Remarks by Ms. Nihal Saad,
Director of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)
at the UNOCT Quarterly Briefing to Member States
Monday, 8 September 2025, 10:00 AM to 1:30 PM
Conference Room 1, United Nations, New York
Thank you, Mr. Chair,
Under-Secretary-General of the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism, Mr. Vladimir Voronkov,
Excellencies,
Colleagues,
Thank you for inviting UNAOC to this Quarterly Briefing to Member States. I am pleased to brief you on UNAOC’s most recent activities.
Since our last briefing, UNAOC has continued to foster dialogue among civilizations and strengthen intercultural and interreligious dialogue across continents through efforts that play a crucial role in preventing and countering violent extremism when and as conducive to terrorism, which were reflected in the biannual report of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.
- In June, UNAOC kicked off the 8th edition of the Young Peacebuilders Programme in Muscat, Oman, marking its first implementation in the South Caucasus and Central Asia. The in-person workshop, fully funded by the government of Azerbaijan, brought together 20 young participants from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan engaged in an intensive online training focused on peacebuilding concepts, emphasizing the role of youth in fostering inclusive societies and preventing violent extremism when conducive to terrorism through intercultural dialogue and conflict resolution skills. The workshop provided a dynamic space to deepen their understanding and translate theory into practice, while strengthening essential skills and competencies that will be instrumental as participants move into the final phase of the programme where they will design and implement capstone projects aimed at promoting social cohesion, a culture of peace and preventing violent extremism within their communities.
- Through the Intercultural Innovation Hub (IIH), a global venture of UNAOC and BMW Group, supported by Accenture, UNAOC partners with the private sector to empower innovative grassroots projects implemented by CSO worldwide. Ten organizations are currently benefiting from the tailor-made capacity-building program, delivered both online and offline. In April, the beneficiaries met for the first in-person training in Cape Town, South Africa. In November, they will take part in the second in-person workshop in Munich, Germany.
- In June, UNAOC launched a new call for applications for the 11th edition of the Youth Solidarity Fund (YSF), one of UNAOC’s flagship initiatives that provides youth-led organizations with seed-funding, capacity-building and mentorship support to develop and implement their projects focused on peacebuilding and preventing violent extremism. By the deadline, UNAOC received around 1,400 project proposals from 109 countries which are now being thoroughly screened and evaluated. To date, UNAOC funded and provided capacity-building support to 80 youth-led organizations in more than 40 countries representing a total of $2.5 million in investments.
- In 2025, UNAOC continued its efforts to engage younger generations in equipping them with the skills to craft counter narratives against hate and intolerance. In this context, in April, UNAOC and IOM, launched the 17th edition of PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival. By supporting the global distribution of youth-produced media, PLURAL+ recognizes youth as powerful agents of positive social change in a world often characterized by intolerance and cultural divisions.
- As part of its effort to develop educational tools that encourage intercultural and interfaith dialogue, UNAOC collaborated in the design and implementation of the third edition of the “Tutored Online Training Course on Global Education and Intercultural/Interfaith Dialogue”, an initiative led by the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe, in collaboration with the Aga Khan Development Network, the KAICIID – Dialogue Centre, the Universidad Católica de Valencia – European Institute of Education for Democratic Culture. The enhanced version of the course, which incorporated feedback from participants of the previous year, was successfully delivered and concluded in late July 2025.
- In April, in Gernika, Spain, on the 88th anniversary of its bombing, UNAOC, in collaboration with Religions for Peace, launched “A Call for Peace, the End of Wars, and Respect for International Law”, an initiative aiming to amplify a condemnation of war while fostering a message of peace and upholding respect for international law. The two-day gathering featured interactive discussions and poignant interventions from political leaders, government officials, religious leaders, youth advocates, civil society representatives, and various stakeholders, all championing the cause of peace. The initiative, which envisions a series of major events in historically bombed cities, will continue with its second chapter in the Sarajevo, Bosnia Herzegovina soon, from 16 to 18 October.
- In April, UNAOC convened the third dialogue on “AI for #OneHumanity: Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence” at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, in collaboration with the Onuart Foundation. Through the “AI for #OneHumanity” series, seeks to create a platform for experts, thought leaders, policymakers, international organizations, civil society, and the private sector to collaboratively shape a future in which AI advances human dignity, cultural understanding, and peace.
- In June, UNAOC and UNDP, in their capacity as Vice Chairs of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact Working Group on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism Conducive to Terrorism, co-organized a meeting on “Exploring the role of youth in addressing the dimensions of violent extremism” to celebrate the vital contributions of youth to peace and security. The virtual meeting, emphasized the role of youth as key actors in global efforts to prevent violent extremism when and as conducive to terrorism. During the session, UN experts outlined interventions to empower youth in this space, while young beneficiaries of UN initiatives shared insights from the ground.
- To commemorate the first International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations (7 June), UNAOC and the Permanent Mission of the Republic of China to the United Nations co-organized a Thematic Dialogue on “Promoting Dialogue Among Civilizations, Strengthening Global Solidarity and Cooperation”, in collaboration with the Permanent Missions of Egypt, Peru, Spain, and Uzbekistan. Participants discussed innovative tools to reinvigorate international dialogue and underscored the growing need for inclusive and adaptive diplomatic frameworks to tackle challenges ranging from climate insecurity to technological disruption.
- Also in June, within the framework of the Anna Lindh Foundation Forum held in Tirana, Albania, UNAOC organized a high-level plenary session focused on “Bridging Cultures and Religions in the Euro-Mediterranean Region: Reflecting on Two Decades of Dialogue for Humanity”.
Addressing the root causes of religious intolerance and hate crimes—including attacks on individuals based on their religion or belief, as well as on places of worship and sacred sites—is a cornerstone of UNAOC’s work. By promoting mutual respect, interfaith dialogue, and inclusive societies, UNAOC works to counter the narratives that fuel division and radicalization, fostering a culture of peace and coexistence. In this context:
- UNAOC and the Permanent Mission of Italy to the United Nations jointly organized the first in a series of presentations to Member States on the United Nations Action Plan to Enhance Monitoring and Response to Antisemitism, developed by UNAOC and launched on 17 January 2025. Hosted at the Permanent Mission of Italy, the presentation was attended by 16 Member States, who exchanged views on the content of the proposed activities and shared good practices on the national level.
- In May, the United Nations Secretary-General announced the appointment of Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos as the United Nations Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia. The Under-Secretary-General will continue to serve concurrently as the High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC). In this framework, the High Representative addressed the Opening Ceremony of the 21st Session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers, held in Istanbul last June. During this high-level gathering, the High Representative outlined his vision on addressing Islamophobia.
- Lastly, in June, the High Representative addressed the “Second Parliamentary Conference on Interfaith Dialogue: Strengthening trust and embracing hope for our common future” at the Chamber of Deputies at Palazzo Montecitorio in Rome, Italy.
That was a summary of UNAOC’s main activities from April 2025 to date.
Concluding, on behalf of USG Moratinos, I wish to convey to USG Vladimir Voronkov our deep appreciation to his leadership and his support to UNAOC’s work and the collaboration of his team.
I thank you.