Remarks
by
H.E. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser
The High Representative
For the UN Alliance of Civilizations
At
Long Island University
December 1, 2014
Dr. Kimberly Cline, President of Long Island University
Dr. Jeffrey Kane, Vice President for Academic Affairs,
Amb. Oscar de Rojas, Director of Global Partnerships,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is an honor for me to be with you here today at Long Island University.
Greek philosopher Aristotle once said “educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all”.
It is a very wise saying that proves to be true every day.
The new settings in our contemporary world have highlighted opportunities, but also challenges. Our world is undergoing a period of profound turmoil, radicalization, polarization and violent extremism. On-going conflicts are shattering communities from the MENA region, and through much of Africa. Their effects are felt in Europe, Asia and the Americas. They are a constant reminder of the absence of the culture of peace and tolerance.
There is not a day that passes without news headlines informing us of interreligious and intercultural conflicts at the domestic and international levels. One of the reasons is that, sadly, a high percentage of people may have received intellectual education in their lives, without receiving the necessary emotional education for their hearts. This element is essential in order to grasp the essence and importance of diversity, culture and the potential for dialogue across faiths.
The opportunities brought by the technological revolution of the last thirty years enhanced our ability to reach out to diverse people across the board and to promote the often missing culture of peace.
It is estimated that by 2020, over 50 billion people will be connected through computers, telephones, and tablets (which my son loves!) to what is now known as the Networked Society. Therefore, I believe that we should use this technological advantage to get the message across.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Allow me to take a moment to explain the work we do at The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations. The Alliance represents today one of the most relevant UN platforms for intercultural dialogue, understanding and cooperation by connecting governments, civil society organizations, the media, academia , the corporate sector and, of course, religious leaders devoted to promoting trust and understanding between diverse communities. We strive to achieve this goal through wide-ranging approaches to our four pillars: Education, Youth, Migration, and the Media.
And since I am here today speaking to faculty and students of Long Island University, which offers one of the most comprehensive international education in the world, I would like to reflect on the power of good education . Education that does not only focuses on producing individuals who can read, write and count. But rather an education that brings shared values to life and one that cultivates a sense of caring and belonging to the global world which we all share as human beings.
Nurturing the noble values of peace, human rights, respect of the other, cultural diversity and justice in the younger minds is a requirement today. Those valuescan be absent from textbooks and curricula. When we undervalue them, we miss an opportunity to raise a generation that respects social, cultural and religious diversity.
Built upon the foundation of equal opportunity, mutual understanding and diversity, UNAOC’s global mission of peace shares the same interests that characterize scholarly enterprise. We recognize that academic institutions play a vital role in our society. Young people, like many who I see here today, are our most powerful agents of social change. Some of you may be familiar with twentieth century poet Khalil Gibran, who once said, that “progress lies not in enhancing what is, but in advancing what will be.” The world we see now and tomorrow is a world in which bridges can be built between different cultures to secure peaceful coexistence.
How does all this relate to our work at the Alliance?
Much of our work consists of empowering marginalized communities and young people. As previously mentioned, two of the four pillars of the Alliance consist of Education and Youth. We believe that education is a timeless and effective weapon to counter violence and extremism, and that today’s youth are tomorrow’s leaders. Therefore, young men and women have to be part of the conversation when it comes to peace and development.
We hope to help educate young people about the complex, transnational issues of our time, and provide a better sense of global citizenship. Our vision is based on a two-way relationship. On one hand, it is one of empowering students and faculty members to take their learning beyond the classroom – to their friends, families, and communities. On the other hand, it is one that wants to bring the ideas and proposals generated by academic institutions into the global arena, including to the UN system.
At present, we have already launched an array of crosscutting, educational initiatives, to include Memorandums of Understanding with several academic institutions here in the United States and abroad; Educational Working Arrangements to reinforce avenues of cooperation; and of course programmes that involve youth directly.
We cannot ignore that in today’s revolutionized world, the forces that move and drive society include science, technology, music, literature, the arts and other fields of creativity, including athletic achievement. These human expressions bond us together and contribute to the basis of a united and global community.
The Alliance, in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and media-focus partners, has also developed PLURAL+, a youth video festival on migration, diversity, identity, human rights and social inclusion. It provides young people with an effective platform to express themselves through a creative lens. Not only does it project these voices through a variety of media platforms and distributions worldwide, but it also allows entrants share their thoughts, struggles and fears about their identity as youth.
I would like to seize this opportunity to announce that the upcoming PLURAL + Award Ceremony is taking place this week, on December 4th, at the Paley Center for Media. You are all invited and I will be delighted to see you there.
Another educational initiative developed by the Alliance is our flagship Fellowship Programme, launched in 2009. It is aimed at facilitating exposure for emerging leaders worldwide to media, culture, politics, institutions, civil society and religion. This generates knowledge exchange, cross-cultural understanding and productive partnerships across borders.
These types of programmes highlight the need for narratives that promote greater sensitivity regarding cultural and religious-based issues. It has always been gratifying to see that those who have had the opportunity to be part of our programs have been impacted in a positive way.
Let me also address the role of the media:
Modern media is a source of information for many people and has the power to shape people’s perceptions. When used as a propaganda machine presenting a distorted view of particular issues, it can fuel hatred and violence. Used in a different way, media can play a constructive role. With that in mind, the Alliance has been active in providing training and skill-building workshops for media professionals. We recently launched a media-friendly glossary for migration, thus providing journalists covering migration and culturally-sensitive issues with a viable tool. By doing so, UNAOC is contributing to strengthening discussions among media professionals on the best practices of improving standards of reporting to avoid intolerance and hate speech when covering minority-related stories.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In closing, let me re-iterate, that young people are the most promising drivers of positive change. You have the power to propel us into a future of social harmony and cultural diversity. Your input and work are invaluable in the upcoming years as we shape a new agenda for the world we share together. The UN Alliance of Civilizations always welcomes the ideas of our future leaders who will facilitate implementation of this agenda.
I would like to thank you again for inviting me here today.