The World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue will be held between the 7th and 9th of April in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Located in Central Asia, Azerbaijan is in a unique position, geographically as well as culturally. It is in a region that has historically been at the crossroads of not only east and west, but also north and the south.
The World Forum is supported by UN Alliance of Civilizations, UNESCO, Council of Europe, North-South Center of the Council of Europe, ISESCO and Euronews. Building on previous events, the Forum highlights intercultural dialogue as one of the most pressing challenges that the global community faces today. The forum aims to address the conceptual, governmental, policy and practical aspects of intercultural dialogue. It will tackle the barriers to dialogue, and will provide an opportunity for sharing good practices and launching new initiatives. The main aim is to develop concrete initiatives which will have impact at the basic level.
The Forum will be opened by the His Excellency Mr. IIham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Topics which will be discussed at the forum include the impact of globalization on intercultural relations, and the role of multinational organizations in cross-cultural relations. Presentations will be made on initiatives and projects that have been particularly impactful in this area. Finally, the first convention of the Global Youth Movement for the Alliance of Civilizations (GYM for AOC) will also take place on April 9 and 10, 2011 in Baku, Azerbaijan as an important part of the World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue.
Both the World Forum and the Global Youth Movement underscore the importance of exposing and discussing the growing intolerance that prevails in society today – a challenge which the World Forum and the Youth Event hope to alleviate.