euro|topics - The UN plays the card of multicultural dialogue

07/08/2008

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Main focus of Wednesday, January 16, 2008

The UN plays the card of multicultural dialogue

Almost 350 representatives of 80 countries are taking part in the first Alliance of Civilisations forum in Madrid. Initiated by Spain and supported by Turkey and the UN, this initiative is aimed to show that there are concrete ways that the Islamic world can collaborate with the West.

La Vanguardia - Spain

The daily wonders how this initiative can manage to "go beyond mere good intentions. The Alliance needs to hone down its objectives a lot more and, above all, clarify which means it will apply to reach them and play an efficient role. The Spanish government, one of the motors behind this project, should get rid of a few contradictions in its foreign policy. One such discrepancy is the presence of Spain in the Mediterranean Union proposed by French president Nicolas Sarkozy, one of the most ferocious opponents of Turkey's EU accession. And yet this country is one of Alliance's leaders. ... It is clear that intolerance, fundamentalism and terrorism need to be fought. So too does the fatalism of those who explain that confrontation and the clash of civilisations are inevitable. In order to achieve this, mere will-power and good intentions have to be combined with alternative proposals." (16/01/2008)

La Voix du Luxembourg - Luxembourg

Laurent Moyse considers that "in many places all over the world, violence in a way exerts the right to refuse dialogue and the recognition of others . ... Without a doubt, dialogue among civilisations is the greatest priority of all. It is difficult to achieve because the world is so full enduring stereotypes, cliché's slapped onto all kinds of human groups, whether minorities or majorities, at some time or other in the history of a given region. For, despite a formidable leap in knowledge, we cannot overlook the ignorance that characterises a large number of humans, too arrogant, too lazy, or simply too stupid to take an interest in others before voicing a definitive judgement." (16/01/2008)

Le Temps - Switzerland

The former Portuguese President Jorge Sampaio, High Representative of the Alliance of Civilisations in the UN, explains the aim of this initiative. "In a world marked by such deep imbalance, it is not only nature that is suffering from an advanced state of degradation. Today's societies are also submerged in a much degraded human atmosphere. We have to do something to improve dialogue among people, to turn cultural and religious diversity into an opportunity for real, lasting human development for everyone. ... The complex international situation that took root after 9/11 and with the other terrorist attacks that relentlessly marked this decade, have turned dialogue between civilisations, religions and cultures into a humanitarian emergency that cannot be put off." (16/01/2008)

» To the complete press review of Wednesday, January 16, 2008

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