United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)

UNAOC Fellowship Alumni Event: "Engaging women in peacebuilding, conflict mediation and the prevention of violent extremism"
2019-12-04 09:00 - 11:00 (America/Halifax) | Permanent Mission of Germany to the United Nations, 871 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY, 10017, United States
Organized by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and the Permanent Mission of Germany to the United Nations
Violent extremism and conflict are transnational threats to global stability which can virtually affect every human being, without distinction of nationality, ethnicity, religion, ideology or gender. Across the UN system, there has been growing awareness that addressing these challenges requires a multi-dimensional and a whole-of-society approach focused on prevention. However, the importance of adopting gender-sensitive frameworks is often overlooked, despite some undeniable progress at global policy level through the advancement of the UN agenda on Women, Peace and Security. Nevertheless, today, women are still almost totally excluded from formal peace processes, while gender stereotypes and grievances are frequently manipulated and exploited by violent groups to enhance recruitment. In that context, UNAOC and the Permanent Mission of Germany to the UN are inviting sixteen young professionals and civil society leaders from Europe, North America, the Middle East, and North Africa, to share their recommendations on the meaningful inclusion of women in mediation efforts and in the prevention of conflict and violent extremism. Following an interactive format, they will exchange good practices to harness the power of media, youth engagement, civil society and religious dialogue to support women in becoming champions of peace. All participants are UNAOC Fellows.
Interested in attending? Click here to RSVP.

View Speakers’ Bios
Download the Concept Note Here
RSVP to the UNAOC Fellowship Alumni Event

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Concept Note
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Speakers’ Bios
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25th Lisbon Forum
2019-11-25 - 2019-11-26 | Ismaili Centre, Lisbon, Ismaili Centre, Lisbon, Portugal
“Bridging the Paradigm: the relation between Development and Human Rights, the Rule of Law and Democracy”
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PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival Awards Ceremony
2019-11-13 10:00 - 13:00 (America/Halifax) | UNHQ ECOSOC Chamber, United Nations Headquarters, New York, NY, 10017, United States
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and the International Organization for Migration will hold the annual Awards Ceremony of the PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival. Several young filmmakers from across the globe will be celebrated and will also get a chance to present their films on the pressing issues of migration, diversity, social inclusion, and the prevention of xenophobia.

Youth Migration Film Forum
2019-10-18 13:00 - 15:00 (America/Halifax) | UNHQ ECOSOC Chamber, United Nations Headquarters, New York, NY, 10017, United States
Hear youth voices and join their call to action for the human rights of migrants around the world!
Join the PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival (a partnership between the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and the International Organization for Migration), the World Council of Peoples for the United Nations (WCPUN), INDOCUMENTALES, the Permanent Mission of Mexico to the United Nations, and the Consulate General of Mexico in New York to celebrate the work of youth filmmakers and discuss the power of storytelling.
The event will feature three youth-produced short films, including past winners of the PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival.
Registration is required for anyone without a United Nations Grounds Pass.
RSVP by 15 October 2019: Click here to RSVP.
For more information, please contact: rportila@mexonu.org.

Deadline Extended: UNAOC Young Peacebuilders (4th Edition)
2019-10-14 | Online
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) is pleased to launch the call for applications for the 4th edition of the Young Peacebuilders programme, focusing on the Middle East and North Africa region. The call is open to participants between 18 to 25 years old, from the region, with a strong interest in growing their ability to act as agents of peace in their community, region and beyond and to prevent violent extremism through intercultural and interfaith dialogue.
The application deadline is September 30, 2019, October 14, 2019, 11:59 PM Eastern Daylight Time (New York).
Read the eligibility criteria Click here to apply now

UNAOC Fellowship 2019 (MENA Cohort)
2019-10-13 - 2019-10-27
MENA Fellows of the UNAOC Fellowship Programme will travel to the United States, Germany, and Spain from 13 to 27 October 2019, while the EUNA cohort traveled to Morocco, Egypt and Qatar from 26 June to 10 July 2019. During their respective trips, in addition to addressing issues related to Intercultural Dialogue, both cohorts will also take part in activities and discussions focusing on a theme: “The role of women in peacemaking and conflict prevention”. This theme has been chosen in line with UNAOC mandate and priorities as well as the UN global agenda. The choice of the theme has also framed the selection process and participants from both groups are all involved professionally in the field of gender, peacebuilding and conflict prevention. For more information about the Fellowship, click here.

UNAOC Workshop for Young Peacebuilders of the MENA region
2019-10-07 - 2019-10-12 | Mérida, Spain, Mérida, Spain
Twenty young peacebuilders between 18 and 25 years old from 12 MENA countries will travel to Merida, Spain, to attend the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) peace workshop, organized in partnership with AEXCID.
From 7 to 12 of October 2019, the participants will analyze conflicts, practice peace tools to build bridges between cultures and religions, as well as design a peace project, which they will implement after the training.

About the UNAOC Young Peacebuilders programme
The Young Peacebuilders is a peace education initiative that is designed to support young people in gaining skills that can enhance their positive role in issues of peace and security and in preventing violent conflict. It also brings visibility to the initiatives, actions and projects initiated by young people towards peace and the promotion of diversity and dialogue. UNAOC intends to implement this programme in different regions of the world to grow and strengthen the global movement of young peacebuilders. Through this action, UNAOC is committing to support young people’s participation in peacebuilding with a growing coalition of partners.
Read more about Young Peacebuilders here.

Concert: "Youth for Sustainable Peace"
2019-10-03 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Halifax) | Trusteeship Council Chamber, UNHQ New York, Conference Building, UNHQ, New York, NY, United States
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) is co-sponsoring a concert featuring the National Autonomous University of Mexico Youth Orchestra Eduardo Mata on the theme of youth for sustainable peace. This event is co-organized by the Permanent Mission of Mexico to the United Nations, the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the UN Alliance of Civilizations, and the National Autonomous University of Mexico.
This event serves as a platform to amplify the voice of young people for the promotion of a peaceful, just and sustainable world. Music serves to connect young people building solidarity, and to engage in quality education and develop opportunities to become actors and advocates for peace. It also serves as an instrument for building social cohesion and greater tolerance among communities.
FlyerAgendaConcept Note

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UNAOC Group of Friends Ministerial Meeting
2019-09-27 15:00 - 18:00 (America/Halifax) | UNHQ Conference Room 2, United Nations Headquarters, New York, NY, 10017, United States
“Relevance of the Work of UNAOC to the United Nations Prevention Agenda and its Impact on the Ground”
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) will convene a Ministerial Meeting of its Group of Friends on Friday, 27 September 2019, 3:00pm to 6:00 pm, in Conference Room 2 of the United Nations Headquarters.
The meeting will focus on the theme “Relevance of the Work of UNAOC to the United Nations Prevention Agenda and its Impact on the Ground”. Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos, High Representative for UNAOC, will present his vision and priorities for the work of UNAOC for 2019-2023.

Provisional ProgrammeNote on Organizational Modalities
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UNAOC: Reviving the Global Dimension (A High-Level Round Table Luncheon)
2019-09-26 14:00 - 17:00 (America/Halifax) | The Yale Club of New York, 50 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY, United States
“UNAOC: Reviving the Global Dimension”, a high-level round table luncheon, is a launch event for a series of consultations with key UNAOC stakeholders and partners, to promote the values and mandate of UNAOC globally, across all regions and continents.
This new series is launched in line with the High Representative for UNAOC Mr. Miguel Moratinos’ vision to reinvigorate the regional and national strategies of UNAOC, adopted in the past by groups of countries, as well as to provide impetus to the development of new national and regional initiatives, taking into consideration the latest global challenges and trends.

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High-Level Round Table on Countering Hate Speech
2019-09-25 08:00 - 09:30 (America/Halifax) | UNHQ Conference Room 12, United Nations Headquarters, New York, NY, 10017, United States
Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos, High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, will deliver the keynote address at the High-Level Round Table on Countering Hate Speech, a side event in the margins of the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, organized by the Permanent Mission of Turkey to the UN and the Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the UN.
The High-Level Roundtable will provide the participants with an opportunity to identify key factors leading to an increase in intolerance and various forms of hatred, including hate speech. It is aimed at identifying measures and approaches required to effectively address and mitigate the impacts of hate speech on societies across the world, with a view to fostering tolerance and inclusivity.

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High-Level Working Luncheon on the Culture of Peace
2019-09-13 13:00 - 15:00 (America/Halifax) | UN Headquarters – Delegates Dining Room, United Nations Headquarters, New York, NY, 10017, United States
On Friday 13 September 2019, UNAOC will be participating in a high-level working luncheon convened by the President of the General Assembly, H. E. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, in the margins of the high-level forum devoted to the 20th Anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration and Programme of Action on the Culture of Peace by the General Assembly in resolution A/RES/53/243.
The luncheon will bring together member states and stakeholders to engage in an interactive discussion on the role of partnerships for achieving the SDGs, including through building the culture of peace.
For more information about the High-Level Forum on the Culture of Peace – 20th Anniversary, please click here.

Informal Briefing by the Secretary-General on the United Nations Plan of Action to Safeguard Religious Sites: In Unity and Solidarity for Safe and Peaceful Worship
2019-09-12 11:00 - 12:30 (America/Halifax) | UNHQ ECOSOC Chamber, United Nations Headquarters, New York, NY, 10017, United States
The United Nations Secretary-General, H.E. Mr. António Guterres, will brief Member States regarding the United Nations Plan of Action to Safeguard Religious Sites: In Unity and Solidarity for Safe and Peaceful Worship.
The Plan of Action has been elaborated by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) in the aftermath of the horrific attacks on two mosques that took place in Christchurch, New Zealand, on the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, and on the three Catholic churches in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, as well as increasing occurrences of other hatred attacks targeting religious sites worldwide.
The Plan of Action was prepared following an extensive series of consultations with governments, United Nations entities, faith-based organizations, religious leaders and other relevant stakeholders, conducted by the office of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations during the period from April to July 2019.

Deadline Extended: 2019 Youth Solidarity Fund Applications
2019-09-06 17:00 (America/Halifax)
Deadline extended to Friday, 6 September 2019 at 5:00 p.m. New York time
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) is pleased to invite youth-led organizations to apply for the Youth Solidarity Fund (YSF). The call is open to organizations from select countries whose work seeks to foster peaceful and inclusive societies through improved understanding and collaboration across cultures, faiths and beliefs.
Learn more here or click here to apply.

Religions for Peace 10th World Assembly
2019-08-20 - 2019-08-23 | Lindau, Germany, Lindau, Germany
The UNAOC High Representative, H.E. Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos, is participating in the Religions for Peace 10th World Assembly from 20–23 August 2019 in Lindau, Germany.
With a theme of “Caring for our Common Future—Advancing Shared Well-Being”, the Assembly will host senior religious leaders, youth and women of faith, government representatives, intergovernmental organizations and civil society groups to forge multi-stakeholder partnerships for the common good.

The Role of Faith Communities in Building Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies in Latin America and The Caribbean
2019-07-17 13:30 - 15:00 (America/Halifax) | Church Center for the UN, 777 United Nations Plaza, 10th Floor, New York, NY, 10017, United States
Side Event at the 2019 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF)
UNAOC will be participating in a panel discussion entitled “The Role of Faith Communities in Building Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies in Latin America and The Caribbean”, a side event in the margins of the 2019 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. The side event is organized by Alianza Interreligiosa, the Inter-Religious Alliance for the 2030 Agenda 2030.

The Role of Transformative Education in Dealing with the Challenges of Our Times
2019-07-16 13:15 - 14:45 (America/Halifax) | Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations
This side event is co-organized by the Permanent Missions of the Republic of Korea and the State of Qatar, UNAOC, UNESCO, UNDP, UN Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect and the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Centre of Education for International Understanding.
It will highlight key dimensions of transformative education, as well as explore opportunities for such education at both the country and schools levels to enhance and advance progress on sustainable development and sustaining peace.
The event will serve as a timely opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of transformative education in the UN context, and these efforts will continue throughout next year, fully utilizing the 75th anniversary of the United Nations as a benchmark of momentum to garner support for transformative education from all regions.

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Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom
2019-07-16 - 2019-07-18 | Washington, DC, USA
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) is participating in the second Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom in Washington on July 16-18, hosted by the U.S. Department of State.
The Ministerial will reaffirm international commitments to promote religious freedom for all and focus on concrete outcomes that produce durable, positive change. A broad range of stakeholders, including senior government representatives, international organization representatives, religious leaders, and civil society activists will convene to discuss challenges, identify concrete ways to combat religious persecution and discrimination, and ensure greater respect for freedom of religion or belief.
This year’s Ministerial seeks to further conversations from last year’s event and recent regional conferences. Up to 1000 civil society and religious community representatives, representing every corner of the world, are expected to attend.
For more information, click here.

The Annual Kofi Annan Faith Briefings
2019-07-15 | Ford Foundation, Center for Social Justice, 320 East 43rd Street, New York, United States
“Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality: the role of UN and Multi-Faith Collaboration”
The UN Interagency Task Force involves 20 UN system entities, each participating at different levels of intensity within the Task Force. The one thing these otherwise very diverse UN offices share is their engagement with religious actors, and/or their awareness, and action, around religious intersections with their respective organizational strategic objectives.
Since 2010, the UN Interagency Task Force Members have been convening policy roundtables, workshops, seminars, and joint initiatives around key UN intergovernmental fora (CSW, CPD, HLPF, and UNGA), around religion and religious engagement, and several reports, policy outcomes and initiatives are produced as a result of these consultations.
In 2018, the UN Interagency Task Force convened the first-ever United Nations Multi-Faith Advisory Council (AC). The Council is composed of the CEOs of the UN’s top global faith-based partners. The AC is committed to “uphold multilateralism and international human rights through multi-faith collaboration around/for Agenda 2030”. The CEOs of the FBOs were selected according to nominations from across the UN system entities members of the UN Interagency Task Force. To date, each major faith tradition is represented on the Council.

Due to the combined rising relevance of religious actors on the geopolitical scene, and the systematic engagement of many FBOs around sustainable development and humanitarian related initiatives in, around and by the UN Task Force, a larger number of NY and US-based NGOs are also attending HLPF-related initiatives. In other words, these are human, technical, cultural and political resources “walking the UN’s corridors”, at this time.
The purpose of the Kofi Annan Faith Briefings is:
1. To provide a dedicated and ‘regular’ space, during a key intergovernmental moment (in this case the High-Level Political Forum/HLPF) capitalizing on the unique constellation of geopolitical and socio-cultural human capital, well-versed in religion and religiously related affairs, which is capable of informing, and being informed by, UN system deliberations.
2. To uphold the importance of strategic partnerships by the UN system with faith-based and faith-inspired civil society actors, around the world for specific SDGs;
3. To present and assess the diverse range of partnerships between different faith entities and between them and the UN and its member states, as a means to realising the SDG goals;
4. To thereby showcase the multi-faith civic support for multilateralism which is dedicated to the service of human rights, sustainable development and peace and security.
Click here to read more.

African Regional High-Level Conference on Counter-Terrorism and the Prevention of Violent Extremism Conducive to Terrorism
2019-07-10 - 2019-07-11 | Nairobi, Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
The United Nations is taking a leading role in assisting Member States in their efforts to prevent and counter terrorism, including violent extremism conducive to it. In order to enhance our understanding of the terrorism threats faced by African countries, to share good practices and lessons learned, and to identify how cooperation among Member States and with the United Nations can be made more effective, the Republic of Kenya and the United Nations will convene on 10-11 July 2019 at the United Nations Office at Nairobi the African Regional High-Level Conference on Counter-Terrorism and the Prevention of Violent Extremism Conducive to Terrorism. This regional conference will inform the next United Nations High-level Conference of Heads of Counter-Terrorism Agencies of Member States to be held June 2020. The conference will take place in an interactive format. Click here to learn more.

"New Emerging Challenge of the 21st Century: One Humanity, Many Cultures" - A Lecture by Mr. Moratinos at Casa Árabe
2019-07-08 | Casa Árabe, Calle de Alcalá, 62, Madrid, Spain
On July 8, Mr. Miguel Angel Moratinos, High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), will give a lecture entitled “New Emerging Challenge of the 21st Century: One Humanity, Many Cultures” at Casa Árabe in Madrid, Spain. Click here for more information.
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PLURAL+ Pre-selection Screenings
2019-07-01 - 2019-07-25 | United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), 730 Third Avenue, 20th Floor, New York, NY, 10017, United States
As part of the pre-selection process of the PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival on migration, diversity, social inclusion, and the prevention of xenophobia, United Nations colleagues and other professionals working in relevant fields are invited to watch, evaluate, and score PLURAL+ videos entries. Once a shortlist is finalized, it will be shared with the PLURAL+ International Jury, and PLURAL+ winners will be announced in the fall.

Open briefing of the Counter-Terrorism Committee: The protection of “soft” targets through local engagement and public-private partnerships
2019-06-27 15:00 - 18:00 (America/Halifax) | UN Headquarters, Conference Room 2, United Nations Headquarters, New York, NY, United States
On 27 June 2019, the United Nations Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), will hold an open briefing on “The protection of “soft” targets through local engagement and public-private partnerships.” In its resolution 2396 (2017), the Security Council stresses the need for States to develop, review, or amend national risk and threat assessments to take into account “soft” targets, in order to develop appropriate contingency and emergency-response plans for terrorist attacks. It also calls on States to establish or strengthen national, regional, and international partnerships with public and private stakeholders and to share information and experiences in order to prevent, protect, mitigate, investigate, respond to, and recover from damage from terrorist attacks against “soft” targets. Click here to learn more.

UNAOC Fellowship 2019 (EUNA Cohort)
2019-06-26 - 2019-07-10
EUNA Fellows of the UNAOC Fellowship Programme will travel to Morocco, Egypt and Qatar from 26 June to 10 July 2019 and MENA Fellows will travel to the United States, Germany, and Spain from 13 to 27 October 2019. During their respective trips, in addition to addressing issues related to Intercultural Dialogue, both cohorts will also take part in activities and discussions focusing on a theme: “The role of women in peacemaking and conflict prevention”. This theme has been chosen in line with UNAOC mandate and priorities as well as the UN global agenda. The choice of the theme has also framed the selection process and participants from both groups are all involved professionally in the field of gender, peacebuilding and conflict prevention. For more information about the Fellowship, click here.
26-30 June: Rabat and Casablanca, Morocco
30 June – 5 July: Cairo, Egypt
5 – 10 July: Doha, Qatar

PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival: Submission Deadline
2019-06-16
As part of the 2019 edition of the PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival, the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) invite young people around the world to submit original and creative videos focusing on the pressing social issues of migration, diversity, social inclusion, and the prevention of xenophobia.
PLURAL+ video entries must be between one and five minutes and can be of any genre (animation, documentary, music video, comedy, etc.) as long as they convey constructive messages related to the themes of migration, diversity, social inclusion, and the prevention of xenophobia. The deadline to apply is Sunday 16 June 2019 at midnight EST.
Click here to submit a video entry for PLURAL+ 2019
An International Jury will select one PLURAL+ Award winners in each of three age categories (up to 12 years old; 13 to 17 years old; and 18 to 25 years old), and UNAOC and IOM will jointly select one video to receive the Special Award for the Prevention of Xenophobia. PLURAL+ partner organizations will also award a multitude of prizes and professional opportunities to several young filmmakers.
PLURAL+ winners will be invited to New York all expenses paid to participate in the PLURAL+ Awards Ceremony in November 2019 and a series of side events providing opportunities for professional development, co-productions, and networking.

For more information and to submit a video to PLURAL+, visit: https://pluralplus.unaoc.org/ .

PLURAL+ Contacts:
Mr. Thibault Chareton (UNAOC): thibaultc@unops.org | Ms. Rahma Gamil Soliman (IOM): rsoliman@iom.int

Deadline for Applications: Intercultural Innovation Award
2019-06-06 11:00 - 11:05 (America/Halifax)

Facebook Live Q&A Session about the 2019 PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival
2019-05-14 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Halifax)
Calling all young filmmakers around the world!
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) will be hosting a live Q&A session about the 2019 PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival on Tuesday, 14 May at 10 AM EST on Facebook (@IOM). Ask all your questions (who can apply? What type of video can I submit? Etc.) by submitting them to plural@unaoc.org or on social media using #PLURALplus19.
Click here to join the Facebook Live

With:
Thibault Chareton, UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)
Rahma Gamil Soliman, International Organization for Migration (IOM)

The PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival is a joint initiative of UNAOC and IOM launched in 2009. Every year, the Festival invites the world’s youth to submit original and creative videos focusing on the pressing social issues of migration, diversity, social inclusion, and the prevention of xenophobia. By supporting the global distribution of youth-produced media, PLURAL+ recognizes youth as powerful agents of positive social change. With increasing interest and participation each year since 2009, PLURAL+ has become a premier global platform for youth media distribution. This year, the deadline to submit a video is 16 June! Learn more and apply ASAP by visiting https://pluralplus.unaoc.org/

Deadline for Applications: Logistics and Administrative Assistant
2019-05-09

Meeting of the Network of Communication Officers on Migration (NETCOM)
2019-05-07 | OECD Boulogne-Billancourt, France, 46 Quai Alphonse le Gallo, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) will participate the second meeting of the Network of Communication Officers on Migration (NETCOM) on 7 May 2019 at the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Boulogne-Billancourt, France, in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
This meeting will gather communication officers and political advisers working in the relevant ministries and agencies of OECD member countries to discuss communication objectives and challenges in the area of migration and integration, and share good practices. UNAOC will participate in a session on the role of social media in communicating about migration, and will address the issue of hate speech and fake news.

WFID Plenary Session: "#Youth4Peace: Building a Counter-Narrative to Violent Extremism”
2019-05-03 09:30 - 11:30 (Asia/Dubai) | Baku, Azerbaijan
#Youth4Peace: Building a Counter-Narrative to Violent Extremism
A conversation with the UNAOC High Representative
Plenary 2 of the 5th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue

Background:
Today, youth engagement has become a crucial factor in the global efforts to prevent violent extremism and to build sustainable peace. In the fight against radicalization, youngsters are not considered as just victims or vulnerable individuals anymore. They are also regarded as agents of change and champions of peace. Crucial resolutions such as UNSCR 2250 (2015) on Youth, Peace and Security, UNSG Plan of Action on PVE (2016), and UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy’s most recent review (2018) are emphasizing youth resilience and empowerment as key elements to prevent violence and conflicts fuelled by hatred and intolerance. Moreover, working with young people from different backgrounds has proved pivotal to detect early signs of radicalization and to offer meaningful alternatives.
Over the years and through its various programming activities, UNAOC has encouraged youth leadership with the aim to help future generations become active citizens, resilient to extremism and able to counter radicalization through critical thinking. As a result, the Alliance has developed an extensive network of Alumni involved all over the world in key expertise areas, such as youth policy, global education, interreligious dialogue, social inclusion – only to name a few. Besides their remarkable backgrounds and achievements, these young people all have in common to be deeply committed to UNAOC mission of promoting dialogue and respect between cultures and religions.

Concept:
The High Representative for the UNAOC will engage UNAOC Alumni in an interactive format to discuss good practices on countering violent extremism through the promotion of intercultural and interfaith dialogue. Through short presentations followed by an exchange with the High Representative, Alumni will share innovative approaches on ways to involve youth in preventing violent extremism and to include their voice at policy level.
Together, they will examine the role of young people in tackling key issues such as preventing and addressing hate-speech and online radicalization; supporting diversity and the inclusion of minorities; assessing and improving the impact at grassroots level of UN youth policy; education younger generations to tolerance and respect for the other; using interreligious dialogue as a tool for reconciliation.
Basing their interventions on their own experience on the ground and engagement with UNAOC, Alumni will also make recommendations to address the shortcomings and challenges young people face when trying to take part in the global efforts to prevent violent extremism.

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