing political support for the initiative and for obtaining concrete results in the area of youth, among others. It will be a good occasion to debate and share common progress that has been made, as well as to enrich the Alliance implementation plan with new ideas.

We hope that the Alliance of Civilizations will become a reference framework for States, international organizations, representatives of civil society -- whose task we deem to be of crucial importance -- and other actors in the sphere of intercultural dialogue. Special but not exclusive consideration should be given to relations between the West and the Islamic world, the need for which has been stressed during our debates yesterday and today. The Alliance would thus constitute a useful tool for crisis prevention and m