Amb. Tariq Al-Ansari, Chief of Cabinet addressing the OIF roundtable on cultural diplomacy and multilingualism.
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would like to thank the previous speakers for their enlightening thoughts and the kind remarks addressed to the UNAOC. Let me express my gratitude to the Liaison Office of OIF for hosting this event celebrating the International Day de la Francophonie and for inviting me to take part in this conference as the UNAOC Chief of Cabinet and on behalf of the High Representative H.E. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser.
OIF is well known for convening forums that have been implementing innovative strategies in the fields of cultural diplomacy and multilingualism. At the UN, the motto is: “Many Languages one World”. At UNAOC our motto is “Many Cultures, one Humanity.”
Languages Matter! There is no peace without development, there is no development without respect for cultures, and cultures will blossom through languages and communications.
This matter is of great importance to the UN Alliance of Civilizations, and I will explain why Francophonie is for us more than just a language, it is also about how civilizations communicate.
Francophonie is more than language! There is no need to remind ourselves that language is just one aspect of the Francophonie. We already know the great interaction the French language had with other civilizations and the effects it left on many countries due to its beauty and music.
Hence, since its inception, the UNAOC has been working hand in hand with the Francophonie, as a member in the GoF of the AoC. We signed an MOU with OIF in 2008 and are looking forward to energizing further work and mutual cooperation.
At the 14th Francophonie Summit held in Kinshasa, on 29 October 2012, OIF welcomed Qatar, my country, as a new member-state. I am confident in the willingness of my country to promote the principles and objectives of the OIF. Qatar is now on the Francophonie map!
Cultural Diplomacy and multilingualism through the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) means, among other things, sharing humanitarian values, in the promotion of the cultures of its members and the intensification of the cultural and technical cooperation among them.
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and The International Organization of La Francophonie utilize multiple aspects of culture in order to achieve goals and make an impact towards their mission, which is to ultimately unite people of different cultural backgrounds through dialogue. By utilizing aspects of culture such as the religion, arts, music, sports, education, media, and fellowships we create opportunities for understanding and cooperation that comes with uniting people.
There is also another opportunity for the UNAOC in supporting cultural diplomacy and multiculturalism: it will facilitate practical approaches and local solutions to better achieve the Millennium Developments Goals. The post 2015 Agenda should see the implementation of the recommendations made regarding: Goal 2 of the Millennium Development Goals: “Achieve universal primary education”, to be addressed under the thematic approaches of language, cultural perspectives and traditional knowledge.
I am confident that through this International day we are demonstrating the complementarity of our actions as much as the proximity of our visions.
Diverse societies do not have to be divided societies.
Cultural and religious differences do not produce exclusion unless they are hardened by discrimination. The Francophonie has proven to be a catalyst between nations of different cultural background, and to contribute to their well-being. Better knowledge of our languages provides better opportunities to understand each other correctly.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
That’s why we have been particularly active in skill and capacity building with training for media professionals to do better reporting -and that within the world of the Francophonie- we understand the importance to use culturally sensitive resources for this purpose.
For instance, we have worked recently with Canal France International to bring together journalists from francophone Mali, Togo, Cameroun, Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia along with media experts to cover the UNAOC Vienna Forum in French and Arabic.
By so doing, we aim to improve the standards of reporting to avoid intolerance and hate speech.
Finally, the UNAOC plays a unique role through its capacity to organize high-level political forums to foster cultural diplomacy and multilingualism.
We will continue addressing these crucial issues at our next Forum in Indonesia. The theme will be: “Unity in Diversity: Celebrating Diversity for Common and Shared Values”. We are looking forward to working with OIF in Bali.
You are ALL invited! And French will be used and spoken there.
Thank you all for your attention.