Remarks by Under-Secretary-General Mr. Miguel Moratinos,
High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)
and United Nations Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia,
at the Tunis International Symposium on
Strengthening the Role of UNAOC in Promoting International Peace and Security
Tunis – 17 November 2025
Your Excellency, Mr. Mohamed Ali Nafti,
Minister of Foreign Affairs Migration and Tunisians Abroad;
Your Excellency, Mr. Nouredinne Nouri, Minister of Education of Tunisia;
Your Excellency Dr. Salim Al Malik, Director General ICESCO;
Your Excellency Mr. Yousef Bin Mohammed Al-Dubaie;
Excellencies,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a great to be back to Tunis, a country that holds a special place in my heart. I wish to express my sincere appreciation to the Government of Tunisia and H.E. the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Director General of ICESCO for their gracious hospitality and for convening this timely preparatory meeting ahead of our 11th Global Forum to be held in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on 14 and 15 December.
Allow me to commend Tunisia for its longstanding commitment to dialogue, moderation, and multilateral diplomacy. This country has historically served as a bridge between regions, cultures, and civilizations.
Today’s gathering carries symbolic and strategic significance. It is not only a preparatory step toward UNAOC11th Global Forum, but also an affirmation of Tunisia’s leadership in championing intercultural dialogue and peaceful coexistence at a time when such leadership is urgently needed. It also reminds us that peaceful coexistence and openness to the “Other” remain the foundations of stability and human progress.
Excellencies,
We meet against a backdrop of serious global turbulence.
Conflicts are escalating, humanitarian crises are deepening, and mistrust among nations and within societies is widening.
In many parts of the world, we witness a disturbing rise in intolerance, xenophobia, and the instrumentalization of cultural and religious differences to justify violence or exclusion.
Demonizing the other or others has become the new norm.
These trends erode the very fabric of social cohesion and threaten international peace and security.
It is precisely in moments like these that the international community must return to first principles. We must reassert the fundamental truth that peace cannot be built on fear or suspicion, but on dialogue, dignity, and mutual respect. This is the very essence and raison d’etre of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations.
Since its creation twenty years ago, UNAOC has evolved into a global platform where diversity is embraced as an asset, where cultural and religious pluralism are sources of enrichment rather than division, and where dialogue is upheld as a strategic tool for conflict prevention and conflict resolution. Our mission — and our responsibility — has never been clearer than it is today.
Over the past two decades, UNAOC strengthened by its convening power and supported by the Group of Friends of UNAOC, has brought together governments, civil society, religious actors, young women and men and the media to advance dialogue as a tool for conflict prevention and conflict resolution across the 5 priority areas of work : Youth, Education, Media , Migration and Women as peacemakers.
Today, UNAOC is the leading UN entity on intercultural and interreligious dialogue. Over the years we have expanded UNAOC Group of Friends reaching today 161 Members of which are 131 UN Member States, 1 non-member state, and 29 international organizations. They represent all continents, societies and cultures.
Today’s symposium invites us to reflect on how UNAOC can be further strengthened to meet the evolving challenges of our time.
In that regard, allow me to propose a number of areas for collective consideration.
First, intercultural and interreligious dialogue must be recognized as indispensable components of preventive diplomacy. Dialogue is not peripheral to diplomacy; it is central to it.
When communities feel respected;
When cultural identities are acknowledged;
And when grievances are addressed through communication rather than manipulation, the likelihood of conflict diminishes significantly.
As diplomats, you know that dialogue is not only a technique — it is a mindset, a commitment, and a continuous process. The Alliance stands ready to work with Member States, including Tunisia and its regional partners, to integrate this approach more systematically into peacebuilding and preventive strategies.
Second, we must intensify our efforts to combat discrimination and hate-driven narratives.
Islamophobia, antisemitism, anti-Christian sentiment, and hatred targeting religious or ethnic minorities are not isolated phenomena.
They are global challenges that require coordinated responses. As the UN’s Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia, I was humbled by the new designation and I am deeply committed to strengthening partnerships with governments, regional organizations—including the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the African Union and the Arab League—and with digital platforms to promote responsible communications, address online incitement, and elevate voices that promote respect and peaceful coexistence. And as the UN Focal Point on Monitoring antisemitism and enhancing a system-wide response, I was pleased to launch in January 2025 the UN Action Plan to Enhance Monitoring and Response to antisemitism.
Third, the Alliance must continue investing in youth and women as indispensable actors in peacebuilding. Tunisia’s own experience demonstrates the transformative power of young people and women in shaping inclusive societies.
UNAOC will continue expanding programmes that build their capacities, amplify their leadership, and connect them across borders. Empowering these constituencies is not merely normative; it is strategic, as they are essential to strengthening community resilience, preventing radicalization, and fostering sustainable peace.
Fourth, as we prepare for the 11th Global Forum, we must articulate a forward-looking vision for enhancing the Alliance’s operational role within the UN architecture. The multilateral system is facing unprecedented pressures. Yet the need for multilateralism has never been greater. The Forum will be an important moment to reaffirm our collective commitment to international cooperation and to define practical ways for UNAOC to support Member States, whether through early warning on cultural tensions, support to mediation processes, or partnerships with regional peace and security mechanisms.
Excellencies,
Tunisia’s diplomatic tradition — anchored in moderation, dialogue, and openness — offers valuable guidance for the international community. By convening us here today, the Government of Tunisia signals that peace is not merely the absence of conflict, but the active construction of understanding, empathy, and cooperation.
As we deliberate today, I invite you to think boldly and constructively. Let our discussions shape the substantive agenda of the 11th Global Forum. Let them guide how the UNAOC can better accompany Member States, deepen partnerships with regional organizations, and strengthen its capacity to support peace and security through dialogue.
As we move towards the 11th Global Forum in Riyadh , our meeting here in Tunis will help to guide us as we embark on the next chapter of the Alliance.
I encourage you to think boldly and constructively How can we deepen our partnerships? How can we anticipate emerging risks linked to cultural or religious tensions? How can we enhance UNAOC’s contribution to conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and global solidarity?
Distinguished Guests,
Our diversity is humanity’s greatest asset.
This diversity is not a challenge to manage; it is a heritage to protect and a source of collective strength.
When we honor our different identities, we reaffirm our shared humanity.
Let this symposium in Tunis reaffirm our conviction that dialogue is the language of peace, that living together in peace is the foundation of stability, and that multilateral cooperation remains the surest path toward a more just and harmonious world.
The work of the UNAOC is grounded in the belief that “many cultures, one humanity” is not only our motto , it is a way of life.
It is possible, when we stand together,
When we listen to one another,
and when we embrace the richness of our cultural and religious identities.
Let our meeting today in Tunis be a reaffirmation of that commitment and a catalyst for renewed multilateral cooperation.
I thank the Government of Tunisia once again for hosting this meeting and I also thank ICESCO for co-organizing this symposium. And I thank you all for your engagement, your partnership, and your dedication to advancing peace through dialogue.
Thank you.