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Fighting Islamophobia through tolerance and understanding Miguel Ángel Moratinos, Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation – Turkish Daily News – 10 October 2007 We must prevent discrimination against those who practice Islam or who live in accordance with its precepts. We must fight against stereotypes and old prejudices, and enhance cohesion in our plural societies. We Need to Promote a Global Alliance for Peace Jorge Sampaio – Arab News – 22 September 2007 On the International Day of Peace which falls on Sept. 21, we are reminded of the fact that peace continues to be a major challenge in our times. But destroying human life and making war do not solve any problem. As the saying goes, “violence begets violence”. Unfortunately, in our increasingly interconnected world, violent conflict is witnessed almost in real time and every day, images of human suffering are being brought into our living room. At the same time, the diversity of factors that can lead to war or civil strife is put into sharper focus. Bridging the Divide Kofi Annan - Newsweek – 20 July 2007 The idea that we are witnessing some kind of “clash of civilizations” is a grave misunderstanding. True, there are increasing levels of tension and conflict opposing different societies and cultures in many parts of the world. But one only needs to look beyond the headlines to realize that the roots of this antagonism are primarily political, not religious. Faiths, in themselves, do not generate hatred or violence. It is the exploitation of faith for political ends that has created hostility among the faithful. This is precisely the conclusion of the Alliance of Civilizations High-level Group’s report, presented last November in Istanbul. Use of education for peace by International Institute on Peace Education reflects evolving definition of collective security, Deputy Secretary-General says PressZoom – 10 August 2007 When the United Nations was first created, our founders were preoccupied with the security of States. When they spoke about creating a new system of collective security, they meant it in the traditional military sense. It was largely limited to the notion that States would join together and react collectively against acts of aggression that might be directed at any Member State. Imagined communities revisited Turkish Daily News – 16 July 2007 A series of events in recent years modified relations between different societies in the world and worsened the quality of an inter-dialogue. Created space of insecurity and mutual distrust has been almost instantly filled with the ambitions of the extremists of all sorts. Fear and hatred proved to be powerful instruments and construct of “imagined communities” seems to gain importance again. Alliance of Civilization to bridge divide between Islam and West TwoCircles.net – 15 June 2007 Education, the media, youth and migration are at the heart of a two-year plan to bridge the divide between Islam and the West that was presented today to the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon by the United Nations envoy heading the global campaign on the issue, known as the “Alliance of Civilizations.” The axis of equality Manila Times – Manila – 03 June 2007 New Zealand Ambassador David Pine had invited me to participate in the High Level Symposium on the Alliance of Civilizations (AOC) on May 24. Prime Minister Helen Clark herself chaired the whole day meeting which included Asia Pacific leaders from government, civil society, academe and the faiths. Former President Jorge Sampaio to head Alliance of Civilizations UNRIC Magazine – 26 March 2007 Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has designated Jorge Sampaio, the former President of Portugal, as High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations. Eastern and Western youths engage in fruitful dialogue Turkish Daily News – Istanbul – 31 March 2007 More than 200 youths from different eastern and western countries are in Istanbul to engage in inter-religious and intercultural dialogue, with the aim of recognizing diversity as richness, not a source of friction. The Inter-Religious and Intercultural Dialogue in Youth Work Symposium continued on Friday with seminars and workshops at the Grand Cevahir Hotel in Istanbul. HRH Prince Moulay Rachid’s untiring efforts as a strong advocate of Alliance of Civilizations kingofhearts.canalblog.com - Rabat - 21 March 2007 His Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rachid, the heir to the Moroccan throne, conferred with the President of the 61st session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), Sheikha Haya Rashed Al Khalifa. UN Challenges Conflict of Civilizations Theory Bill Miller - United Nations Association of the USA - 20 March 2007 Is there a conflict between the Koran, the Torah and the Bible? Not according to a recent UN report and former Secretary-General of the United Nations Kofi Annan, who believe that religion is not the main culprit in promoting hatred and mistrust between the Western and Muslim worlds. ‘Alliance of Civilizations project inspired by Mevlana’ Today's Zaman – Washington - 14 March 2007 Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Louis Rodriguez Zapatero shared the "Dialogue of Civilizations" award at the 2007 RUMI Peace and Dialogue award ceremony co-sponsored by the Rumi Forum and the Georgetown University Center for Peace and Security Research in Washington on Monday. Embrace Our Differences Kofi Annan – tompaine.com – 13 February 2007 Currents along the Bosphorus are notoriously strong, flowing one way on the surface and the opposite way underneath. Yet for centuries the Turkish peoples successfully rode these currents as they navigated the boundary between Europe and Asia, and between the Islamic world and the West; they have prospered as a result. The report on the Alliance of Civilizations rightly stresses that an embrace of differences—in opinion, in culture, in belief, in way of life—has long been a driving force of human progress. Interview With Hubert Védrine Randa Takieddine - Al-Hayat –Paris - 22 January 2007 To Védrine, the former French Foreign Minister, the "clash of civilizations" needs to be countered, not only through measures taken in the fields of "education, training, and youth, but also by addressing crucial political issues poisoning the relations between the West and Islam," notably the "pivotal Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the Middle East". Study Puts Politics, Not Religion, at Heart of Tension Between Muslim World and The West Voice of America – Istanbul – 14 December 2006 A new study says politics -- rather than religion -- is at the heart of a growing divide between the West and the Muslim world. The yearlong study was carried out by the "Alliance of Civilizations", a group made up of leading political and religious figures. The findings are due to be discussed at a high-level summit in Rio de Janeiro next year. The initiative, spearheaded by Spain and Turkey, was launched at the United Nations in 2004, with the aim of countering radical Islam. Turkish prime minister to visit United States on Sunday The Associated Press – Istanbul – 14 December 2006 Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is to leave for the United States on Sunday, where he will attend a meeting on reducing Islamic-Western tensions, the state-owned news agency reported Thursday. No clash of civilizations, says UN report The Christian Science Monitor – United States – 14 November 2006 A UN -sponsored group says the Israel -Palestinian conflict is the main cause of global tensions. A UN -sponsored group called the Alliance of Civilizations, created last year to find ways to bridge the growing divide between Muslim and Western societies, released a first report Monday that says the conflict over Israel and the Palestinian territories is the central driver in global tensions. Report is a blueprint for global harmony Gulf Times – Qatar – 14 November 2006 The report of the Alliance of Civilisations’ High Level Group, which was released in Ankara yesterday, is a challenging document that deserves to be studied by opinion-formers everywhere. The distinguished group, co-chaired by Turkish Minister of State Prof Mehmet Aydin and former Unesco Director-General Prof Federico Mayor of Spain, included among its luminaries HH Sheikha Mozah Nasser al-Misnad, former Iranian president Sayed Mohamed Khatami and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, of South Africa. Annan says politics, not religion, at heart of Muslim-West divide International Herald Tribune – 13 November 2006 Political tensions, rather than religious differences, lie at the heart of the growing rift between the West and the Muslim world, and any broad solution to the problem must include an end to the Arab-Israeli conflict, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Monday. "We should start by reaffirming and demonstrating that the problem is not the Quran nor the Torah or the Bible," Annan said after receiving a report by an international group of scholars that proposes ways to overcome the rift. "The problem is never the faith; it is the faithful and how they behave toward each other." Myth and reality feed West-Muslim gulf BBC News – Istanbul – 13 November 2006 It was an appropriate venue: an Ottoman Palace on one bank of the Bosphorus, with a view on to a vast bridge linking East and West. "If we are to build bridges between civilisations, what better place to begin!" UN Secretary General Kofi Annan remarked in his opening address. He was speaking to a group of 20 prominent world figures meeting in Istanbul to present him with the findings of more than a year of work. Call to bridge West-Muslim divide BBC News – 13 November 2006 A cross-cultural group of 20 prominent world figures has called for urgent efforts to heal the growing divide between Muslim and Western societies. They say the chief causes of the rift are not religion or history, but recent political developments, notably the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The panel, drawn together by the UN, says a climate of mutual fear and stereotypes is worsening the problem. To combat hostility bred of ignorance, they want education and media projects. The Alliance of Civilisations, which includes Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu and former Iranian President Mohammed Khatami, dismisses the notion that a clash of civilisations is inevitable, but says that swift action is needed. Annan Links Arab-Israel to Broad Conflict The Washington Post – Istanbul - 13 November 2006 U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Monday that any effort to stop growing violence between Islamic and Western societies must include an end to the Arab-Israeli conflict. Annan spoke after receiving a report from a high-level group of experts on ways to alleviate Muslim-Western clashes and misunderstandings. "We may wish to think of the Arab-Israeli conflict as just one regional conflict amongst many," said Annan, who leaves his post at the end of the year. "It is not. No other conflict carries such a powerful symbolic and emotional charge among people far removed from the battlefield. Alliance of Civilization holds Seminar in Saint Lucia GIS Saint Lucia, Caribseek – Caribbean News - Castries - 27 September 2006 Saint Lucia is doing its part to assist the objectives of the Alliance of Civilization as it, this week played host to a seminar of the charter, co-sponsored by the Prime Ministers of Spain and Turkey. Conversation with … Mohammad Khatami on the Dialogue Among Civilizations 11 September 2006 Mohammad Khatami, former President of Iran and distinguished member of the Alliance of Civilizations, was interviewed by Kaveh L. Afrasiabi, founder and Director of Global Interfaith Peace. UMCE: Arms should be taken over by ceasefire and dialogue Tunis - 25 July 2006: The Union of Mediterranean Confederations of Enterprises (UMCE), the Voice of Business in the Mediterranean, condemns the latest violent developments and all forms of terrorism in the Middle East that resulted in hundreds of death, thousands of wounded, and hundreds of thousands of homeless. Turkish and Spanish PMs Jointly Call for Peace in Middle East By Cihan News Agency - 22 July 2006 zaman.com Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayip Erdogan and his Spanish counterpart Jose Luis Zapatero - co-chairmen of the United Nations sponsored 'Alliance of Civilizations' project - have jointly called for peace in the face of the worsening crisis in Lebanon. Putin lends support to Alliance of Civilizations Turkish Daily News - Moscow - 5 July 2006 Russian President Vladimir Putin has urged religious leaders meeting in Moscow to counter what he said were efforts to pit Christians and Muslims against each other, warning that a potential clash of civilizations could bring disaster. OSCE presents Alliance of Civilizations report to UN Secretary-General UNITED NATIONS - New York - 26 June 2006 The two top officials from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe handed UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan a report today to help his initiative to overcome the clash of cultures. ‘Alliance of Civilizations’ group advances work at Dakar meeting UN News Centre - 30 May 2006 A meeting of experts on the Alliance of Civilizations – an initiative aimed at bridging the gap between Islam and the West – concluded today in Dakar, Senegal, having advanced preparations for a report on actions to tackle the problem that will be presented to United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan later this year. Erdogan warns of East-West Split Turkish Daily News - 29 March 2006 The prime minister also criticizes 'discriminatory' laws toward Muslims in Europe and warns such laws threaten peace. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned yesterday that the world was on the verge of splitting along a 'fault line' that was poised to get wider, especially between the West and the Islamic world. Annan envisions popular dialogue Entertainers, athletes called on to speak to east-west divide The Daily Star - 27 February 2006 United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan suggested Sunday entertainers and sport people should help heal the divide between Muslims and the West, especially in light of the widespread rioting prompted by the publication in Denmark of cartoons satirizing the Prophet Mohammad. 'Too late in history to go back to wars of religion' The Daily Star - 27 February 2006 The following speech was delivered on Sunday by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan at the opening session of the second meeting of the High Level Group for the Alliance of Civilizations 'Alliance of Civilizations' Discusses Cartoon Row Cihan News Agency - 27 February 2006 At the Qatar meeting of the 2nd High-Level Group, part of the Alliance of Civilizations project, attention was focused on the cartoon crisis. Annan joins with Islamic, Arab and other leaders Annan joins with Islamic, Arab and other leaders to urge restraint over offensive cartoons Scoop – Independent News - 27 February 2006 Reacting to the furor spawned by the publication of caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed widely considered to be offensive, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan in Doha, Qatar, today joined his voice with key Arab and Muslim leaders to urge restraint and to pledge action to foster tolerance. Cartoon row is tip of iceberg: Tutu The Peninsula - 28 February 2006 The Danish cartoon controversy is the manifestation of a bigger problem existing between a "marginalised" Muslim world and a powerful and exploitative West, according to Bishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel peace prize winner and a top leader of the anti-Apartheid movement in South Africa. Too late in history to go back to wars of religion Address by Kofi Annan at High Level Group meeting, Doha, Qatar Daily Star, Beirut - 27 February 2006 The following speech was delivered on Sunday by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan at the opening session of the second meeting of the High Level Group for the Alliance of Civilizations. When we set up the Alliance of Civilizations last year, we said that it was "intended to respond to the need for a committed effort by the international community - both at the institutional and civil society levels - to bridge divides and overcome prejudices, misconceptions and polarization." We should all be grateful to the Prime Ministers of Spain and Turkey for being prescient in anticipating a vital issue in today's world. Read more Taking first hard steps to civilization alliance By Vitaly Naumkin for RIA Novosti Moscow - 22 February 2006 The Alliance of Civilizations, a Kofi Annan project announced last summer, has every chance of becoming a global effort because it appeared at a time when there is great demand for it, in a world threatened by cultural divide. It is a challenge not only for international but – in the case of some countries in Europe and elsewhere – for intranational relations. It involves many interwoven cultural and religious interests, but the most prominent issue is the divide between the Islamic and Western worlds. Annan Headed to Middle East this Weekend By Edith Lederer, Associated Press 21 February 2006 UNITED NATIONS --Secretary-General Kofi Annan is making an unexpected trip to Qatar this weekend to try to calm the violent reactions to drawings about the Prophet Muhammad at a meeting to promote religious and cultural understanding. Annan will address the issues raised by the caricatures and emphasize his opposition to the violent outbursts and the need for tolerance at a previously planned meeting of the U.N.-sponsored Alliance of Civilizations, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Monday. On the Other Side of the Caricature The Foreign Ministers of Russia and Spain write exclusively for Kommersant 10 February 2006 In the midst of the uproar over the caricature of the Prophet Mohammed published in a Danish newspaper, Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the Kingdom of Spain Miguel Angel Moratinos have coauthored this article, in which they attempt to answer the question of what lessons the world community can learn from the crisis surrounding the scandalous publication. They submitted their article to Kommersant. Erdogan and Zapatero Call for Respect and Calm in Cartoon Crisis Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero International Herald Tribune - 5 February 2006 With growing concern, we are witnessing the escalation in disturbing tensions provoked by the publication, in European newspapers, of caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad that Muslims consider deeply offensive. We shall all be the losers if we fail to immediately defuse this situation, which can only leave a trail of mistrust and misunderstanding between both sides in its wake. Therefore, it is necessary to make an appeal for respect and calm, and let the voice of reason be heard. From ‘dialogue' to ‘Alliance of Civilizations' The New Anatolian - 29 November 2005 After the directors of the beautiful Mardavall Hotel on the island asked Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish prime minister, to make an entry in the hotel's guestbook he wrote down his determination to fight terrorism. He finished his long sentence with a familiar ring, "We shall overcome." His is the probably only non-curtsy entry in the book meant to eternalize foreign guests' praise for the hotel's services. UN Meeting Promotes Alliance of Civilizations Islam Online - 28 November 2005 A UN-sponsored meeting, currently in session in the Mediterranean resort island of Palma de Majorca, aims at defusing religious extremism and promoting a cross-cultural Alliance of Civilizations. West Gripped by Islamophobia Iran Daily News - 28 November 2005 Former President Mohammad Khatami here Sunday expressed concerns about the West’s fear about Islam and called on thinkers worldwide to overcome this unwanted and faulty phenomenon. Sheikha Mozah in Spain for alliance of civilisations meet The Peninsula - 27 November 2005 H H Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned, wife of the Emir, arrived here yesterday on a four-day visit as the United Nations prepared to set in motion its much-vaunted “alliance of civilisations” today. Blair welcomes "alliance of civilizations" By Leslie Crawford and Mark Mulligan in Madrid Financial Times - 25 July 2005 Tony Blair, the British prime minister, welcomed a Spanish proposal to create an "Alliance of civilizations" between Western and Muslim countries in the fight against terror in a meeting with Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, his Spanish counterpart, on Wednesday. Mr Blair, who also held talks on Wednesday with RecepTayyip Erdogan, the Turkish prime minister, said that Turkey is particularly involved in this initiative. Secretary General announces Launch Aimed at Bridging Divides United Nations Press Release - 14 July 2005 The Secretary-General is pleased to announce the launch of an initiative for an "Alliance of Civilizations". The initiative is intended to respond to the need for a committed effort by the international community -- both at the institutional and civil society levels -- to bridge divides and overcome prejudice, misconceptions, misperceptions, and polarization which potentially threaten world peace. The Alliance will aim to address emerging threats emanating from hostile perceptions that foment violence, and to bring about cooperation among various efforts to heal such divisions. Spain Proposes Cultural Alliance BBC - 22 September 2004 The Spanish prime minister has called for an international effort to resolve cultural and religious differences between the Western and Muslim world. Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said "an alliance of cultures" was necessary in a world facing conflict because of poverty and Islamic radicalisation. |