Regional Dialogue on Sustaining Peace - Doha, Qatar
2018-01-18 - 2018-01-19 | Doha, Qatar, Doha, Qatar
On 18-19 January 2018, the High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, H.E. Mr. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, will participate in the Regional Dialogue on Sustaining Peace in Doha, Qatar.
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Youth Solidarity Fund: Call For Applications
2018-01-23 - 2018-03-02
The Youth Solidarity Fund (YSF) supports youth-led organizations that foster peaceful and inclusive societies by providing seed funding to outstanding projects promoting intercultural and interfaith dialogue. It awards grants (up to USD 25,000) for the implementation of selected projects that demonstrate innovative and effective approaches to intercultural or interfaith dialogue and advance the mission of UNAOC. YSF only supports projects that are entirely developed and managed by youth for the benefit of youth. The age definition used by UNAOC to characterize youth is a person who is between 18 and 35 years old.

Eligibility: Youth-led organizations (18-35 years old) from select countries
Grant Details: Up to USD 25,000 to implement intercultural and interfaith dialogue projects
Project Duration: 6 months
Application deadline: 2 March 2018, 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in New York (deadline extended)

For complete details on how to apply, eligibility and selection criteria, consult the Application Guidelines.

Apply for the Youth Solidarity Fund Now

PEACEapp Tunis
2018-01-28 - 2018-02-04 | Tunis, Tunisia, Tunis, Tunisia
UNAOC in partnership with Association ADO+ and the support of the Centre National de l’information pour l’Enfant (CNIFE), IOM, UNHCR, Red Crescent Tunisia, among other organizations, organized a three-day long PEACEapp workshop in Tunis, Tunisia.
Thirty young people, half from Tunisia and the other half young migrants and refugees from nine countries (Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Benin, Chad, Cameroun, Syria, Yemen, Guinea, and Rwanda) work together creating video games.
PEACEapp is a UNAOC initiative aiming at facilitating better understanding and forming camaraderie between local youth and young migrants and refugees. During the workshop all young participants develop video games though the MIT Media Lab gaming platform SCRATCH, while developing at the same time computational thinking, digital literacy, creativity and intercultural dialogue.
The local gaming company Galactech will continue working with some of the workshop participants and develop a gamified app on the topics of migration and refugees challenges.
Learn more about PEACEapp here.

8th Celebration of the World Interfaith Harmony Week
2018-02-07 13:00 - 15:30 (America/Halifax) | Tillman Chapel, Church Center for the UN, 777 United Nations Plaza, NY, United States
Inspiring Faith in Humanity
Organized by UNAOC in collaboration with CRNGO
UNAOC in partnership with the Committee of Religious NGOs at the UN (CRNGO), will co-organize the 8th Celebration of the World Interfaith Harmony Week on 7 February 2018 which will focus on “Inspiring Faith in Humanity”. Religious leaders will join U.N. Representatives and Diplomats to share their stories and knowledge, and emphasize the partnership between religious communities and the United Nations to bring the world closer toward a more compassionate and sustainable future.
Read more here.

Implementation of the Plan of Action for Religious Leaders and Actors to Prevent Incitement to Violence that Could Lead to Atrocity Crimes
2018-02-11 - 2018-02-13 | Vienna, Austria
UNAOC will be participating in the implementation meeting for the Plan of Action for Religious Leaders and Actors to Prevent Incitement to Violence that Could Lead to Atrocity Crimes in Vienna, Austria.
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UNAOC Peace Workshop: Young Peacebuilders in MENA
2018-02-18 - 2018-02-23 | Amman, Jordan, Amman, Jordan
Twenty young peacebuilders between 18 and 25 years old from 12 MENA countries will travel to Amman, Jordan, to attend the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) peace workshop, organized in collaboration with GFP.
From the 18th until the 23rd of February 2018, 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 consists of a series of regional workshops that UNAOC intends to implement in different regions of the world to offer competence development to young people and 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.

Doha Conference on Interfaith Dialogue
2018-02-20 - 2018-02-21 | Doha, Qatar
UNAOC, participates in the Doha Conference on Interfaith Dialogue, which convenes for its thirteenth session on the theme: “Religion and Human Rights”. The conference will be held February 20-21, 2018, in Doha, Qatar.
Read more here.

Call for Video Entries: PLURAL+ 2018 Youth Video Festival
2018-02-21 - 2018-06-03
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) invite youth from around the world to submit original and creative videos focusing on the PLURAL+ theme of migration, diversity and social inclusion. Click here to learn more.
Submit your videos here

Interreligious Dialogue for Peace: Promoting Peaceful Coexistence and Common Citizenship
2018-02-26 - 2018-02-27 | Vienna, Austria
UNAOC will be participating in the “Interreligious Dialogue for Peace: Promoting Peaceful Coexistence and Common Citizenship”, from 26-27 February 2018, in Hilton Stadtpark, Vienna.
As part of the fifth anniversary of KAICIID’s launch as an intergovernmental and interreligious organization, the Centre is organizing a second high-level meeting for the purpose of launching the much needed and often requested High-level Religious Leaders Joint Platform.
Click here to learn more.

Vacancy Announcement: Education Intern
2018-03-02 - 2018-03-25
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations is looking for an Education Intern for its New York office.
The Education Intern will work under the direct, overall supervision of the UNAOC Media and Information Literacy Project Manager.
Deadline is 25 March 2018. Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Click here to learn more about this vacancy.
Apply for this vacancy now

Intercultural Innovation Award Webinar on Donor Networking: Creating Lasting Relationships
2018-03-08 09:00 - 10:30 | Online
Note: This event is open to Intercultural Innovation Award recipients only.

Annual Meeting of the United Nations Inter-Agency Network on Youth Development
2018-03-20 - 2018-03-22 | Nairobi, Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
UNAOC will be participating in the Annual Meeting of the United Nations Inter-Agency Network on Youth Development (UN IANYD) taking place from 20 to 22 March 2018. The meeting will be hosted by the incoming co-chair, The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN–Habitat) in Nairobi, Kenya.

PLURAL+ Screening in Barcelona, Spain
2018-03-22 | Barcelona, Spain, Barcelona, Spain
PLURAL+ 2018 partner Cinemes Girona is hosting a PLURAL+ screening in Barcelona, Spain to energize local youth participation in this year’s PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival on Migration, Diversity, and Social Inclusion.

Deadline for Quotations: Capacity Building Training Services for UNAOC
2018-03-22
IMPORTANT NOTE: Interested vendors must respond to this tender using the UNOPS eSourcing system, via the UNGM portal. In order to access the full UNOPS tender details, request clarifications on the tender, and submit a vendor response to a tender using the system, vendors need to be registered as a UNOPS vendor at the UNGM portal and be logged into UNGM. For guidance on how to register on UNGM and submit responses to UNOPS tenders in the UNOPS eSourcing system, please refer to the user guide and other resources available at: https://esourcing.unops.org/#/Help/Guides

View the Full Request for Quotation (RFQ) Here

UNAOC Group of Friends Meeting: "Preventing Violent Extremism and Sustaining Peace"
2018-04-03 10:00 - 13:00 | UNHQ ECOSOC Chamber, United Nations Headquarters, New York, NY, 10017, United States
The dual resolutions adopted by the United Nations Security Council (Res 2282) and General Assembly (70/262) in April 2016 placed the “sustaining peace” concept at the center of the UN’s peacebuilding work. Both resolutions recognized sustaining peace as “both a goal and a process to build a common vision of a society, ensuring that the needs of all segments of the population are taken into account”. Moreover, the constantly evolving and multi-faceted nature of contemporary violent extremism underlines the need to address the root causes of this phenomenon. The sustaining peace agenda is well-positioned to recalibrate responses to violent extremism through engaging actors within and outside the UN system.
The commitment to prevention has become central to the UN system response to the threat of terrorism. The Secretary-General’s Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism in 2016 was specifically designed to enhance implementation of the UN Counter-Terrorism Strategy cross all four pillars, including Pillar on “Addressing the Conditions Conducive to the Spread of Terrorism” by drawing on the experience and strengths of all parts of the UN system in order to support Governments and societies in achieving their goals.
Governments cannot act alone in preventing violent extremism. Member States are encouraged to engage with all concerned social actors (including women, youth, religious leaders, and victims of violent extremism). Promotion of community-led initiatives aimed at strengthening social cohesion and grassroots-generated solutions to local grievances remains paramount. The Secretary-General tied this notion to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly SDG 16. In his remarks in February 2017, he reaffirmed that principle: “Promoting social cohesion, so that diversity is seen as a benefit rather than a threat, is investing in sustaining peace. As societies become more multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and multi-religious, people must feel that their identities are valued, even as they feel a sense of belonging to the larger community.” Communities and grassroots organizations are best placed to bring to the fore their needs and debate possible avenues to address them. Discussions in this respect should promote a true exchange of ideas that would engender or strengthen a sense of belonging among members of the community.
An “All-of-United Nations” approach has always been at the heart of the Secretary-General reform efforts of the UN peace and security architecture. In this respect, UNAOC has been committed, dating back to the High-level Group Report of 2006, to promote initiatives aimed at rejecting violent extremism. The political interventions of the High Representative have consistently been guided by the need to advance efforts to address the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism and violent extremism while respecting human rights and fundamental freedoms. UNAOC project activities have similarly been anchored in this principle. Our project activities have evolved into a solid and growing portfolio that tackles the phenomenon from multiple directions. In all instances, UNAOC project activities are designed to promote the underlying values that are essential to preventing violent extremism and to advancing the goals of sustainable peace and security – tolerance, dialogue, inclusion and coexistence.
UNAOC youth-oriented activities provide opportunities for capacity building for civil society as well as peace education for young civil society leaders. Media programming provides young people with an opportunity to develop their media and information literacy and critical thinking skills to tackle hate speech and incitement to terrorism both in the online and offline spheres. The UNAOC Fellowship Program continues to provide opportunities for young professionals to expose themselves to new cultures and to gain a greater respect for cultural diversity. All of these initiatives represent key preventative elements.
At the end, sustaining peace aims to build a common vision of a society which, when inclusive and peaceful, will become the primary reference point for action on countering and ending violent extremism.
The High Representative will brief the members of the Group of Friends on the agenda for UNAOC activities in 2018.
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AGENDACONCEPT NOTE
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Deadline Extended: 2018 Edition of the UNAOC Fellowship Programme
2018-04-08 - 2018-04-15
UNAOC is pleased to launch the Call for Applications for the 2018 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 2018 being “Fostering youth resilience to prevent violent extremism and build sustainable peace”, candidates must also be able to present professional achievements in these fields. Read more here.
Note: The deadline has been extended to Sunday, 15 April, 2018, 11:59 PM.

Capacity Building Workshop for Intercultural Innovation Award Recipients
2018-04-16 - 2018-04-20 | BMW Group Headquarters, Munich, Germany
The ten recipients of the Intercultural Innovation Award will take part in their first capacity building workshop, to be held at the BMW Group Headquarters in Munich, Germany.

GFMD Thematic Workshop on Migration for Development: a Roadmap to Achieving the SDGs
2018-04-18 - 2018-04-19 | Mohammed VI International Conference Center, Mohammed VI International Conference Center, Skhirat, Morocco
UNAOC will attend a thematic workshop of the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) on “Migration for Development: a Roadmap to Achieving the SDGs”.
UNAOC was invited to speak in Workshop 6 on “Citizenship and Identity.” 150+ delegates, representing around 90 UN Member States, GFMD observers, international organizations, as well as partners from the civil society and the private sector, will be in attendance.

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Religious Leaders for a Safe World
2018-04-24 15:00 - 18:00 | UNHQ ECOSOC Chamber, United Nations Headquarters, New York, NY, 10017, United States
The Permanent Mission of Kazakhstan and the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations are co- organizing an Arria-Formula Meeting on the theme “Religious Leaders for a Safe World”.
The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, 24 April 2018 at 3:00 p.m. in the ECOSOC Chamber at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
The meeting will be an occasion for the United Nations community and other relevant stakeholders, including representatives of faith-based organizations, to stress the significance of fostering respectful tolerance across diverse cultures and religions, to address violent extremism and terrorism, and to reiterate the principles of relevant UN resolutions.
For more details, please see the concept note and agenda below.

CONCEPT NOTEAGENDAFLYER
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Educating Younger Generations on Global Citizenship through Intercultural Literacy
2018-05-02 15:00 - 17:30 | United Nations Headquarters, Conference Room 6, UN Headquarters, Conference Room 6, New York, NY, United States
An event co-organized by UNAOC, the Permanent Mission of Kazakhstan to the UN
and Al-Farabi Kazakh National University

Education is at the core of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) mandate and is considered by the Alliance as a major tool to build bridges between communities and people. Over the years, UNAOC has encouraged peace education through a cross-cultural approach to promote respect for diversity and awareness on interdependence of global cultures. UNAOC has also developed exchange programmes at the post-graduate level with the aim to contribute to the transfer of knowledge between scholars and students of different cultures and faiths.
Read more in the concept note below.

CONCEPT NOTEAGENDADownload (PDF, 239KB)

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POSTPONED: From News Literacy to ‘Newsgames’: Conversations Celebrating World Press Freedom Day
2018-05-03 10:00 - 13:00 | United Nations Headquarters, Conference Room 6, UN Headquarters, Conference Room 6, New York, NY, United States
POSTPONED UNAOC’s event, “From News Literacy to ‘Newsgames’: Conversations Celebrating World Press Freedom Day”, is postponed and will be re-scheduled for a later date.
Despite efforts to change the time of the event, we cannot proceed without coming into conflict with the annually held high level event hosted by UNESCO and DPI commemorating World Press Freedom Day which will include the participation of the Secretary-General and the President of the General Assembly.
We apologize for this late notice but will notify you as soon as an alternative date and time is identified.

The Silk Road Concert - Luxor, Egypt
2018-05-04 | Temple of Luxor, Temple of Luxor, Luxor, Egypt
An encounter between East and West, promoting the dialogue and understanding among cultures through Art, as the best instrument to promote harmony between nations.

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9th Advisory Group Meeting of the Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers
2018-05-04 - 2018-05-06 | Lasse Maja, Sweden, Lasse Maja, Sweden
UNAOC is participating at the 9th Advisory Group Meeting of the Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers taking place at Lasse Maja, Sweden May 4-6, 2018. The Advisory Group Meeting will focus on further improving the functioning of the Network, including strategy development and clarifying the structure of the Network. In addition, the themes covered and discussed will include inclusivity in peace work and concrete collaboration building among the Network members and partners as well as exploring opportunities for strengthening collaboration with UN departments and agencies. The recommendations drawn from this Advisory Group Meeting will direct the strategic development of the Network from 2018 onwards. The main themes discussed and objectives of the Meeting include:

Sharing the key findings and recommendations from the evaluation of the Network commissioned by the MFA Finland and advancing strategic discussion thereafter.
Inviting Network members and partners to share strategic thinking, knowledge and best practices on how to further improve the functioning of the Network, how the Network can better serve and support its members and partners better and how to clarify the structure and further define the strategy of the Network.
Exploring what we have learnt from peace processes which women have been leading, how are we still falling short of the promise of inclusivity in peace work and how can we better support women, youth and marginalised groups in peacebuilding and to show evidence- based impact of inclusion.
Exploring the synergies and ways that Network members and partners can deepen their cooperation at regional, country and thematic levels, and together with the UN agencies in order to create effective responses.
Hosting a space for networking and concrete collaboration building especially with regards to thematic focus areas of peace support, inclusivity, reconciliation and prevention of violent extremism and to learn from and shape each other’s thinking in order to collaboratively form effective responses.

Fifth Bicocca Intercultural Day - Hybridization Connections, Suburbs, Anti-racism, Quest for Possible Dialogue
2018-05-23 | Milan-Bicocca University, Milan-Bicocca University, Milan, Italy
UNAOC is participating in the Fifth Bicocca Intercultural Day: “Hybridization Connections, Suburbs, Anti-racism, Quest for Possible Dialogue” in Milan, Italy, on 23 May 2018.
The Fifth Bicocca Intercultural Day is an opportunity to acquire information on developments and training for teachers, educators, head teachers, local political decision-makers, university students and fourth- and fifth-year secondary school students.

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Countering and Preventing Violent Extremism through Communications and Empowerment Strategies Involving Youth
2018-06-28 13:15 - 14:45 | UN Headquarters, Conference Room 9, United Nations, New York, NY, 10017, United States
UN-CTED and UNAOC, on behalf of the CTITF Working Group on Communications chaired by UN DPI, are co-organizing a side-event at the margins of the United Nations High-Level Conference on Counter-Terrorism. Co-sponsored by the Permanent Missions of Finland and Jordan to the United Nations, the event is titled “Countering and Preventing Violent Extremism through Communications and Empowerment Strategies Involving Youth”. It is scheduled to take place on 28 June 2018 from 13h15 – 14h45 in Conference Room 9, United Nations Secretariat Building.
The side-event will provide an opportunity to share experiences and good practices by Member States, United Nations entities, media experts and civil-society organizations in communicating with youth and youth-based organizations, in both on-line and off-line spaces, with a view to countering and preventing violent extremism through communications and empowerment strategies involving youth. One of the primary objectives is to share good practices and experiences in developing communications initiatives to counter terrorist narratives and to strengthen youth resiliency.

High Representative’s Opening Remarks
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AGENDAFLYERPRESENTATIONS Download (PDF, 403KB)

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Ms. Tarja Mankkinen, Head of Development, Police Department, Ministry of the Interior of Finland

Mr. Moustafa Ayad, Head, International Communications Programmes, Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD)

Mr. Matteo Sestito, Political Analyst and Public Information Officer, United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)

Strengthening Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue through Knowledge Sharing: Opportunities and Challenges
2018-07-10 10:00 - 13:00 | Conference Room 9, UNHQ, New York, NY, United States
Organized by UNAOC and KAICIID International Dialogue Centre
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and the KAICIID International Dialogue Centre are co-organizing an event entitled “Strengthening Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue through Knowledge Sharing: Opportunities and Challenges”, to be held on 10 July 2018, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM, at the United Nations Headquarters.

Click to view: Concept Note Agenda Flyer

BACKGROUND:
In face of the global scourges of violent extremism, xenophobia and discrimination, the promotion of a culture of peace and dialogue at the local, national, and international levels has become more than ever crucial to the security and well-being of our societies.
Teaching the values of reconciliation, tolerance and respect between cultures, religions and beliefs, should be a priority for educators and curriculum developers, disregarding whether they target diplomats, politicians, media experts or young children.
As one of the leading entities in the United Nations system for the promotion of interfaith and intercultural dialogue, the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) has been working for more than a decade on building bridges between people and communities from different cultures and religions.
Over the years, UNAOC has developed a solid expertise in the field of interreligious/ intercultural dialogue (IRD/ICD).
With the support of a variety of partners, UNAOC has implemented a wide portfolio of activities with the aim to foster cross-cultural understanding and respect for diversity. As a result, the Alliance has established a growing network of Alumni involved all over the globe in different fields of work and areas of expertise, but all strongly committed to UNAOC mission.
Through its activities, UNAOC has contributed to empower innovative civil society leaders and organizations, working on harnessing the power of online platforms to strengthen IRD/ICD.

Read more in the concept note below

CONCEPT NOTEAGENDAFLYERDownload (PDF, 190KB)

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Fifth World Congress for Middle Eastern Studies (WOCMES)
2018-07-16 - 2018-07-20 | Seville, Spain, Seville, Spain
UNAOC is participating in the Fifth World Congress for Middle Eastern Studies (WOCMES), a series of academic sessions that will take place from 16 to 20 July 2018.
WOCMES Seville 2018 will be held in the capital of Andalusia, serving as a meeting point to present, debate and share a wide range of information on the latest studies concerning the Middle East, encompassing diverse perspectives, from conflict analysis and resolution to migrations, water, the environment, culture, news media, etc.
For more information about WOCMES Seville 2018, click here and here.

A Celebration for an International Day of Education for Global Citizenship
2018-07-18 17:30 - 20:30 | The Mission of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations, 335 E 45th St, New York, NY, 10017
Organized by:
The NGO Steering Committee for an International Day of Education for Global Citizenship (IDEGC) in collaboration with UNESCO-NY, the UN Academic Impact, and the United Nations Alliance of Civilization (UNAOC)
Sponsored by:
The Missions of the Republic of Korea and the State of Qatar to the United Nations
On July 18, 2014, global citizenship was added to the language of SDG 4.7. Our celebration marks the anniversary of that date and reaffirms the commitment made in Gyeongju to establish an International Day of Education for Global Citizenship at the United Nations.
An International Day of Education for Global Citizenship will be a day to spotlight SDG 4: Quality Education, in particular SDG 4.7: “the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development.”
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Capacity Building Workshop for Intercultural Innovation Award Recipients - Australia
2018-07-23 - 2018-07-27 | Melbourne, Australia, Melbourne, Australia
The ten recipients of the Intercultural Innovation Award will take part in their second capacity building workshop, to be held in Melbourne, Australia on 23-27 July 2018.

League of Arab States and Alliance of Civilizations: a Message to Media Professionals
2018-07-29 - 2018-07-30 | Cairo, Egypt, Cairo, Egypt
UNAOC is co-organizing an international seminar entitled “League of Arab States and Alliance of Civilizations: a Message to Media Professionals”. The event will be held in Cairo, Egypt, and co-organized with the League of Arab States, in cooperation with the UNESCO Office in Cairo, the United Nations Information Center (UNIC), Egypt State Information Service, and Egyptian Media Development Program (EMDP).
Participants in the seminar will discuss the vital role played by the media in portraying other cultures and promoting values of tolerance and respect, in the context of the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – particularly SDG 16 on promoting peaceful and inclusive societies – and the objectives of the Unified Arab Strategic Plan for Alliance of Civilizations (2016-2019). The seminar will also provide an opportunity for media professionals from various Arab countries to meet their counterparts from other regions for dialogue, consultation, and exchange of ideas and best practices.

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