The High-level Group was nominated by United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan in discussions with the co-sponsoring Prime Ministers of Spain and Turkey.

Composed of twenty prominent leaders in the fields of politics, academia, civil society, international finance, and media from all regions of the world, the High-level Group guides the work of the Alliance of Civilizations, assessing the forces that contribute to extremism, and recommending collective action to counter these forces.

The High-level Group met five times from November 2005 to November 2006, at the conclusion of which it produced a report which takes a multi-polar approach within which it prioritizes relations between Muslim and Western societies. The first meeting took place in Palma de Mallorca, Spain (26-29 November 2005), the second in Doha, Qatar (25-28 February 2006) and the third in Dakar, Senegal (28-30 May 2006). The report was then presented at a final meeting in Istanbul, Turkey (12-13 November 2006). There was also a working meeting in New York (5-6 September 2006).

The High-level Group’s recommendations specifically encompass strategies for developing better cooperation frameworks and partnerships that can be nurtured to achieve the goals of the Alliance. It considers practical steps to strengthen constructive voices and to engage mass media to shape public debates in productive ways. It proposes educational approaches and methods for supporting the mobilization of young people in promoting the values of moderation, cooperation, and the appreciation of diversity. The plan aims to identify systems and strategies for collective action to produce the conditions in which security, stability and development can thrive.

Download the High Level Group Report: English  | Arabic | Chinese | French | Russian | Spanish | Turkish