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.

PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival Awards Ceremony
2019-11-13 10:00 - 13:00 | 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.

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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UNAOC Fellowship Alumni Event: "Engaging women in peacebuilding, conflict mediation and the prevention of violent extremism"
2019-12-04 09:00 - 11:00 | 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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2019 Intercultural Innovation Award
2019-12-10 | Madrid, Spain
The 2019 Intercultural Innovation Award Ceremony, a celebration of the most innovative grassroots projects that encourage intercultural dialogue around the world, will be held in Madrid, Spain.
Following a competitive selection process with over 1,200 applications received from 128 countries, ten finalists have been announced by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and BMW Group for the 2019 Intercultural Innovation Award (IIA). Click here to read more about this year’s IIA finalists.
The final rankings will be revealed during the Intercultural Innovation Award Ceremony on December 10, 2019.
The ceremony will be chaired by H.E Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos, United Nations High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations, and Bill McAndrews, Vice President Market Communications, BMW Group.
Learn more about the 2019 Intercultural Innovation Award in Madrid

Deadline for Applications: #YouthWagingPeace South Asian Workshop
2019-12-25
#YouthWagingPeace South Asian Workshop
Under the aegis of the Second Phase of #YouthWagingPeace – The Whole of Community Approach to PVE, UNESCO MGIEP, UNAOC and the Sri Lanka National Commission for UNESCO are inviting youth leaders from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Pakistan and Sri Lanka; who are working on the ground to Prevent Violent Extremism through Education for an opportunity to improve their Social and Emotional Skills (including critical thinking skills), Media and information literacy skills and hands-on project management to curate and implement community-wide activities to build bridges of peace and prevent violent extremism in their communities. (Read More)
Click Here to Apply Now

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Educate to Eradicate: The Role of Education in Tackling Violent Extremism
2020-01-14 09:00 - 11:00 | IIE Headquarters, 809 United Nations Plaza, New York, New York
UNAOC will be participating in a roundtable entitled “Educate to Eradicate: The Role of Education in Tackling Violent Extremism”, organized by the Hamad Bin Khalifa University in partnership with IIE.

Background: Violent extremism has threatened the lives and stability of people all over the world; as well as challenging norms and development of communities. Some of the causes that result in intolerance, hatred, and extremism need to be explored from socio-economic viewpoint, including the role of education. The issues need to investigated beyond the security aspect and try to tackle the root of the problem. (Read More)

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12th Summit of the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD)
2020-01-20 - 2020-01-24 | Quito, Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
UNAOC will be participating in the 12th Summit Meeting of the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) in Quito, Ecuador, 20-24 January.
GFMD Summit meetings offer the largest multi-stakeholder space for Member States to discuss ways to improve migration policies and develop ideas and concrete partnerships.
As an observer of the GFMD, UNAOC developed and drafted a background paper for Roundtable 2.2. of the Summit Meeting on the theme, “Communicating effectively with migrants,” co-chaired by the Gambia, the Philippines, and the United Arab Emirates. This Roundtable is part of GFMD’s Substantive Priority 2: “Migration narratives and communication: What role, responsibility, and resources do governments have?”
UNAOC will present the background paper at the Summit Meeting.

Download the background paper: English | French | Spanish
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Deadline for Applications: Gender Equality Specialist
2020-01-28

Deadline: Request for Quotations for Printing Services
2020-01-28 11:00 - 17:00
UNAOC is pleased to invite prospective vendors to submit their quotations for printing services. Interested vendors must respond to the tender using the UNOPS eSourcing system via the UNGM portal.
Click here to submit a quotation now.

Background:
As part of its overall communications strategy, the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) regularly produces a wide variety of promotional materials for its projects, initiatives and entire spectrum of activities. These materials are intended to disseminate information, increase visibility, boost outreach, and strengthen UNAOC’s branding efforts.
Established in 2005, the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) is a political initiative of Mr. Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary General, and co-sponsored by the Governments of Spain and Turkey. A High-Level Group of experts was formed by Mr. Annan to explore the roots of polarization between societies and cultures today, and to recommend a practical programme of action to address this issue. The Report of the High-Level Group provided analysis and put forward practical recommendations that form the basis for the implementation plan of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations.
Guided by the principles of the UN Charter, the report of its High-Level Group, and the priorities of the Secretary-General, the UN Alliance of Civilizations works toward a more peaceful, more socially inclusive world, by building mutual respect among peoples of different cultural and religious identities, and highlighting the will of the world’s majority to reject extremism and embrace diversity. UNAOC will seek to operate in situations where it can contribute to broader efforts to ameliorate identity-based crises and promote culturally sensitive development policies.
Click here to submit a quotation now.

First International Expert Group Meeting on the Security of Major Sporting
2020-02-03 - 2020-02-04 | United Nations Headquarters, New York, United Nations Headquarters, New York, NY, 10017, United States
The United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), in association with the United Nations Interregional Criminal Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and the International Centre for Sport and Security (ICSS) and in consultation with the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), has designed the “Global Programme on Security of Major Sporting Events, and Promotion of Sport and Its Values as a Tool to Prevent Violent Extremism”.
The first International Expert Group Meeting and the launch of the Global Programme will take place on 3 and 4 February 2020 in a closed-door manner at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The First IEG meeting will see the participation of a wide range of experts and stakeholders, to discuss the state of the art of major events security around the world, setting up the priorities for the development of specific global policies, as well as collecting practices and identifying recommendations for the development of global guidelines to better assist Member States in managing the security of major sporting events.
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Addressing hate speech and preventing incitement to discrimination, hostility and violence: Synergies within the United Nations system
2020-02-04 10:00 - 11:30 | UNHQ Conference Room 3, United Nations Headquarters, New York, 10017, United States
An OSAPG Side Event during Interfaith Harmony Week
This event aims at discussing the role of religious leaders and actors to address hate speech and prevent incitement to violence during the annual Interfaith Harmony Week. In this context, it also aims at exploring synergies between the Fez Plan of Action and the UN Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech, as well as other relevant UN initiatives. Ms. Nihal Saad, Chief of Cabinet and Spokesperson of UNAOC, is one of the speakers.
Click here to RSVP: https://forms.gle/EPwDadEaPGobwnqF9
*Registration deadline for non-UN grounds pass holders is COB Thursday, 30 January 2020*
For additional information, please contact Simona Cruciani (cruciani@un.org).
Download (PDF, 169KB)

Deadline Extended: Project Management - Multimedia Intern
2020-02-12
UNAOC is looking for a multimedia intern for its New York office. Apply by 31 January 2020.

Interfaith Harmony Week Event: "United Nations Plan of Action to safeguard religious sites: A global communications campaign"
2020-02-14 10:00 - 13:00 | UNHQ Conference Room 11
In the context of the annual World Interfaith Harmony Week established by UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/65/5, UNAOC will organize an event entitled United Nations Plan of Action to safeguard religious sites: A global communications campaign to foster dialogue, mutual respect and understanding on Friday, 14 February from 10:00 to 1:00 in Conference Room 11.
The event will contribute to the implementation of the UN Plan of Action to safeguard religious sites and will feed into the global communications campaign recommended by the Plan.
The UN Plan of Action also recommends that 2020 World Interfaith Harmony Week be dedicated to the protection of religious sites and stresses the importance of interfaith dialogue, which can translate into enhanced respect for religious sites of different faiths and the recognition of their universality as symbols of our shared humanity, history, social fabric and traditions.
The event will consist of a panel discussion followed by an interactive dialogue that will look into the role that global youth and the global faith community can play to create connections to religious sites that can help celebrate their universality, underscore the role of individuals in protecting religious sites, and contribute to fostering dialogue, mutual respect and understanding. Building on the principles of the Plan, namely, respect, responsibility, diversity, dialogue, solidarity, standing together and staying together, the event will help identify issues and recommendations that will feed into the global communications campaign.

LA Dialogue on Creating Cities of Belonging
2020-03-04 - 2020-03-05 | Los Angeles, Los Angeles, United States
As dynamic laboratories of ideas and practical solutions to problems affecting co-existence, cities can and must lead the way in promoting inclusion, co-existence, and belonging. The LA Dialogue explores those ideas.

Co-organized by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and the City of Los Angeles, and LAMEDINA International Dialogue Institute

The LA Dialogue on Creating Cities of Belonging aims to foster reciprocal knowledge, understanding, and exchange in a safe and stimulating intellectual environment.
The neutral venue of the LA Dialogue, as well as the private, off-the-record nature of the discussions, are designed to help participants develop a deeper comprehension of each other’s challenges and look for collective creative solutions to these challenges.
Under the chairmanship of LA Mayor Eric Garcetti and UNAOC High Representative Miguel Moratinos, Mayors from around the world will interact with select cultural, religious, political, and business personalities to discuss issues of pluralism and diversity.
This unique dialogue structure can thus connect local actors – municipal leaders as well as global players – the United Nations, and civil society. It will take place in Los Angeles at the heart of a global search for a peaceful, inclusive, and multicultural coexistence.
The LA Dialogue will take place over 1.5 days in Los Angeles.
Download the LA Dialogue Flyer

FlyerSpeakersConcept Note

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Deadline Extended: Call for Applications for the 2020 Edition of the UNAOC Fellowship Programme
2020-03-15 19:30 - 23:59
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) is pleased to launch the Call for Applications for the 2020 edition of its Fellowship Programme. The Call is open to participants between 25 to 35 years old, from the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and North America, with a strong interest in intercultural exchanges. The theme of the Fellowship 2020 is “Building peace in the age of new media”.

PLURAL+ Webinar: tips to create compelling video content amid the pandemic
2020-04-17 11:00 - 12:00
2020 marks the twelfth anniversary of the PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival, a joint initiative of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC). UNAOC and IOM recently launched the 2020 call for video submissions, and announced the creation of two new award categories for the festival: The Future We Want Award, and the Award #forSafeWorship. In the current content, producing compelling content can seem challenging. During this webinar, UNAOC and IOM will share information about the 2020 edition of PLURAL+, answer questions, and share tips on ways to produce and submit exciting content for PLURAL+ despite the current restrictions related to the global pandemic.
Join the Webinar

World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development: Perspectives from the global UNAOC community amid the current health crisis
2020-05-21 08:30 - 10:00 | Virtual
21 May marks the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development (A/RES/57/249), which celebrates our world’s many cultures and the critical role of intercultural dialogue for achieving peace and sustainable development. On this special occasion, the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) – the leading UN entity in the field of intercultural dialogue – invited some of its programmes partners and friends working in the field of cultural diversity across the globe to participate in a virtual discussion. They will share thoughts and experiences about the current health crisis, what it has taught them, and how they envisage our world post-COVID 19, especially in the context of bridging the gap between various cultures to foster respect, mutual understanding, as well as sustainable peace, stability, and development. This event is part of the #OneHumanity campaign of UNAOC, through which it has collected stories of solidarity from its global community to inspire the world to stay united amid the crisis. Learn more by visiting solidarity.unaoc.org and following the hashtag #OneHumanity.
Click here to join the virtual discussion live

Click here to join the virtual discussion live

The importance of education for global citizenship in the age of Covid-19
2020-06-12 11:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
Mr. Miguel Moratinos, High Representative for UNAOC, will be participating in a virtual discussion entitled “The importance of education for global citizenship in the age of Covid-19”.
Watch the Discussion Live

Virtual Refugee Conference
2020-06-20 12:30 - 13:30 | Virtual
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) is organizing an interactive discussion with refugee students on the issue of hate speech against migrants and refugees in traditional and new media and ways to combat it. This event is part of the interactive online conference “Amplify Now”, organized by Kiron – Open Higher Education for Refugees, which is bringing together refugees, non-governmental organizations, academics, and the private sector in a unique global gathering to foster collaborative and results-oriented exchanges around the theme, “Elevating new learning and strengthening communities”.
The UNAOC session will introduce participants to UNAOC’s #SpreadNoHate initiative and include small-group discussions allowing participants to benefit from one another’s experiences and perspectives and leave the session with new ideas on ways to combat hate speech. Alumni of the UNAOC Fellowship programme and current UNAOC Fellows will facilitate the small-group discussions with refugee students.
For more information and to register, visit https://virtualrefugeeconference.com/program/spread-no-hate-UNAOC

Deadline for Applications: Programme Management Senior Officer - Online trainer in intercultural dialogue
2020-06-22 08:00 - 23:55

Deadline for Applications: Programme Management Senior Officer – Online trainer in media and peacebuilding
2020-06-22 08:00 - 23:55

PLURAL+ Youth Media Makers Against Racism: a Virtual Watch Party featuring PLURAL+ Winners
2020-06-26 10:00 - 11:30 | Online
Join the PLURAL+ Watch Party Here
Join us for a virtual “watch party” featuring short movies made by young filmmakers who stand up against racism. All featured films are winners of the PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival, a joint initiative of UNAOC and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Featured films:
Exit Right
By Rupert Holler (Austria)
2015 PLURAL+ winner
Synopsis: A man on the bus verbally abuses a black passenger. The story takes an unexpected turn and conveys a strong message using a keen sense of humor.
Click here to watch the video
Inspire
By Awais Ali and Sheroze Khan (United Kingdom)
2015 PLURAL+ winner
Synopsis: A conversation on the positive impact of cultural diversity and immigration, challenging audiences to counter discrimination in their own communities.
Click here to watch the video
A Letter to My Unborn Daughter
By DaeQuan Collier (United States)
2016 PLURAL+ winner
Synopsis: An expecting father writes a letter to his daughter, encouraging African American women to embrace who they are.
Click here to watch the video
Translate into Power
By Andreia Friaças and António Castelo (Portugal)
2018 PLURAL+ winner
Synopsis: Three migrant women recite a poem in its original language, Portuguese, sharing one message of inclusion and resilience.
Click here to watch the video
It’s Not Me, It’s You
By Zavia Forrest and Ella Cooper Creative production (Canada)
2017 PLURAL+ winner
Synopsis: This short film explores the injustices of systemic racism through art, rejecting western beauty standards, and empowering women of color to do the same.
Click here to watch the video
Blue
By Breech Harani (Philippines)
2015 PLURAL+ winner
Synopsis: In this short animation, the main character leaves home to move to a new community and discovers that no matter who you are or where you come from, you are not alone.
Click here to watch the video
The Cops Don’t Know
By Sam Chegini (Iran/United Kingdom)
2016 PLURAL+ winner
Synopsis: This music video explores the history of police brutality against the African American community and reflects on the injustice people still face today.
Click here to watch the video

Seeking Refuge
By Eva Eileen Limones Macdonald (Spain)
2019 PLURAL+ winner
Synopsis: A young refugee adapts to life in a new country with her mother and sister, while navigating friendships across language barriers and the challenges of her mother finding work.
Click here to watch the video
Colour
By Taryn Birkett (Canada)
2016 PLURAL+ winner
Synopsis: Born in Ontario, Canada, to Bajan and Scottish heritage, Taryn reflects on her experience living in a predominantly white neighborhood and takes pride in her diverse background.
Click here to watch the video
The True Impact
By Babar Ali and Sarah Randolph (Nepal)
2017 PLURAL+ winner
Synopsis: This video invites the viewer to reflect on the fundamental impact that discrimination and violence have on individuals and humanity.
Click here to watch the video
Color Makes the World Better
By Carlo Villanueva Ruiz, Claudia Ruiz, Moremil Tornero, Silvana Villanueva Ruiz, and Luciano Villanueva Ruiz (Mexico)
2018 PLURAL+ winner
Synopsis: Through art class and color theory, students explore the concepts of social inclusion, its impact on people’s lives, and how diversity enriches our global society with a mosaic of ideas, choices, beliefs, languages, roots, and cultures.
Click here to watch the video
See Actions, Not Colors
By Joana Maria Sousa (Portugal)
2017 PLURAL+ winner
Synopsis: Shot from the perspective of our four-legged furry friends, this video reminds us to judge people by their actions, not by their skin color.
Click here to watch the video
We are human
By Sophie Kanza, Louise Kanza, and Stuart Williams (South Africa)
2017 PLURAL+ winner
Synopsis: African immigrant youth living in South Africa recite common racist slurs and stereotypes associated with their different nationalities. The video ends with a message calling for African unity.
Click here to watch the video

Join the PLURAL+ Watch Party Here

G20 Interfaith Forum Middle East Regional Meeting
2020-06-27 | Online
The G20 Interfaith Forum offers an annual platform where a network of religiously linked institutions and initiatives engage on global agendas (primarily and including the Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs). The annual G20 Summits are a critical time and place where priority global issues are considered. The G20 process has evolved since it was established in 2008, with various platforms (ministerial meetings, engagement groups) that allow different sectors and communities to present ideas and recommendations to global leaders. Our goal is to contribute meaningful insight and recommendations that respond to and help shape the G20 and thus global policy agendas.

The Arab regional consultation represents an integral part of the preparations for the G20 Interfaith Forum. It has particular significance because of the high level of interaction between religious actors, Arab policy makers, and other experts in the Arab setting.

Learn More About the G20 Interfaith Forum

Deadline extended: PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival
2020-07-03 23:30 - 2020-07-04 01:00
The deadline to apply for the 2020 edition of the PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival is Friday, 3 July 2020 Friday, 19 June 2020, at midnight EST. For more information and to submit a video, visit: https://pluralplus.unaoc.org/.

Deadline to Apply: Learning Management Specialist
2020-08-19 23:30 - 23:55

Request for Quotations: Provision of written translation and simultaneous interpretation services
2020-08-24 23:00 - 23:59

High-Level Meeting Preventing Violent Extremism through Sport Values
2020-09-18 10:00 - 12:45 | Online
Within the framework of the United Nations Global Programme on the Security of Major Sporting Events, and Promotion of Sport and Its Values as a Tool to Prevent Violent Extremism

The United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) was mandated by the General Assembly to enhance coordination and coherence across the UN System’s counter-terrorism and prevention of violent extremism work to ensure the balanced implementation of the four pillars of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. The Office coordinates and implements technical assistance and capacity-building initiatives to support Member States’ efforts to prevent and counter violent extremism (PCVE) conductive to terrorism, including through leveraging sport and its values as a tool to prevent violent extremism. Sports have historically played a significant role in the dissemination of positive values throughout the world and across civilization and cultures, especially for the youth, and is a powerful vector for the development of efforts aimed at preventing and countering violent-extremism and radicalization, promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, and facilitating integration at large.
With this vision in mind and within the framework of the “United Nations Global Programme on the Security of Major Sporting Events, and Promotion of Sport and its Values as a Tool to Prevent Violent Extremism”, UNOCT is convening a two-hour High-Level Meeting on the Prevention of Violent Extremism through Sports, in partnership with the UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), the UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), and the International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS). The event will precede the launch of a series of initiatives which include, inter alia, the development of a guide for policymakers, a training handbook, a global campaign and a grant-awarding mechanism for local civil society organizations (CSOs) working on sports-based prevention of violent extremism (PVE).
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Security Council resolution 2419 (2018) on Youth, Peace and Security recognizes the “growing contribution of sport and culture to the realization of development and peace in the promotion of tolerance and respect as well as the contributions sport and culture make to the empowerment of youth and women, individuals and communities as well as to health, education and social inclusion objectives”. More recently the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2535 (2020) calling on United Nations entities to improve capacity-building by integrating the Youth, Peace and Security agenda into their technical assistance plans.
The virtual high-level meeting will feature discussions between senior United Nations Officials, Member States and international organizations representatives, policymakers, and sports personalities committed to the fight against violent extremism. The event will be followed by a technical level International Expert Group Meeting where representatives from governments, international and regional organizations, sport bodies, academia and CSOs will share experiences and discuss actionable good practices of sports-based interventions aimed at preventing and countering violent extremism that can inspire the inclusion and further acknowledgment of sports within national and regional action (PCVE) action plans.

UNAOC high-level Group of Friends meeting, followed by 2 interactive panel discussions
2020-09-29 09:00 - 19:00 | Online
Annual High-Level Meeting of the UNAOC Group of Friends
“Shaping a Better World: Building Cohesive and Inclusive Societies in a Challenging COVID-19 Environment”
On 14 July 2020, the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) turned fifteen. The Alliance of Civilizations was created as the special initiative of the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, who launched it in 2005 at a time when the United Nations recognized an urgent need to fill a policy gap in the governance of cultural and religious diversity, which was threatened by growing divisions between communities and polarization of attitudes triggering the rise of violent extremism, terrorist attacks and the exacerbation of frequent manifestations of intolerance, xenophobia and racism.
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic unraveled, there was a strong push-back on cultural diversity, religious pluralism and human rights. Rightly described as a global human crisis, the pandemic threw under a magnifying lens critical issues that lingered on and metastasized over the years. It laid bare entrenched inequalities and fractures. Societies are divided across cultural, ethnic and religious lines. We see it in the resurgence of Neo-Nazis organizations and anti-Semitism. Manifestations of hate speech, racism, xenophobia, and all forms of discrimination against vulnerable communities continue, leading to a vicious circle of extreme violence and terrorist attacks. Youth and women were further marginalized depriving communities of significant potential sources of resilience.
Coincidentally as we mark the 15th anniversary of UNAOC, the international community also celebrates this year the United Nations at 75. It is worth recalling that the existing multilateral governance structures emerged from a devastating global war and the world-wide depression and a pandemic that preceded it. Only events of such global consequence could generate the solidarity, resolve and vision necessary to create those structures.
Events as such remind us of our common fragility and our interconnected fate. If a neighbor, family member, friend, or country is not safe, none of us is safe. History taught us that our well-being and safety are linked to what happens to our neighbor. There is no alternative to standing together in unity and solidarity in cohesive and equitable societies. Fulfilling Goal 16 “Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies” of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is more imperative now than ever before. It is the raison d’être of UNAOC.
The current dark moment in the history of humanity also presents a rare opportunity to emerge from this pandemic closer delivering as one. After all, sustaining peaceful, inclusive and just societies requires an integrated and coherent approach through strong collaboration across the different sectors in any society.
In this context, the overarching theme of the opening plenary session of the annual high-Level meeting of the UNAOC Group of Friends “Shaping a Better World: Building Cohesive and Inclusive Societies in a Challenging COVID-19 Environment” will serve as an occasion to mark the 15th anniversary of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and take stock of what has been accomplished. It will be also an opportunity to present to the Group of Friends, which has grown to 124 member states of the United Nations, along with 27 international inter-governmental organizations and 1 non-member state, the progress made by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations since September 2019 across the different pillars. The High Representative will also present the new initiatives launched in the areas of prevention and mediation, as well as the new actions taken to address challenges posed by the global pandemic of the coronavirus in 2020.
The opening plenary of the meeting will provide the Group of Friends with the space to express their views regarding these underlying questions: What future do we want for our societies, and how do we get there? What can the UNAOC Group of Friends do to support UNAOC in its endeavors?
The opening segment will start at 09:00AM (EDT) and conclude by 11:30AM (EDT). It will be followed by 2 interactive webinars, each for 90 minutes, focusing on: 1) “An Intergenerational Conversation: The Future They Want”, and 2) “Racism, Xenophobia and Discrimination: The Tearing of Our Societies”. The concept note and format of the webinars will be shared in due course.

Tentative Programme

09:00AM-09:40AM Opening segment
H.E. Mr. Miguel Angel Moratinos, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, chairs the meeting, welcomes participants and delivers remarks and presentation
Remarks by H.E. Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations (video message)
Remarks by H.E. Mr. Volkan Bozkır, President of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly (video message)
Remarks by Spain and Turkey
Video on commemorating the 15th Anniversary of UNAOC

09:40AM-11:25AM Plenary segment
Statements by Member States, Observers and International Organizations (per the list of speakers; interventions are limited to 3 minutes)

11:25AM-11:30AM Closing segment
Concluding remarks by H.E. Mr. Miguel Angel Moratinos, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations

11:30AM-11:45AM Intermission 1

11:45AM-01:15PM Webinar 1: “An Intergenerational Conversation: The Future They Want”
Panel discussion among experts, civil society and senior United Nations officials, moderated by UNAOC (Read more about Webinar 1)

01:15PM-03:00PM Intermission 2

03:00PM-04:30PM Webinar 2 “Racism, Xenophobia and Discrimination: The Tearing of Our Societies”
Panel discussion among experts, civil society and senior United Nations officials, moderated by UNAOC (Read more about Webinar 2)

Concept Notes and Programmes (please wait for the documents to load)
PlenaryWebinar 1Webinar 2
Plenary Session: High-level Group of Friends Meeting
Download (PDF, 380KB)

Webinar 1: “An Intergenerational Conversation: The Future They Want”
Download (PDF, 361KB)

Webinar 2 “Racism, Xenophobia and Discrimination: The Tearing of Our Societies”
Download (PDF, 361KB)

An Intergenerational Conversation: The Future They Want
2020-09-29 11:45 - 13:15 | Online
An Interactive webinar on the margins of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly
The current youth generation is acknowledged as the largest in history with 1.85 billion young women and men 10 to 24 years of age in the world, 90% of whom live in developing countries and one in four affected by violence or armed conflict. Africa and the Arab region have a wealth of young people who account for two thirds of the Arab region’s population and 65% of the African continent.
It would be stating the obvious to say that young women and men are critical agents for social change, economic growth and development. They actively contribute to the resilience of their communities and represent an important pool of talent, ideas, energy and passion. Young people are a key asset which can leverage unparalleled multiplier effects with their ability to mobilize their peers and implement innovative solutions to address challenges.
At the same time, young people continue to suffer disproportionately from conflict and poverty and have been traditionally facing systemic challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated those challenges for most young women and men. Millions lost their jobs and hundreds of thousands remain without education due to partial closures of educational institutions. Failure to address those challenges leads to alienating young people and eroding their trust in the political establishments. Such environment provides an open space for extremist groups to exploit youth’s anger and despair to fan the flames of hatred and radicalization. Extremists and radical groups are taking advantage of the proliferation of digital platforms to double down on social media spreading hatred and offering youth a twisted sense of purpose based on lies.
Yet, during the pandemic, young people had also been in the front lines volunteering and providing support to their communities. They found ways to engage, demand change and fight for peace, inclusion and justice. It is, therefore, essential to recognize young people at the center of our recovery efforts and as we chart the re-building of peaceful, resilient and inclusive societies.
On 27 April 2020, the UN Security Council marked the 5th Anniversary of the adoption of the groundbreaking resolution 2250 (2015) by holding an open debate to take stock of the progress made in the previous five years and identify actions that the Security Council could take to ensure the meaningful participation of the youth in peace and security efforts. During the open debate, the UN Secretary-General presented the key findings of the first report focused on the youth, peace and security agenda mandated by UNSCR 2419 (2018). In his statement, the Secretary-General noted that notwithstanding the progress achieved, the Youth, Peace and Security agenda still faces formidable challenges. Participation opportunities remain inadequate, particularly in the decision-making processes. He called to action on youth, peace and security agenda and to address these challenges guided by the findings of the Independent Progress Study on Youth Peace and Security.
In July 2020, the Security Council adopted resolution 2535(2020), which in its first operational paragraph “calls on all relevant actors, to consider ways to increase the inclusive representation of youth for the prevention and resolution of conflict, as well as in peacebuilding, including when negotiating and implementing peace agreements, and to ensure the full, effective and meaningful participation of youth, recognizing that their marginalization is detrimental to building sustainable peace”.
In February 2019, the UN Security Council welcomed Africa’s initiative of the “Silencing the Guns” and called for international support and cooperation to achieve peace in Africa. In order to achieve (STG) agenda and article 17 of the African Youth Charter, the AU Youth Envoy launched a continental platform for conversation among young people to exchange views on the challenges and solutions towards to achieve a peaceful and prosperous Africa.
Framing the Conversation:
Youth is one of the five pillars of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) together with education, migration, media and the role of women as mediators and peacemakers in conflicts with cultural and religious settings. Through education, capacity building, training and many other opportunities for innovation and creativity, UNAOC empowers young women and men and youth-led civil society globally and recognize them as powerful agents for social change. Over the years, UNAOC has developed programming that recognizes young people as essential partners in fostering mutual understanding between peoples of different cultures and religions, highlighting the will of the majority to reject violent extremism and embrace diversity. Youth-led organizations that foster peaceful and inclusive societies have been supported since 2008 through the Youth Solidarity Fund (YSF). Seed funding and technical support are given to projects, led by and focused on young people, that demonstrate innovative and effective approaches to intercultural or interfaith dialogue. Financial support for recent editions has been provided by the Government of Finland. An independent evaluation report was produced in 2018, of ten youth-led organizations supported by YSF in 2016 and 2017, which includes best practices and lessons for similar youth-focused donor programmes.
In line with the theme chosen to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the United Nations and in the spirit of keeping the UN75 dialogues going, this interactive conversation between UNAOC young alumni and senior officials will present an opportunity to further engage young people and amplify their voices around the importance of youth engagement in the peace and security agenda.
Objective:
Through an interactive, intergenerational discussion, the panel will identify key challenges that youth are currently facing as a result of the pandemic and will make recommendations to strengthen their engagement and amplify their voices as the world gears-up for recovering from the pandemic and re-building a better world.
Format:
The virtual event will take place on 29 September, 11:45AM – 1:15PM (EDT) in the form of an interactive conversation between UNAOC youth alumni.

Participants:

Leading the conversation:
Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos
High Representative, United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)

Panelists:
Mr. Vladimir Voronkov
Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism, United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT)
Ms. Diene Keita
Deputy Executive Director for Programme, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Assistant-Secretary-General
Amb. Sima Sami Bahous
Permanent Representative of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to the United Nations
Ms. Corinne Momal-Vanian
Executive Director, Kofi Annan Foundation

Special Guest
Ms. Aya Chebbi
Youth Envoy, African Union

UNAOC youth alumni panelists
Ms. Sif Heide-Ottosen
Fellowship Programme 2019 EUNA, Denmark
Mr. Tomas Horvath
Fellowship Programme 2017 EUNA, Slovak Republic
Ms. Ahlem Nasraoui
Intercultural Innovation Award 2017, Tunisia
Ms. Magdalen Amony
Intercultural Innovation Award 2019, Uganda
Ms. Theresa Saade
Intercultural Innovation Award 2014, Lebanon
Mr. Syed Ali Abbas
Intercultural Innovation Award 2017, Pakistan
Ms. Louise Kanza
PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival 2017, Democratic Republic of Congo and South Africa
Ms. Sivatharsini Raveendran
Youth Solidarity Fund 2019-2020, Sri Lanka
Mr. Mohammed Ghanem
Young Peacebuilders 3rd edition, Egypt
Ms. Farah El Alami
Young Peacebuilders 3rd edition, Jordan
Ms. Afaf Lamkoutar
Young Peacebuilders 3rd edition, Morocco
