United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)

Briefing on Efforts on Combating Antisemitism
2022-06-15 10:00 - 13:00 (America/Halifax) | UNHQ ECOSOC Chamber, United Nations Headquarters, New York, NY, 10017, United States

Deadline: UNAOC Fellowship Programme
2022-06-10

Deadline: #Sport4OneHumanity Call for Applications
2022-06-06 | Online

Meeting of the National Focal Points of the Global Programme on Sport and PVE
2022-05-10 - 2022-05-12 | Bangkok, Thailand
UNAOC, UNOCT, UNICRI, and ICSS will hold a National Focal Points (NFPs) Regional Forum for Asia and the Pacific in Bangkok, Thailand, within the framework of the Global Programme on Sport and PVE (10-12 May 2022). The Forum will bring together NFPs from all over the region, providing them with a platform to share lessons learned and best practices on the security of major sporting events, as well as on the use of sport to PVE, taking into account regional characteristics such a common legal framework, geographical features, drivers of violent extremism and threats. It will include working groups, experts’ presentations, and networking opportunities to discuss the security of major sporting events and the use of sport as a tool to PVE.

Presentation of the “Peace4Culture Global Call” Action Plan
2022-05-05 10:00 - 11:30 (America/Halifax) | Conference Room 11
Organized by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan, and the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the United Nations

Watch live via UN Web TV
The “Peace4Culture Global Call” Action Plan underpins the interdependence of peaceful relations and the safeguarding of cultural and religious heritage. Culture defines and reflects identity and highlights the difference between people and communities. The vast majority of people on earth are members of a faith or spiritual community. And although each has their own traditions and convictions, they share together common values such as compassion, humility and respect for others regardless of their religion, race, culture or gender.
The “Peace4Culture Global Call” initiative equally highlights the universality of cultural religious heritage sites as symbols of our shared humanity. In this context, the United Nations Plan of Action to Safeguard Religious Sites, developed by UNAOC in 2019, emphasizes the sanctity and universality of religious sites which are symbols of our identity and shared humanity. It is noteworthy to recall the United Nations Security Council resolution 2347 of 2017, which stresses that “the unlawful destruction of cultural heritage, looting and smuggling of cultural property in the event of armed conflict, including by terrorist groups, and attempts to deny historical roots and cultural diversity can fuel and exacerbate conflicts and impede post-conflict national reconciliation, thus undermining the security and stability, governance and social, economic and cultural development of affected states”. The “Peace4Culture Global Call” emphasizes that strengthening intercultural and interreligious dialogue serves as a viable tool for advancing sustainable peace and stability. At the same time, sport and art are powerful vectors for promoting diversity, inclusivity and mutual respect. They are a universal language that break taboos, bridge barriers as well as inspire and connect.

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News Generation Against Hate: Empowering La Courneuve youth to create alternative narratives and champion diversity in the media
2022-05-04 15:00 - 17:00 (America/Halifax) | Conference Room 8
Watch Live Here
BACKGROUND
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) is committed to engaging with municipalities, which are often on the frontlines of challenges linked to intercultural and interreligious tensions that may erupt within diverse communities. Implemented in collaboration with the municipality of La Courneuve (Paris area, France), the project “News Generation Against Hate” equipped young people with the tools to combat misinformation, hate speech, and stereotypes by promoting intercultural and interreligious understanding in the media. Since 2021, the project has engaged forty youth from La Courneuve between the ages of 16 and 24 to help them deconstruct stereotypes rooted in a lack of exposure to diverse cultures and religions. Through workshops and capacity-building activities, participants acquired storytelling techniques and competencies to promote mutual understanding and respect for the other. Moreover, through the production of media content such as videos and radio podcasts, participants learned to recognize and address misinformation and discrimination in the media. Led by a group of experienced facilitators, they produced alternative narratives and multimedia content covering local and national issues related to multiculturalism, becoming active actors and partners of social change.
OVERVIEW
Having finalized their capacity-building training and having produced their projects on alternative narratives, the youth participants will be traveling to New York, where they will present their achievements at the United Nations Headquarters on Wednesday, 4 May.
Through this component of the ‘News Generation Against Hate’ project, UNAOC seeks to empower the youth participants from the Municipality of La Courneuve by providing them with a platform for dialogue previously inaccessible to them. UNAOC will directly contribute to amplifying youth representation and thus allow them to have a voice in decisions that affect them, in line with the United Nations Secretary-General 2021 Report, ‘Our Common Agenda’.
Moreover, this will also constitute a unique opportunity for UNAOC to showcase the potential of working with local youth in collaboration with municipalities – an approach that is replicable across the board, in line with UNAOC’s wider strategy of working with cities and local governments to mobilize action at the community level.

Generation Equality: Building Back Better with Young Women & Girls at the Center – SDG 5
2022-04-19 15:15 - 17:00 (America/Halifax) | Online
Register to join us online

ECOSOC Youth Forum Side Event: 'Increasing Investment in Flexible Funding for Youth-led Organizations'
2022-04-18 09:00 - 10:30 (America/Halifax) | Virtual
Co-organized by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation and Justice Call
Register Here For Your Zoom Link

SPEAKERS
Anders Ankarlid, CEO and Founder, A Good Company
Diana Heredia, Program Officer, Multi Partner Trust Fund for Sustaining Peace in Colombia
Khaled Emam, Executive Director, Justice Call (Moderator)
Natalia Lozano, Director of the CAMY Fund, Seattle International Foundation
Sarra Messaoudi, Regional Coordinator, MENA Coalition on Youth, Peace and Security
Thande Tshabalala, Third Secretary, Permanent Mission of the Republic of South Africa to the United Nations
Veronica Veloso, Senior Program officer for Grantmaking Operations, Frida Feminist Fund
Ziaullah Baloch, Head of Programs, Health and Rural Development (HARD) Balochistan

BACKGROUND
During the Covid-19 Pandemic many funders adopted flexible funding models to support youth-led organizations, allowing them to adapt to new circumstances resulting from the pandemic. The funds allowed young people to adjust their programming, decide priorities of focus, and gave greater freedom to them to use their funding on salaries, administrative costs, well-being services, and physical spaces. Feminist funders resourcing young women, girls and gender diverse youth were at the forefront of this work. At the same time, these funds are underfunded with a substantial mismatch in interest in the funds and their capacity to resource applicants. Funding for women’s rights and feminist organizations represents less than 1% of ODA (let alone funding for youth-led feminist organisations), while most youth-led organizations operate on less than $5,000 per year.
As we transition into the third year of the pandemic we need to explore models to better invest in flexible funding to ensure the sustainable and predictable resourcing for young people. Pooled funds, including those operating with public-private partnerships, represent an important tool to both increase the total investment and the predictability of financing. They also spread risk amongst donors associated with flexible funding models.
In this session we will first hear about the impact of flexible funding models on the work of young people in sustainable peace and development. We will then transition into a discussion identifying models to better invest in flexible funding, identifying recommendations for bilateral, multilateral and private sector funders.

UNOCT Annual Forum of Beneficiaries of Technical Assistance
2022-03-28 - 2022-03-29 | Doha, Qatar, Doha, Qatar

UNOCT High-Level Roundtable on the Protection of Major Sporting Events and the use of Sports' Values for the Prevention of Violent Extremism
2022-03-27 | Doha, Qatar, Doha, Qatar

Doha Forum : Diplomacy , Diversity, Dialogue
2022-03-26 - 2022-03-27 | Doha, Qatar, Doha, Qatar
The High Representative for UNAOC will participate in the 20th edition of the Doha Forum. This year’s theme is ‘Transforming for a New Era’. Click here to learn more.

48th session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers
2022-03-22 - 2022-03-23 | Islamabad, Pakistan
The High Representative for UNAOC will participate in the 48th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) to be convened by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) under the theme “Building Partnerships for Unity, Justice, and Development” in Islamabad, Islamic Republic of Pakistan, on March 22-23, 2022. H.E. Hissein Brahim Taha, the OIC’s Secretary-General, will address the meeting to review the important activities, projects, and programs of the General Secretariat, in addition to the OIC’s post-CFM plans.
The Session will address many topics and the activities of the OIC General Secretariat on implementing the resolutions adopted on various issues in the Islamic world, including the issue of Palestine and Al-Quds Ash-Sharif and the dangerous developments since the last CFM in Niamey 2020. The Session will also discuss several political files, most notably the developments in Afghanistan and its humanitarian consequences for the Afghan people and the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, which will also be discussed in the sideline meeting of the OIC’s Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir.
Read more

Deadline for Applications: 5th Edition of the UNAOC Young Peacebuilders Programme
2022-03-15 | Online

Live showcase event: Digital Games for Peace Challenge | #GamesForPeace
2022-02-24 08:30 - 17:00 (America/Halifax) | Virtual

Leveraging interfaith dialogue for the prevention of hate speech and violent extremism: Reflections from the implementation of EDIN
2022-02-17 - 2022-02-18 | The Westin New York, 212 E 42nd Sreet, New York, NY, 10017, United States

UNAOC Group of Friends Meeting (Ambassadorial Level)
2022-02-08 10:00 - 13:45 (America/Halifax) | Trusteeship Council Chamber, UNHQ New York, Conference Building, UNHQ, New York, NY, United States
Click here to view the livestream

The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) will convene a Group of Friends meeting on Tuesday, 8 February 2022, from 10:00AM to 1:00PM New York time, in the Trusteeship Council Chamber, United Nations headquarters, New York.

AGENDA

10:00 AM – 10:20 AM Opening segment
H.E. Mr. Miguel Angel Moratinos,
Under-Secretary-General, High Representative for UNAOC, chairs the meeting and delivers welcoming remarks
H.E. Mr. José Manuel Albares Bueno,
Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of Spain (video message)
H.E. Mr. Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu,
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey (video message)
10:20 AM – 10:30 AM Overview of 2021-2022
Presentation on the UNAOC’s progress and activities in 2021, as well as advocacy and programming plans in 2022, by Ms. Nihal Saad, Chief of Cabinet of the High Representative
10:30 AM – 01:10 PM Plenary segment
Interventions from Member States and International Organizations

The International Day of Human Fraternity
2022-02-04 11:00 - 12:30 (America/Halifax) | Virtual
The United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/75/200 on 21 December 2020 proclaiming February 4 as the International Day of Human Fraternity to be observed every year as of 2021. The resolution co-facilitated by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates takes note of efforts and initiatives aimed at promoting interreligious and intercultural dialogue including the meeting between His Holiness Pope Francis and His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmad al-Tayeb on 4 February 2019 in Abu Dhabi, UAE that resulted in the signing of the “Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace & living Together”. It also invites all Member States to further promote a culture of peace, tolerance, inclusion, understanding and solidarity.
The International Day of Human Fraternity was celebrated for the first time on 4 February 2021 in a virtual event that was highly attended by member states, religious leaders, faith actors and civil society representatives. In his message on the occasion, the Secretary-General of the United Nations said “As we commemorate the International Day of Human Fraternity, let us commit to do more to promote cultural and religious tolerance, understanding and dialogue”
Celebrating human fraternity and the values it embodies such as mutual respect, diversity of cultures and religions, advancing intercultural and interreligious dialogue reminds us of the common values that we share as one humanity. This spirit is particularly needed at a time when many communities are divided across religious, ethnic and cultural lines. Growing religious hatred, stigma and manifestations of various forms of discrimination against vulnerable communities including minorities are an affront to human rights and UN values. Such vile acts risk undermining global efforts to recover and rebuild better in a post-pandemic era.
As such, state and relevant non-state actors including religious leaders from across the faith spectrum play a vital role in promoting dialogue among all religious groups leading to an improved awareness and understanding of the common values shared by all mankind. Promoting acceptance and respect of religious and cultural diversity through interreligious and intercultural dialogue will create an environment conducive to building peaceful, just and inclusive societies.
In this context, those humanistic principles are aligned with the goals and objectives of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) which was created in 2005 to advance intercultural and interreligious dialogue as a viable tool to prevent and defuse identity-based tensions UNAOC works to advance mutual respect for cultures, traditions, and religious beliefs. Over the years, it has provided a global platform for dialogue between faith actors across the faith spectrum emanating from a recognition that genuine dialogue bridges divide and overcomes prejudices, stigmatization, misperceptions, and polarization. Fulfilling a world of “One Humanity, Many Cultures” is the raison d’etre of UNAOC (A/64/14, A/69/312).
UNGA Res A/75/200
https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N20/377/94/PDF/N2037794.pdf?OpenElement
Document of Human Fraternity
http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/travels/2019/outside/documents/papa-francesco_20190204_documento-fratellanza-umana.pdf
UNGA Res A/64/14
https://undocs.org/en/A/RES/64/14
UNGA Res A/69/312
https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N15/209/20/PDF/N1520920.pdf?OpenElement

2022 Annual Symposium on the Role of Religion and Faith-based Organizations in International Affairs
2022-01-25 08:00 - 12:30 (America/Halifax) | Virtual
Mobilizing Moral Influence and Governance to End the Systemic Injustices of Racism, the legacy of Colonialism and Slavery

The 8th Annual Symposium on the Role of Religion and Faith-based Organizations in International Affairs, entitled Mobilizing Moral Influence and Governance to End the Systemic Injustices of Racism, the legacy of Colonialism and Slavery will be held virtually 8:00 – 12:30 EDT on Tuesday 25 January 2022.
This Symposium will focus on the urgent need to transform our world, exposing and redressing the systemic injustices of racism, the legacy of colonialism and slavery. As a common table bringing together different stakeholders invested in the issue, it will explore how the lingering historical injustices shape the social inequalities that have been exposed by crises of global proportions including Covid-19.
The Symposium also aims to contribute to healing and reconciling our world. It will identify solutions and concrete recommendations for how the United Nations, in partnership with religious bodies, faith-based groups and other stakeholders, can address racism and advance the building of just, peaceful and inclusive societies.
Racism and concomitant concerns of racial discrimination and xenophobia, colonialism, and slavery, have become highly topical. It is necessary to change the systems that allowed, ignored, or even encouraged abuses to occur.
Customary religious norms, beliefs and practices upholding universal principles of justice, compassion and respect for one another underpin the normative frameworks that the international community has agreed upon over time to address these pressing issues.

Agenda:

Opening Session
Panel 1. Deepen understanding of how pernicious and all-encompassing racism, and the legacy of colonialism and slavery remain today.
Panel 2. Showcase innovative experiences for positive change and encourage concrete actions for positive change throughout the international community.
Panel 3. Promote policy recommendations and practical steps to strengthen partnerships among diverse stakeholders, including faith-based organizations, the UN System, and non-governmental entities in different regions.

Organized by:
ACT Alliance, General Board of Church and Society of The United Methodist Church, Islamic Relief, Milstein Center for Interreligious Dialogue at Jewish Theological Seminary of America, Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Soka Gakkai International, United Religions Initiative, World Council of Churches
In partnership with:
United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), United Nations Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for the UN Inter-agency Task Force on Religion and Development

World Youth Forum | #WorldYouthForum
2022-01-10 - 2022-01-13 | Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
Mr. Miguel Moratinos, High Representative for UNAOC, will speak at the World Youth Forum in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, on 10-13 January 2022. He will speak in the opening segment entitled “COVID19: A warning to Humanity and New Hope”. He will also speak in a session on “International Peace and Security in the Post-Pandemic World”.
The World Youth Forum is a platform built by promising youth. It sends a message of peace, prosperity, harmony, and progress to the entire world. It engages youth from around the globe in an enriching set-up, allowing them to exchange views and recommend initiatives to decision-makers and influential figures. The forum is a chance for you to engage with top policymakers, network with promising youth from the region and the world that are determined to make our world a better place for everyone. Click here to learn more.
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Faith and Diplomacy: Strategic Reflections on Religiously Inspired Global Efforts Towards Building Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies
2021-12-10 10:00 - 13:30 (America/Halifax) | Church Center for the UN, 777 United Nations Plaza, 10th Floor, New York, NY, 10017, United States
Co-organized by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and Religious for Peace
The role of religious leaders and faith-based organizations (FBOs) as key players in their respective countries and in the regional and international levels, as well as harnessing the unifying potential of faith, are key issues at the intersection between faith and diplomacy.
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) – the leading United Nations platform for intercultural dialogue, understanding and cooperation – and Religions for Peace – the only international multi-religious organization with affiliated and legally registered multi-religious leadership platforms in every continent-, have been working on the nexus between faith and diplomacy over the years with the ultimate goal of building and strengthening dialogue, social cohesion and mutual understanding in societies around the world.
In 2019, Religions for Peace hosted its 10th World Assembly. Established in 1970, the systematic efforts of fifty years of the existence of this “UN of Religious Institutions”, have been dedicated towards advocating and supporting multi-religious efforts designed at enabling a positive peace. The latter defined as the whole of society and of governments’ efforts beyond ensuring the absence of war, towards securing lasting human dignity for each and all.
The 10th World Assembly was also the beginning of a ‘trinity’ of efforts with Ring for Peace, a Foundation founded in 2018, with the aim to foster the peaceful coexistence between people and religions to strengthen international understanding and cooperation, and to promote the dialogue between civil society and governments, within Germany and Europe. The partnership between Religions for Peace and Ring for Peace was enabled, in all three cases, thanks to the generous support by the German Federal Foreign Office, thus underlining the strategic vision of Europe’s largest and most powerful economic and political nation, in the importance of multi-religious engagement, globally. The UNAOC High Representative provided an opening keynote at this Assembly in which he announced that the UN Plan of Action to Safeguard Religious Sites – elaborated by UNAOC at the request of the UN Secretary-General in the aftermath of the attacks on mosques in Christchurch (New Zealand)- was nearly completed. He was also actively engaged in all discussions and meeting with faith leaders and diplomats throughout.
In 2020, at the height of global lockdowns due to Covid-19, Religions for Peace and Ring for Peace ensured a global Assembly, as a follow up, focusing on a critical constituency which had hitherto not received its due of global attention and recognition: women of faith. Accordingly, in this Assembly, which was fully virtual, managed to convene religious leaders (male and female), together with diplomats, politicians, and academics, to highlight and assess the unique roles and contributions of faith, to women’s leadership and all diplomacy efforts focused on diverse aspects of peace making, peace building and sustainability of human rights and development efforts. Approximately 1,600 people tuned in and joined the virtual discussions and presentations from around the world, daily, for 3 days. The UNAOC Chief of Staff presented a Keynote at this event and was consulted in the framing of the Conference. In 2020 UNAOC became one of the three co-Chairs of the UN Inter-Agency Task Force for Religion and Sustainable Development (UN-IATF), together with the UN Population Fund and the UN Office of the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide.
Building on the outcomes – and indeed recommendations – of the above two assemblies, Religions for Peace and Ring for Peace were positively compelled to host the third in the trinity of global multi-stakeholder consultations, focusing on an intergenerational dialogue around the most pertinent of our challenges in the 21st century: humanitarianism, environmentalism, and the broader dynamics of peace and security. Accordingly, the International Conference of Religious Leaders on Faith and Diplomacy: A Generational Dialogue, was convened, as a hybrid modality, also in Lindau, Germany. A total of 150 participants were convened in person, with a total of 1700 participants (including virtually), wherein twenty-two percent were younger than 35, and women made up 45 percent of all.

2021 PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival Awards Ceremony
2021-12-07 10:00 - 12:30 (America/Halifax) | Virtual
2021 marks the thirteenth anniversary of the PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival, a joint initiative of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). On 7 December, join PLURAL+ as we celebrate this year’s award-winning videos from young media makers around the world.
Watch the PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival Live Here

A Tribute to the Memory of H.E. President Jorge Sampaio
2021-12-06 13:30 - 15:30 (America/Halifax) | UNHQ Conference Room 4, United Nations Headquarters, New York, NY, 10017, United States
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and the Mission of Portugal to the United Nations are co-organizing a tribute event to honor the memory of H.E. President Sampaio (1939-2021), who served as the first High Representative for UNAOC from 2007 to 2012.

Intercultural Innovation Award Ceremony | #iiaward2021
2021-11-18 18:00 (Asia/Dubai) | German Pavilion, EXPO 2020, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
The 2021 Intercultural Innovation Award Ceremony, a celebration of innovative grassroots projects that encourage intercultural dialogue around the world, will take place on 18 November, 6:00 pm Dubai time (GMT+4), as part of the themed week on tolerance and inclusivity at this year’s Expo 2020 in Dubai.
Following a competitive selection process with over 1,100 applications received from 120 countries, ten finalists will be jointly announced by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and the BMW Group.
The event will be livestreamed from the German Pavilion in the Expo.
Watch #iiaward2021 Live

Join us live: interculturalinnovation.org/iiaward2021

Follow the social media conversation: #iiaward2021

Malmö International Forum on Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Antisemitism
2021-10-12 - 2021-10-13 | Malmö, Sweden
UNAOC will be participating in the Malmö International Forum on Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Antisemitism: Remember ReAct, which will take place at Malmömässan in Malmö, Sweden.

Background
In February last year, the original invitation to the Malmö International Forum on Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Antisemitism, Remember ReAct, from Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven was distributed. The Malmö Forum was set to take place in October 2020. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was decided during the spring of 2021 that the Forum had to be postponed to October 2021.
Heads of State or Government from around 50 countries, researchers, experts, representatives of civil society and social media companies have been invited to the Malmö Forum. The aim of the Malmö Forum is to jointly take concrete steps forward in the work on Holocaust remembrance and the fight against antisemitism. The programme will focus on four main themes:

Holocaust remembrance
Holocaust education
Antisemitism on social media
Combating antisemitism and other forms of racism in all spheres of life

Two of the starting points for the Forum are the Stockholm Declaration adopted in 2000 and the 2020 International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Ministerial Declaration. These declarations serve as foundations for action at both national and international level. For this reason, the Swedish Government is not planning a negotiated outcome document from the Forum. The Government is instead asking participating countries, organisations and companies to commit to concrete action that furthers the work related to the themes of the Forum. To this end, all delegations are invited to present pledges consisting of new, concrete initiatives to be implemented by their respective participating countries, organisations and companies. The pledges will be included in an outcome document and followed up during the Swedish Presidency of the IHRA from March 2022 to February 2023.
Webpage: https://www.government.se/government-policy/remember–react/
Instagram: rememberreact

Seville Dialogue on Creating Cities of Resilience
2021-10-06 11:00 - 17:00 (Europe/Helsinki) | FIBES Palace of Congresses and Expositions, Seville, Spain
Venue: FIBES Palace of Congresses and Expositions, Seville, Spain
Date: 6 October 2021 (First Urban Forum of Spain and Third Global Forum of Local Governments 5 – 7 October)
Co-Chairs:
His Excellency Miguel Angel Moratinos, High Representative of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations
The Honorable Juan Espadas, Mayor of Seville
Background:
Historically, cities have been places of exchange between the world’s culturally, ethnically and religiously diverse populations that live and share together a common urban space. Yet, growing ethnic and religious tensions have recently made the challenge of creating peaceful cities of belonging ever more difficult. In this context, the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and the City of Los Angeles organized in March of 2020 the “LA Dialogue on Creating Cities of Belonging”, providing space for mayors, regional government leaders and civil society to work together towards creating more inclusive and peaceful cities.
Shortly after this gathering, the Covid-19 pandemic, far from being only a health crisis, once again put cities at the forefront of the response to a global emergency which has affected millions of people, completely devastated social fabrics and pushed entire populations to the brink of poverty. The “Seville Dialogue on Creating Cities of Resilience” aims to bring mayors and regional leaders to share their experience and good practices in responding to the pandemic and best means to recover better to build cohesive, inclusive and greener societies that hold citizens at their core.
The Seville Dialogue on Creating Cities of Resilience
Cities are often at the forefront of humanity’s biggest challenges. They are hubs where diverse populations coexist, gather and interact on a daily basis in an endless variety of public spaces, from the workplace or schools to public transportation and parks. As such, cities are charged with the complex task of providing equitably for the ever-increasing multicultural and multi-generational population that lives in them. However, these places of exchange and accommodation of cultural diversity are progressively seeing preoccupying trends that further expand the gap between the rich and the poor, that hamper access to basic human rights, and that sow divisions on the basis of culture, ethnicity and faith. The urgency of making cities “more inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable,” as determined by SDG 11 and SDG 16 of the 2030 UN Agenda, is not a new concept. The Covid-19 pandemic has not only exposed the extent of global vulnerabilities and inequalities in cities particularly, but it has also underlined the deep need to foster more resilient population hubs, while simultaneously providing a unique window of opportunity for doing so.
Despite its initial character as a global health crisis, more than a year and a half of the Covid-19 pandemic has brought to the forefront a political, social, economic, and urban crisis. These crises have been particularly severe in urban spaces which, given their sheer size and role as connective, global hubs for people and goods, saw 95% of the world’s virus cases in the first months of the pandemic. As in most emergencies, it is the vulnerable communities of society and their marginalized populations who suffer the most. Endemic patterns of inequalities within cities, often characterized by unequal and in many cases inaccessible basic health, sanitation and social protection systems, as well as poverty and overcrowded living conditions, became key destabilizing factors which increased the epidemic’s overall impact.
Nonetheless, it is also cities that have spearheaded enlightened responses to provide fast and essential answers to the current crisis. From swiftly redesigned urban spaces and easily accessible financial and food support stations for homeless populations, to population-wide increased emergency care, or dedicated health protection websites for migrants, cities soon become main actors in addressing the global Covid-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, local governments and cities find themselves at a critical crossroads: the “new normal” seems to be irreversible. However, this is also a unique opportunity for them to become the main architects of a new social contract, one that can be the spinal cord of fairer, stronger and better societies. Urban hubs are now faced with the challenge of providing sustainable solutions to the chasms underlined by the pandemic and to tackle inequality at its roots. With the support of the United Nations, the world’s cities must work towards a more sustainable future by, among other actions: ensuring the participation of marginalized groups and capitalizing on their knowledge in decision making processes; improving access to health, education and technology in particularly disadvantaged areas; and creating safer, greener spaces for people to share and live together in the urban world. Indisputably, it is only by working together and sharing knowledge that we, as a global population, can achieve this urgent goal.
Hence, it is in this spirit that the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and the City of Seville have organized the “Seville Dialogue on Creating Cities of Resilience”, intended as a space for mayors, local government leaders and civil society to share best practices and lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as to brainstorm together how to rebuild cohesive, inclusive and more sustainable societies where the world’s many cultures, but one humanity, can live together in peace and exercise mutual respect.
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) is the United Nations entity that has placed dialogue among different cultures and faiths at the core of its activities. Its mandate is “to improve understanding and cooperation among nations and peoples across cultures and to reduce polarization at local and global levels.” With the mantra “One Humanity, many cultures”, UNAOC is an ardent defender of inclusiveness. It recognizes that there is a plurality of civilizations. Each and every one of them has contributed to enriching our common and single humanity. UNAOC’s work is based on the notion that shaping the future we want for humankind, does not only rest in our collective efforts to save our planet, but also on nurturing cultural diversity, pluralism and a sense of belonging.
UNAOC and the City of Seville have a long standing approach in fostering inclusive and sustainable cities. Hence, the integration of the “Seville Dialogue on Creating Cities of Resilience” into the First Urban Forum of Spain and the Third Global Forum of
Local Governments, which will focus on “Cities and Territories in the Social and Economic Recuperation”, was a natural partnering decision.
City of Seville’s First Urban Forum of Spain and Third Global Forum of Local Governments
The forum invites national and local leaders, university experts and civil society to explore, reflect and debate on the topics of “Cities and Health”, “Equity and Social Cohesion”, “Ecological Transition and City Models” and “Digital Transformation and Innovation”, while determining best practices and means to create more sustainable cities.
Seville
Given its history and present social fabric, Seville is a unique place for hosting the second edition of the Dialogues. Having seen the passage of many of the world’s civilizations and being a place where diverse religions and cultures have historically coexisted, Seville keeps within its walls the secrets to promoting diversity, dialogue and inclusion between its citizens, as well as the will to build back better and stronger during and after the Covid-19 pandemic.
Download (PDF, 929KB)

XIX Session of the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions
2021-10-06 00:00 - 05:00 (America/Halifax) | Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan
UNAOC is participating in the XIX Session of the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, a unique interfaith forum, held every three years. Representatives of foreign religious leaders and heads of international centers are expected to attend.
About the Secretariat: The Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions is the operational body of the Congress, which ensures activities in the intervals between its sessions. Founded according to the decision of the participants of the First Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, held on September 23-24, 2003 in Astana. The Secretariat includes plenipotentiary representatives of leaders of world and traditional religions from Islam, Christianity (Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Lutheranism), Buddhism, Judaism, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, Taoism, Shintoism.
Click here to learn more: http://religions-congress.org/

'Youth confronting online hate speech and exploring the notion of citizenship in a digital age'
2021-10-01 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Halifax) | Virtual
As part of the Global Multi-Stakeholder Forum on Addressing Hate Speech through Education organized by the UN Office on the Prevention of Genocide and the Responsibility to Protect (OSAPG) and UNESCO, UNAOC is organizing a parallel session focusing on “Youth confronting online hate speech and exploring the notion of citizenship in a digital age”. The session will feature UNAOC programme participants who will explore the evolving notion of digital citizenship, the skills it implies and requires, and discuss good practices from their work and activities in their communities.
Register here: https://venue.events-nextechar.com/landing?show=UNESCO

2021 G20 Interfaith Forum Italy
2021-09-12 - 2021-09-14 | Bologna, Italy, Bologna, Italy
The 2021 G20 Interfaith Forum will be held in Bologna, Italy, Sunday, September 12 – Tuesday, September 14.
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iTAGe: Talking Across Generations on the State of PVE in South Asia
2021-07-20 08:00 - 10:30 (America/Halifax) | Virtual
Register Now to Join Us Live Read More: Media Advisory

Organized in collaboration with UNESCO New Delhi within the framework of UNESCO MGIEP and UNAOC’s #YouthWagingPeace programme, iTAGe: Talking Across Generations on the State of PVE in South Asia is an intergenerational event that will provide youth with a platform to discuss peace and social cohesion with Senior Officials and policymakers from South Asia.
The input collected will be incorporated into a Youth-led Report on the State of PVE in South Asia as youth-centered actionable recommendations for policymakers. The report will combine the latest research on preventative efforts with uncensored youth case studies to produce fresh and robust perspectives for policymakers and a youth-centred overview of violent extremism in South Asia.

UNAOC Virtual Watch Party for the Safeguard of Religious Sites
2021-07-13 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Halifax) | Online
UNAOC Virtual Watch Party for the Safeguard of Religious Sites
Thursday, 13 July, 2021 | 11:00 AM EDT | Online

Join us for a virtual “watch party” featuring short films submitted by the global community as part of UNAOC’s campaign #forSafeWorship to safeguard religious sites and worshippers worldwide! To learn more about the global call to action #forSafeWorship and submit your own video, visit https://forsafeworship.org/.
Join the Watch Party Live Here

Featured Videos

Religious Sites in Egypt by Sandra Gobran (Egypt)
Synopsis: In this short video, Sandra tells us about temples and tombs in Egypt and the importance of ensuring that all religious sites are safe.
https://forsafeworship.org/religious-sites-in-egypt/
A Dialogue between “la Bomba” and Catholic Rituals in Puerto Rico by Father Rocendo Herrera (Puerto Rico)
Synopsis: In this short video, we meet Father Rocendo Herrera, who introduces us to St. Patrick Church of the Holy Spirit, in Loiza, on the northeastern coast of Puerto Rico. St. Patrick Church of the Holy Spirit is the third oldest parish on the island and the only one currently in use. Located in an Afro-Caribbean municipality in Puerto Rico, this place of worship embodies a dialogue between Catholicism and the playing of Puerto Rican drums known as “La Bomba”.
https://forsafeworship.org/a-dialogue-between-la-bomba-and-catholic-rituals-in-puerto-rico/
A Dialogue between “la Bomba” and Catholic Rituals in Puerto Rico by Afaf Lamkoutar (Morocco)
Synopsis: In this short video, UNAOC Young Peacebuilder Afaf speaks about the many cultures, religions, and sacred sites in her hometown of Rabat, Morocco.
https://forsafeworship.org/a-mosaic-of-religions-in-rabat-morocco/
A Chapel with Special Powers by Ismael Lopez (Spain)
Synopsis: In this video, Ismael takes us on a tour of the Church of St. Valenti in the Valley of Salarça, in Catalonia, Spain. Built in the 12th century, the chapel’s location, according to legend, exudes a certain energy that helps people solve all types of problems and conflicts.
https://forsafeworship.org/a-chapel-with-special-powers/
Exploring Religious Sites in the Philippines by Theodore Boborol (Philippines)
Synopsis: In this short video, Theodore takes us on a tour of his university campus, shows us his favorite church on campus grounds, and leads us to a few side detours down memory lane.
https://forsafeworship.org/exploring-religious-sites-in-the-philippines-director-theodore-boborol/

The Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial by Daniel del Valle (Spain)
Synopsis: In this short film, Daniel takes us on a tour of the Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, where he once lived and studied as a member of the Royal Choir of Spain.
https://forsafeworship.org/the-monastery-of-san-lorenzo-de-el-escorial/
The Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle in South Texas, USA by Lydia Pesina (USA)
Synopsis: In this short film, Lydia tells us about the Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle, in South Texas, a very special place in her life since childhood. The Basilica caters to a diverse population, including a large immigrant community, and even has its own Mariachi band!
https://forsafeworship.org/basilica-lady-of-sanjuan-delvalle/
Religious Diversity in Indonesia by Steve Leonard Harison (Indonesia)
Synopsis: In this short video, Steve talks to us about religious diversity in Indonesia and the importance of protecting religious sites worldwide.
https://forsafeworship.org/religious-diversity-in-indonesia/
The Coronado Cross in Kansas by Gentry (USA)
Synopsis: In this short video, Gentry takes us to Kansas, right outside of Dodge City, to see the Coronado Cross. The site commemorates a mass held for the first time in this part of the country by Father Juan de Padilla in 1541, predating the landing of the Pilgrims by almost 100 years.
https://forsafeworship.org/the-coronado-cross-in-kansas/
A Religious Site with Interfaith Influences in Bangladesh by Tushar Kanti Baidya (Bangladesh)
Synopsis: In this short video, UNAOC alumnus Tushar tells us about a temple he likes to visit in Bangladesh, and the significance of this site in his life.
https://forsafeworship.org/a-religious-site-with-interfaith-influences-in-bangladesh/
