4th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue opens in Baku
The 4th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue kicked off in Baku on the theme “Advancing Intercultural Dialogue – New avenues for human security, peace and sustainable development”.
The 4th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue kicked off in Baku on the theme “Advancing Intercultural Dialogue – New avenues for human security, peace and sustainable development”.
The three-day forum aims at further promoting and sustaining understanding and dialogue within and between cultures.
The Forum started with the Second Academic Forum of UNESCO Chairs working in the field of intercultural and interreligious dialogue, which was organized by UNESCO in partnership with the Azerbaijani government.
Azerbaijan`s Deputy Culture and Tourism Minister Sevda Mammadaliyeva, addressing the event, said the country attaches great importance to the forum, whose first edition was convened in Baku in 2015. She highlighted Azerbaijan`s contribution to promoting intercultural dialogue around the globe.
UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences Nada Al-Nashif commended the Azerbaijani government`s support for the activities of UNESCO.
The academic forum brought together 14 UNESCO Chairs from around the globe to explore how the Chairs network can further strengthen the research-policy nexus.
Within the framework of the World Forum, the third meeting of the International Network for the UNESCO Silk Roads Online Platform held in Baku on the same day.
Focal Points from 25 member states were in attendance, representing their respective countries, along with academics and experts who exchanged experiences and good practices in promoting and implementing activities related to the Silk Roads.
Azerbaijan`s Permanent Representative to UNESCO Anar Karimov, addressing the event, drew the audience`s attention to the country`s contribution to the promotion of intercultural dialogue. He said the Baku Process has become an important platform for addressing global problems and challenges.
The main objective of this meeting was to discuss the implementation of the 2016-2018 Action Plan of the International Network that was adopted during the second meeting of the Network in Valencia in June 2016. It also reviewed the most significant initiatives undertaken by focal points and their partners since the last meeting of the Network.
The World Forum is organized in cooperation with UNESCO, the UN Alliance of Civilizations, the UN World Tourism Organization (WTO), the Council of Europe, the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the North-South Center of the Council of Europe.
The Forum brings together nearly 120 officials from foreign countries, representatives of 39 international organizations and more than 50 nongovernmental organizations, heads of governments, ministers, senior policy makers, cultural professionals, goodwill ambassadors, experts, journalists, practitioners, prominent intellectuals and activists.
The agenda includes topics such as the role of faith, religions, migration, human security, sport, education, art, sustainable development, preventing violent extremism, business in building trust and cooperation among cultures and civilizations.
The Forum to run until May 6 will see the launch of a global call for prevention of violent extremism through girls’ education. The call will be made by Azerbaijan’s First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva and UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova at a highlevel meeting on the prevention of violent extremism, migrant and refugee problems.
A special plenary session co-organized with UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) will be held as part of the Forum. “Intercultural dialogue, food security and community resilience: Essential elements in achieving sustainable development and TBC peace (UN FAO-Azerbaijan)” will take place for the first time. The project will be implemented through support of Vice President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and FAO Goodwill Ambassador, Leyla Aliyeva.
Besides, “Baku Process” award for leadership in intercultural dialogue will be announced during the 4th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue in Baku this week. The award will be presented to a famous figure in 2018.
The event aims to be an international platform to enable and encourage people, countries and organizations around the globe to take concrete actions to support diversity, dialogue and mutual understanding among nations by raising awareness on the importance of intercultural dialogue worldwide.