High-level Event on International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations

Your Excellency Under-Secretary-General Martinez, Distinguished Ambassadors, and dear friends, good afternoon.
Welcome to the high-level event to mark the International Day for Dialogue Among Civilizations, under the theme of "Exploring New Pathways for Dialogue Among Civilizations and Jointly Writing New Chapters for Global Governance.
" You see that the seat beside me is vacant.
This is reserved for the President of Colombia, His Excellency President Pedroz.
He will be joining us later on.
And also, I wish to acknowledge the Under-Secretary-General Martinez and the United Nations Alliance of Civilization, UNOC, for working closely with us in preparing for the event.
I would also like to thank the Office of the President of the General Assembly and Ms.
Bogus for your support.
Thank you.
And we are greatly honored to be joined by the Permanent Missions of Armenia, Colombia, Ethiopia, Greece, Indonesia, Iraq, Mexico, and UNESCO as co-sponsors for today.
Our heartfelt gratitude also goes to all the participants here today.
Your presence testifies to the value all of us place on strengthening dialogue among civilizations.
Before we begin today's program, please join me in welcoming the performer from China.
Please join me in welcoming the performer from China for an opening dance.
。I thank the art troupe for their excellent performance.
As you can see from their costumes, they represent different cultures and different ethnic groups within the Chinese civilization.
Ladies and gentlemen, we gathered at a critical time.
The world is confronting a growing array of challenges and a crisis.
Deficits in global governance are deepening.
Misunderstanding and mistrust are turning differences into disputes, and worse still, into conflicts and wars.
Two years ago, the UN General Assembly adopted the resolution declaring June the 10th as the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations.
The commemorative event we held last year was a great success thanks to the support of the member states.
This year, as we mark the 25th anniversary of the Global Agenda for Dialogue among Civilizations, it is essential that we build on that momentum.
Today's event is an opportunity for us to reflect on how inter-civilizational dialogue promotes mutual understanding and reaffirms our shared commitment to improving global governance.
China attaches great importance to this dialogue.
His Excellency Foreign Minister Wang Yi has sent a video address, so let us now listen to his remarks.
，，。。，，。，。，。，，。 。，。，。，；，。。 ，。，，。、。、、、，、。，，、。 ，。。，，。，。，，，。 ，。，。。，，、。、，、、。，，。 ，。。，。，，、。，，；，。、、、、。，。。 I thank Foreign Minister Wang Yi for his remarks.
And as a champion for dialogue among civilizations, His Excellency Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, has kindly sent a written message for today's event.
I now have the honor to invite Under-Secretary-General Moratinos to deliver the written message on behalf of the Secretary-General.
You have the floor, sir.
Thank you very much, Your Excellency Mr.
Fukon, Parliament Representative of the People's Republic of China.
Now I read the written message of Secretary-General António Guterres.
We are living through a period of turbulence and transformation.
Conflicts are raging, inequality is widening, and evolving technology from AI to clean energy presents us with critical choices about the future we want to create.
Too often, differences are misunderstood or manipulated to undermine global solidarity.
But there is a path forward: dialogue.
Dialogue between nations, between culture, between faiths.
On this second international day for dialogue among civilizations, we recognize the power of open communication to solve even the most intractable global challenges.
When we listen, talk, and connect, we replace confrontation with cooperation and tension with trust.
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations show us the way, building bridges across borders and turning diversity into a strength.
Change begins with open minds and open hearts.
At a time when the international system is being tested, dialogue has the power to reunite us for a much juster and more peaceful world.
End of the quote of Secretary-General António Guterres.
Thank you.
We thank Secretary-General Guterres for his remarks and for his longstanding commitment to facilitating dialogue and fostering mutual understanding.
I now give the floor to Mrs.
Burgess, Chef de Gabinet, for Her Excellency Baerbock to deliver remarks on behalf of the President of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly.
You have the floor, Madame.
Thank you so much, Ambassador Fu, and good afternoon.
And also wanted to acknowledge Under-Secretary-General Moratinos for the invitation for the President of the General Assembly to deliver remarks at this event.
Unfortunately, the PGA is actually traveling, and she's in Nairobi, Kenya today.
And hence, you have me to read out her statement.
So I'm honored to do this on behalf of the President.
I wanted to also extend sincere appreciation to us, aside from the Mission of China and the UNOC, to the other co-hosts for this event: Armenia, Colombia, Ethiopia, Greece, Indonesia, Iraq, Mexico, and of course, UNESCO for co-hosting this high-level meeting.
The President of the General Assembly joins you, Excellencies, in recognizing the value of dialogue among civilizations, which celebrates the diversity of peoples, cultures, languages, ethnicities, and beliefs that make our world truly remarkable.
Indeed, it was this appreciation for diversity and for building unity through that diversity that inspired the theme of the 80th Session, Better Together.
Because the reality is that a world of 8 billion people representing thousands of cultures and traditions can only thrive when there is mutual respect and understanding, and when the inherent dignity and value of every person is recognized.
Excellencies, our United Nations was born out of an era of profound division, marked by devastating wars and the horrors of the Holocaust.
Its creation, symbolized by the signing of the Charter in San Francisco, represented both a rejection of the forces that led to such tragedies and an affirmation that humanity could overcome its differences through cooperation and dialogue.
And today's commemoration reflects these same principles.
Yet much of the United Nations itself, yet like the United Nations itself, dialogue among civilizations requires constant effort, adaptation, and renewal.
Today, hatred and division manifest themselves in new ways, fueled by misinformation and disinformation, and amplified by social media and spread across borders with unprecedented speed.
Conflicts in Sudan, in Gaza, Ukraine, and elsewhere continue to inflict immense suffering on millions of people.
In this context, embracing dialogue means more than celebrating our differences.
It means actively pushing back against those who seek to divide.
It means standing up for the principles of the Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
And it means affirming the dignity and humanity of all people everywhere.
Excellencies, let us use this moment not only to celebrate dialogue among civilizations, but also to recommit ourselves to the institution that embodies that principle and provides a home for that dialogue.
And let us work together to build a more peaceful, inclusive, and equitable world for present and future generations.
Because, as the President has said on numerous occasions, we are, in the end, better together.
I thank you.
I thank Mrs.
Burgess for her remarks and appreciate the support of the PGA's office for this event.
I now give the floor to Under-Secretary-General Moratinos to deliver his own speech as a high representative for UNOC.
You have the floor, sir.
Your Excellency, Mr.
Fukon, Permanent Representative of the People's Republic of China, Chief of Cabinet of the President of the General Assembly, Excellencies, Permanent Representative of the countries that wanted to co-sponsor this important event, welcome all of you in this club, the Club of Civilization.
I don't know if you have noticed now, it's quite common we come and we use the word.
When I arrived eight years ago, well, to talk about civilization was a kind of a strange thing.
Now everybody talks.
So it's a good step forward.
So thank you for being with us and distinguished delegate to share this important event.
It is a great pleasure to address this high-level event marking the second observance of the International Day for Dialogue Among Civilizations.
I extend my sincere appreciation to the People's Republic of China for his vision and for his commitment, which led to the establishment of this important international observance.
I also thank today's co-sponsor and all those who continue to champion dialogue, mutual understanding, and cooperation among civilizations as an essential foundation for peace.
Today, we gather at a moment of profound global urgency.
Across religion, we witness, across region, we witness growing confrontation, persistence of armed conflict, accelerating social fragmentation, and an alarming increase in hate speech, racism, xenophobia, and religious intolerance.
Technological transformation is proceeding at an unprecedented pace while many societies struggle with fear, mistrust, and polarization.
In such a context, the observance of the International Day is not merely symbolic.
It's necessary.
Dialogue allows us to bridge differences without erasing identities.
It enables us to build trust without demanding uniformity.
It creates the condition for cooperation while preserving the rich diversity that defines humanity.
For the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, this conviction lies at the heart of our mandate.
UNOC remains committed to serving as a global platform for intercultural and interreligious dialogue, bringing together governments, international organizations, civil society, youth, and the private sector to foster mutual understanding and to advance peaceful, inclusive societies.
Since its creation, UNOC has worked to counter the narrative of division and confrontation.
We have consistently affirmed a simple but powerful truth: civilizations are capable of learning from one another, enriching one another, and working together in pursuit of common goals.
I am reminded of the words of the late Pope St.
Paul VI, who coined the phrase "the civilization of love, " when he dreamed of a world where justice and charity intertwined with love become the guiding principle of humanity.
I was delighted when His Holiness Pope Leo recently, Pope Leo XIV, recently echoed the same message.
In that regard, the lines remain true to his founding motto: "Many cultures, one humanity.
" Excellencies, dear friends, throughout history, civilization has flourished not in isolation, but through cooperation and exchange.
The greatest advances in science, philosophy, literature, medicine, and the arts emerge when societies engage one with another across borders and culture.
The historical reality carries an important lesson for our present: diversity was never a threat to stability.
On the contrary, it is our source of resilience, creativity, and innovation.
It broadens horizons and expands our collective capacity to address the complex challenges of our time.
At a moment when some seek to exploit cultural ethics or religious differences for political gain, we must reaffirm that our diversity is one of humanity's greatest assets.
Excellencies, dialogue among civilizations must not remain confined to conference halls and diplomatic forums.
It must be translated into concrete action.
It must be reflected in educational systems that promote mutual respect and global citizenship.
It must be supported by media that builds understanding rather than amplifies division.
It must be advanced through cultural changes to youth engagement and inclusive public policies.
And it must be protected in our digital spaces where intolerance can spread with unprecedented speed.
Dialogue is not an event.
It's a continuous practice.
In this context, we must also reflect on the rapid development of artificial intelligence.
While AI offers a precedented opportunity to advance knowledge and connectivity, it also carries risks when misused to amplify division, division, misinformation, and hatred.
We bear a shared responsibility to ensure that technology serves to protect and uplift our civilization, safeguarding human dignity and strengthening the values that unite us as one humanity.
My dear friends, the International Day for Dialogue Among Civilizations invites us to reaffirm a simple yet profound principle: our shared humanity is greater than our differences.
Our destinies are connected.
Our challenges are shared.
And our future depends on our ability to cooperate across all divides.
Let's ensure that dialogue among civilizations remains at the heart of multilateralism and at the context, at the center of our efforts to build a more peaceful, inclusive, and sustainable world.
Many cultures, many civilizations, one humanity.
Thank you very much.
Thank you, Your Excellency, for your inspiring remarks.
Okay.
Yes.
His Excellency, President Pedro, is about to join us.
Or should we continue with our proceedings? And he's about to enter.
Okay.
Today, we feel very much privileged to have a great number of co-sponsors joining us for commemoration of the International Day, which is a sign of our collective readiness to strengthen dialogue and improve global governance.
I now give the floor to Ambassador Hafanisian, Permanent Representative of Armenia to the United Nations, followed by Ethiopia.
Ambassador, you have the floor.
Dear Ambassador, full distinguished colleagues, Excellencies, Under-Secretary Moratinos, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the delegation of China and the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations for organizing this high-level event.
It is an honor to join distinguished speakers and co-sponsors in commemorating the International Day for Dialogue Among Civilizations and exchanging views on the implementation of the GA Resolution 78/286.
The promotion of mutual respect, tolerance, solidarity, and international cooperation is firmly anchored in the resolution as guiding principles for states, international organizations, and other stakeholders in advancing initiatives at the local, regional, and international level.
We firmly believe that every civilization and culture contributes to the common heritage of humankind.
Recognition of the inherent dignity, value, and historical contributions of all cultures rejects the logic of cultural confrontation and division.
Instead, it promotes constructive engagement grounded in respect and fosters a culture of peace and nonviolence.
In today's increasingly interconnected yet polarized world, challenges stemming from intolerance, extremism, racism, xenophobia, attacks against cultural heritage, denial of historical identities, and dissemination of false cultural narratives continue to undermine security, stability, and sustainable development across societies.
In the spirit, the recently adopted General Assembly Resolution Education of Peace, initiated by Armenia, reaffirmed the role of education as a foundation for a culture of peace.
Diversity should never be instrumentalized as a source of division or conflict, but rather foster solidarity and shared progress.
In this regard, the United Nations must remain steadfast in building bridges across cultures, societies, regions, continents.
In this regard, Armenia underscores the central role of UNESCO as a leading UN agency in the protection of cultural heritage and promotion of education and culture as a powerful instrument for nonviolence and, of course, will recognize the important role of the Alliance of Civilizations in fostering intercultural, interreligious dialogue.
In the Yerevan Declaration adopted at eight meetings, the ministers of the member states of the Ancient Civilizations Forum reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the forum as an intergovernmental platform for cooperation in the field of cultural exchange, advancement of the culture of peace.
Governments, academic institutions, civil society, and individuals all share a collective responsibility to bring together diverse voices, traditions, and perspectives in support of tolerance, mutual understanding, human rights through practical action.
I thank you.
May I now invite Ambassador Sabo, Permanent Representative of Ethiopia, for his remarks, followed by Greece.
Ethiopia.
Thank you, Your Excellency, Mr.
Fusong, Permanent Representative of the People's Republic of China, to the UN.
Excellency, Mr.
Miguel Angel Moratinos, Under-Secretary-General.
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, let me join colleagues who spoke before me in thanking the permanent mission of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations for organizing this important event.
I feel honored to speak on this occasion representing my country, Ethiopia, which is one of the oldest civilizations with over 3,000 years of statehood and recorded history.
Moreover, for centuries, Ethiopia has embodied a civilization of religious coexistence where the three Abrahamic phases have flourished together in mutual respect and understanding.
It's documented in the Holy Quran that the Christian Kingdom of Axum granted refuge to the first companions of Prophet Muhammad in the early days of Islam.
This was one of the most consequential acts of interfaith understanding and civilizational hospitality in human history.
This tradition, deeply woven into the fabric of our society, has informed our decision to join the core group of countries which were instrumental in presenting and successfully adopting the Resolution 78/286 that declared 10th of June as International Day of Dialogue Among Civilizations.
Home to over 80 language communities, Ethiopia's federal system itself is an architecture based on dialogue that recognizes diversity as a national asset.
Ethiopia has registered 19 World Heritage Sites with UNESCO, 12 tangible sites and seven intangible ones.
Mr.
Moderator, we are of the view that we are living in a challenging era where rising nationalism, identity-based violence, and aggravation of racial, cultural, and religious differences continue to threaten the foundation of peaceful coexistence.
The challenge is not the existence of differences, but the culture of tolerance and the quality of dialogue that manages our differences.
Hate speech via social media and unethical abuse of AI technology are accelerating civilizational misunderstanding faster than dialogue mechanisms can repair.
No doubt, the UN, the United Nations system, is the ideal platform for institutionalizing dialogue among civilizations across the world.
But the UN needs to be made more fair and representative and reflecting the realities of the times.
For instance, it's a source of concern that Africa, which is a cradle of humanity, remains underrepresented in the UN Security Council.
Therefore, we continue to underline the need for restructuring and correction of such historical imbalances as a basis for mutual understanding of civilizations.
Dialogue among civilizations requires fairness and justice to be embedded for them to be relevant.
In conclusion, coexistence is not something that comes accidentally.
It requires nurturing and practical actions beyond formal discussions.
We need to take steps to institutionalize and implement the culture of dialogue.
This can be achieved through sincere communication, open-mindedness, and learning from one another.
For this to succeed, we need to take steps in curriculum, media regulation, religious teachings, and the like.
Allow me to close with the words of my Prime Minister, His Excellency Dr.
Ravi Ahmed, delivered on the occasion of receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019.
I quote, "Before we can harvest peace dividends, we must plant seeds of love, forgiveness, and reconciliation in the hearts and minds of our citizens.
We must pull out of the weeds of discord, hate, and misunderstanding and toil every day.
" End of quote.
These words ring as true in this room today as they did then.
And this is precisely what dialogue among civilizations demands of us.
I thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you, Ambassador Sabo.
And dear colleagues, today we have the distinct honor of having His Excellency Mr.
Pedro, President of Colombia, joining us at this event.
So we all look forward to hearing the President's address.
Mr.
President, now the floor is yours.
Thank you for coming once again.
Bien, agradezco al representante permanente de la República Popular de China y al Subsecretario General de las Naciones Unidas, alto representante para el diálogo entre civilizaciones por la organización de este evento, así como a los países que con su presencia realzan esta iniciativa.
Entonces, pues me he referido hace unos instantes, unas horas en mi discurso, porque tenemos la presidencia transitoria ahora de la Comisión de Seguridad de Naciones Unidas.
Y quise venir aquí personalmente a inaugurar la presidencia como presidente de la República de Colombia que soy y a expresar algunas de mis ideas, una de las cuales tiene que ver también con este evento, y es que, dadas las guerras, en crecimiento no se agotan, tienden a agravarse, conjugándose con problemas cada vez mayores, como el de la crisis climática.
Estamos ante un mega niño, así le dicen los científicos, que no es exclusivamente la costa pacífica de Colombia, Ecuador, Perú, sino que ya afecta al planeta entero de una y otra manera difícil de predecir.
Pero a nosotros, obviamente, nos arroja hacia una sequía.
La falta de agua en toda la zona tórrida del planeta es una de las consecuencias casi que primeras de un agudizamiento de la crisis climática.
Los investigadores científicos que han explorado este tema concreto dicen que cerca de 3,000 millones de personas, habitantes hoy de la zona tórrida, entre otras, toda la población colombiana, tendrán que mirar hacia donde hay agua.
Y de acuerdo a esos mismos modelos, habrá agua en donde hay hielo que se congelará, se descongelará.
Estamos hablando del Canadá, del norte de Estados Unidos.
Estamos hablando de Europa, su norte, su sur puede sufrir también la desertización, según esos modelos.
Y el sur, con hielo, que es el sur de Patagonia y de Chile, la Antártica.
Hoy buscamos que tengamos un espacio en la Antártica.
Pero, obviamente, esta perspectiva que la investigación traza hacia el 2070 y se puede acelerar, la vivirán nuestros hijos, pero acelerándose nosotros más adelante, pues nos lleva a unas circunstancias que ponen en peligro completamente la democracia como idea, como proyecto, que cada vez debía profundizarse más.
Y de la barbarie, no solo de la guerra actual, sino de la barbarie generalizada.
Dije en ese momento, recordando a Jürgen Habermas, filósofo alemán que murió hace poco y que yo leía mucho, sobre todo una base, porque es el filósofo de la comunicación, era.
Muchos libros dejó al respecto, que poco leen los periodistas y comunicadores sociales, que la falta, el corte de comunicación social al interior de sociedades o entre sociedades diferentes trae la violencia.
Así explicaba lo que había acontecido ante la pregunta de una periodista aquí cerca, cuando derrumbaron las Torres Gemelas, un 11 de septiembre, que también conmemoraba en ese mismo día el golpe de Estado contra Pinochet en América Latina, que nos hundió a nosotros en 30 años, es mi cálculo, de dictaduras en el Cono Sur, terribles, similares en muchos aspectos al fascismo europeo de mediados de siglo XX, y nos hundió a guerras revolucionarias de las cuales yo hice parte, en América Central, Colombia y otros países.
Violencia y violencia en general, con una migración latinoamericana de chilenas, sobre todo de un millón de personas, son las cuentas.
Ahora es más grande, ahora es mucho más grande, y si este anuncio de la ciencia se cumple, prácticamente los países de la zona tórrida de Latinoamérica tienen que irse o al norte o al sur.
Y entonces nos enfrentamos ante esa realidad donde ya fluyen personas a causa de las guerras por el petróleo, y fluyen personas por la escasez de agua y, por tanto, alimentación, que podemos llamar a eso pobreza en general, cada vez más hacia el norte, no tanto hacia el sur.
Y se va volviendo realidad la predicción científica de estos modelos computacionales que tiene el panel de expertos de Naciones Unidas.
Hablé del tema comunicación, hablamos más de lo que está aconteciendo en Colombia, subiendo el nivel de violencia y lo que aconteció anoche en Belfast, pero haya terminado.
Vi cómo en ambos países, paralelamente, es la inteligencia artificial desarticulada de una regulación global, inteligencia artificial en las redes, pues es la comunicación social de la que hablaba Habermas sin que existiera, cada vez era más, pero sin regulación global, la comunicación social le hace el diálogo, nos llevará cada vez más a la barbarie.
Decía que Stephen Hawking había dicho que era esta la principal causa de la extinción humana.
Ponía 200 años de plazo, pero yo siempre he ligado esto al tema de la crisis climática, no me voy a referir ahora, la produce el petróleo, el carbón, el calentamiento global como subproducto y la extinción de la vida, como conversé ahora en relación a la zona tórrida y su comienzo ahora con el mega niño.
Vienen en unas semanas apenas consecuencias que no son tan predecibles, pero es hambre.
Si juntamos una época de hambre por evaporación de agua con el cierre del estrecho de Ormuz y, por tanto, la desaparición y alzas de los fertilizantes, un hambre mundial, quizás peor que la del COVID.
Y por eso me parece fundamental restablecer los puentes de comunicación en el mundo.
Un mundo, ¿cuánto tiempo tengo? Porque no me han dicho.
Chairman, eso es bueno.
Los puentes de comunicación del mundo hoy por hoy, pues los tenemos que llamar diálogo de civilizaciones.
El Papa trajo a cuento ahora en su encíclica que yo estoy leyendo y me sirvió de base, Magnífica Humanidad.
Aquí en las primeras páginas, un ejemplo, discúlpenme que me remita a una religión, yo creo en la libertad de cultos, pero me parece aquí un esfuerzo muy importante desde el punto de vista intelectual humano, por ponerse al orden del día y avisarle a la humanidad cosas que deben discutir los políticos, las naciones, los estados, este debería ser el escenario mayor.
Pero esta parábola que trae aquí, referido a la Biblia, tiene que ver con la comparación entre la Torre de Babel y la construcción de los muros de Jerusalén, temas hoy que podemos traducir al tiempo contemporáneo.
Y ve las dos diferencias, después del diluvio, del que sale Sem, antes de la división entre árabes y judíos palestinos, por religiones diferentes.
Sem hablaba la lengua de Palestina, el arameo, en ese entonces, lengua muerta ya.
Pero la Torre de Babel se crea para tener una sola lengua y una sola civilización en forma de un gran edificio, preveían los actuales.
Imposible, y por eso se destruye, bíblicamente hablando.
Y en cambio, dice el Papa León XIV, ya había la obra de Jerusalén después de los muros de Jerusalén, tiempos bíblicos después, ya cuando los pueblos se dividen en lenguas, que yo llamaría civilizaciones, una construcción en comunidad.
Entonces, él refleja aquí, me parece importante, dos visiones que son contemporáneas.
La idea de construir una humanidad bajo una sola civilización, de dominar y destruir las demás, y la idea de construir una democracia global que solo puede hacerse aceptando la diversidad y, por tanto, civilizaciones diferentes.
En el caso latinoamericano, pues estamos ante la evidente agenda de acabar las diferencias entre Estados Unidos, culturales, que no históricas realmente, y en Latinoamérica sobre la base de subordinar Latinoamérica, y eso no es una democracia.
Y en otras partes del mundo, igual, peores las que ya están en guerras.
A nosotros nos arrojaron misiles en Caracas.
Nunca había sucedido ningún bombardeo de ninguna ciudad latinoamericana, y misiles sobre personas civiles indefensas, a los que llaman narcotraficantes, cuando los dueños del narcotráfico real en el mundo viven en las ciudades del lujo, no en el Mar Caribe, ni navegando lanchas en el Mar Caribe.
Han muerto 200 latinoamericanos, varios colombianos.
Yo estoy bajo amenaza permanente, pero yo creo que este camino que se emprende aquí, que tiene que acometer los peligros actuales sobre la humanidad y guiarse por la vida como eje fundamental del consenso mayor y del puente entre las civilizaciones, la vida como eje, estoy convencido que hay dos políticas, finalmente en medio de tantos colores y banderas, que es la política de la vida y la política de la muerte, y que cualquier acción aquí, incluso, o en cualquier lugar del mundo, como política, se puede pasar por el filtro, como un prisma, de si ayuda a la vida o ayuda a la muerte y tomar posición.
Y cuando hablamos aquí de civilización, de rescatar la comunicación entre las civilizaciones diferentes del mundo, estamos ante una política de la vida, no de la muerte.
Y cuando se habla de acabar las ODS, los objetivos del milenio que llamamos, la justicia social en el mundo, que es la otra forma de decirlo, menos tecnocrática, pero es la justicia social en el mundo, de acabar el derecho internacional, incluidas las Naciones Unidas, yo ya tengo un colombiano que habla de sacar a Colombia de Naciones Unidas, pues además de imponer una civilización sobre las otras, de no juzgar genocidas, de no establecer los diálogos correctos en Gaza, que tienen que ver con el respeto de las civilizaciones allí presentes, o encarar el problema del Golfo y el estrecho de Ormuz, bajo la idea de respetar las civilizaciones allí, no bloquear ningún país.
Ni Qatar merece ser bloqueado, ni Emiratos Árabes Unidos, ni Bahrein, ni Jordania, que queda geográficamente bloqueado, ni Irán.
Y esto nos lleva al tema de las armas nucleares, toca eliminarlas, pero a todos.
Había un programa en Naciones Unidas con ese camino hace décadas, cuando existía la Unión Soviética, y fue un acuerdo entre la Unión Soviética y los Estados Unidos, eliminar progresivamente armas nucleares, no que unos tengan y otros no.
Y nos lleva a esta situación de los migrantes, que es la mayor incomunicación que se está produciendo acá en esta escala, Belfast me sirvió de ejemplo, pero lo sufrimos todos los pueblos del tercer mundo en desarrollo, y es que la dialéctica, ni siquiera la ideología falsa de la raza y de la migración, como enemigo fundamental, nos lleva a lo que plantearon ayer, muy expandido por la red X y con inteligencia artificial, que es la pena de muerte a todos los migrantes, con lo cual me criticó Estados Unidos.
No es que demerite el holocausto que se vivió en la Segunda Guerra Mundial, yo siempre hablo de él como ejemplo que no se debe seguir en el mundo, pero vamos a uno que se llama global, mundial, contra todos nosotros, por diferencias de piel, o porque no se asume la discusión de por qué una persona migra hacia otro país, que ya dije aquí que pueden ser 3.000 millones, si no se corrige la crisis climática y todos provenientes de la zona tórrida.
Entonces, este esfuerzo del diálogo entre civilizaciones, pulcro, sin cálculo alguno, como decía el mismo Habermas, racional, no es por la razón o la fuerza, porque entonces estamos ante una fuerza irracional, y eso se llama nazis, y lo repito, si no es por la razón o por la razón, vida o vida, no vida o muerte, vida o vida, libertad y vida, deben ser nuestras consignas, y el diálogo de civilizaciones, estableciendo un diálogo racional entre ellas y acuerdos, en medio de las diferencias, pues es el único camino para la paz global, que es el otro nombre de la hermandad de la humanidad.
Bueno, gracias, muy amables por haberme escuchado.
Muy bien.
Mr.
President, thank you very much for your wide-ranging and thought-provoking remarks.
And also I want to thank you once more for your graciously taking the time to join us today.
Thank you.
Gracias.
Invite, uh, Ambassador Bota, uh, Permanent Representative of Greece to the United Nations to deliver her remarks, followed by Indonesia.
You have the floor, Madam.
Thank you, Mr.
President.
Dear colleagues, distinguished guests, I would like to congratulate the mission of China for organizing this very important event on the second anniversary of the International Day for Dialogue Among Civilizations, and thank all participants and co-sponsors.
In an era defined by multifaceted crisis, dialogue among civilizations is not merely an idealistic pursuit.
It is the only viable p-path to peaceful resolution of disputes and international stability.
By focusing on what unites humanity rather than what divides it, nations can discover the common values necessary to build a sustainable future.
This convergence is the very groundwork of the United Nations, highlighting the intrinsic link between intercultural dialogue and conflict prevention.
Fostering meaningful dialogue requires upholding international law, the UN Charter, and human rights, with the ultimate goal of combating hate speech, racism, and intolerance, both online and offline, and preventing marginalization and violence.
Education stands as a crucial pillar in this endeavor, building the trust and solidarity needed to empower our youth as levers of change.
Civil society is also a vital ally in our efforts, enabling the voices of marginalized and vulnerable groups to be included in the dialogue.
In this framework, the role of UNESCO and the UN Alliance of Civilizations is therefore commendable as they support member states in our pursuit to build a just and sustainable world.
Mr.
President, as G.
Moratinos, Greece places particular importance on intercultural dialogue within different international frameworks, as such the Ancient Civilizations Forum, inaugurated in Athens in 2017.
Greece was honored to hold the presidency of the forum in 2025 for the second time in the forum's history, organizing a ministerial meeting at the United Nations this past September on the margins of the High Level Week and an experts' meeting in Athens in October.
Our presidency culminated in hosting the ninth ministerial meeting of the forum in December at the Acropolis Museum under the shadow of the Parthenon.
Our presidency focused on strengthening multilateral cooperation and developing joint initiatives to address the pressing challenges presented by illicit trafficking of cultural goods and the adverse effects of climate change on cultural heritage, while promoting exchange of know-how in the conservation of and restoration of monumental heritage by means of modern technologies.
These commitments were reaffirmed by the adoption of the Athens Declaration, reinforcing the forum's mission to turn shared cultural heritage into diplomatic action.
Mr.
President, dear colleagues, the protection of cultural heritage is a paramount pillar of our foreign policy.
Greece proudly presents every three years the General Assembly Resolution on the Return or Restitution of Cultural Property to the Countries of Origin.
The last iteration of this resolution received a record number of 146 co-sponsorships, pointing to the international community's deep understanding of its responsibility to protect cultural heritage, be it tangible or intangible, both in times of peace and war.
Cultural property is the reflection of a country's history, heritage, and cultural identity.
Therefore, it must be protected and restored to its historic environment, where it can inspire and transmit the intangible cultural heritage values it embodies.
In closing, I would like to emphasize that by embracing intercultural dialogue, we do more than just honor our past.
We actively secure our future.
By promoting mutual understanding over division and respect over superiority, we can turn the complexity of our civilizations into the greatest tool for peace.
I thank you.
Thank you, Ambassador Bota.
And then I'll give the floor to Ambassador Hadi, Permanent Representative of Indonesia to the United Nations, followed by Iraq.
Ambassador.
Thank you, Mr.
Chairman.
I would like to thank the People's Republic of China for spearheading this important cause and organizing this event.
Indonesia is honored to co-sponsor the International Day of Dialogue Among Civilizations and mark the 25th anniversary of the Global Agenda for Dialogue Among Civilizations.
We live in a time when we are more connected than ever and, paradoxically, more divided.
This is why dialogue among civilizations must cease to be a formality.
It is indeed a necessity.
Excellencies, history has taught us that civilizations that talk to each other build something together.
Dialogue nurtures mutual trust and shared purpose.
That is the core argument of today's event.
Civilizational dialogue is a driver of a better global governance, a more just and more equitable governance.
The Resolution for International Dialogue Among Civilizations affirms this, that civilizations flourish in contact with others.
Of course, this is not without challenges.
Allow me to raise three concerns that we cannot afford to ignore.
First, the spread of Islamophobia and discrimination against religious communities of all faiths is a direct threat to civilizational dialogue.
Protecting the dignity of every community is not optional.
It is the foundation of peaceful coexistence.
Indonesia strongly supports the UNEOC's role in combating these trends and calls for coordinated global action.
Second, technology is becoming a battleground for civilization.
Artificial intelligence and digital platforms, when ungoverned, do not merely spread misinformation.
They industrialize it at a speed no government can contain alone.
We must build shared ethical frameworks to put technology in the service of dialogue, not against it.
And technology must also go hand in hand with better education for our future generations.
Third, meaningful dialogue must be grounded on international law, the Charter's call for the peaceful settlement of disputes, the sovereign equality of states, and the protection of human rights.
These are not constraints on civilizational exchange.
They are an enabling condition.
Behind the rule of law, dialogue is.
Previous.
Excellencies, this International Day holds a powerful invitation to write new chapters for global governance together.
Let us make those chapters worthy of the civilizations we represent.
I thank you.
I thank Ambassador Hadi for his remarks.
And now I invite Ambassador Alfili, Permanent Representative of Iraq to the United Nations to take the floor, followed by Mexico.
Permanent Representative Fu Kong, USG Montréal, Excellencies, distinguished colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, it's an honor to participate in this observation of the International Day for Dialogue Among Civilizations.
For Iraq, this occasion carries a special significance.
Iraq is a cradle of humanity's oldest civilizations.
For Malina, the land of Mesopotamia has been an arena of intersections between people, cultures, religions, and ideas.
Our society reminds us that civilizations flourish not in isolation, but through exchange, learning, and mutual respect.
The significance of this day is particularly profound for my country because on the 10th of June also marks the anniversary of the 2014 terrorist assault of Daesh ISIS against Iraq.
Their objective was not only to occupy territory.
They sought to destroy civilizations and history itself.
They attacked our cultural heritage, our religious diversity, our coexistence, and our shared community humanity.
They targeted communities that had lived together for centuries.
They destroyed places of worship, libraries, museums, and archaeological sites that belong not only to Iraq but to the heritage of all humankind.
Yet they failed.
The Iraqi people demonstrated that civilizations are stronger than those who seek to erase them.
The resilience of our diverse communities remains a powerful testament to the triumph of human dignity over extremism and hatred.
Excellencies, the lessons of Iraq experience are relevant far beyond our borders and our region.
In an era earmarked by conflict, polarization, intolerance, and misinformation, dialogue among civilizations is a necessity for all coexistence and development.
Dialogue requires us to listen as much as we can speak.
It requires respect for cultural diversity, rejection of prejudice, and a recognition of our common humanity and shared history.
It reminds us that differences should be a source of enrichment rather than of division.
This principle was expressed beautifully by the English poet John Doe when he wrote, "No man is an island entire of itself.
Every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.
" More than 400 years ago, these words remain deeply relevant.
The destruction of one's people's heritage diminishes all humanity.
The suffering of one nation affects us all.
The loss of an innocent life anywhere concerns us all.
As Doe concluded, "Any man's death diminishes me because I am involved in mankind and therefore never sent to know for whom the bell tolls.
It tolls for thee.
" These words capture the very spirit of dialogue among civilizations.
They remind us that our destinies are interconnected and our to our security, prosperity, and peace that we should share together.
Responsibilities should never be viewed as a rival competing for supremacy or superiority.
Every civilization has contributed to humanity's collective achievement in science, philosophy, literature, art, and knowledge.
The heritage of each civilization enriches the heritage of all.
In this spirit, Iraq supports efforts to strengthen intercultural and interreligious dialogue, protect cultural heritage, promote education, and empower young people to become ambassadors of coexistence and mutual understanding.
Ladies and gentlemen, the coincidence of this International Day with the anniversary of terrorist assault against Iraq carries a powerful message.
Those who sought to destroy civilizations have failed.
Civilizations endure.
Dialogue endures.
Humanity endures.
Let us reaffirm our commitment to building bridges rather than walls, understanding rather than suspicion, and cooperation rather than confrontation.
By doing so, we honor not only our diverse civilizations but also our shared future.
I thank you, sir.
I thank Ambassador Alfili for his remarks.
I now invite Ambassador Vasconcelos, Permanent Representative of Mexico to the United Nations to deliver his remarks.
Thank you.
You have the floor.
Very esteemed representatives of various civilizations present here this afternoon.
Ever since Pablo Picasso brought the essence of so-called primitive art, that is, totemic figures from Central Africa and the Far East to Paris, then capital of modern art, in the painting Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, ever since Stravinsky transported the sounds of Russian folklore and the elementary rhythms of nomadic tribes also to Paris, to the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, integrating them into the canon of Western art a century ago, the Western world was made aware, not without resistance, of the fact that there is no single culture, no superior one, that it is precisely the richness of the various civilizations that have developed at different times in different regions of the world that created the vast landscape of the world's cultures.
We now know that a mask from Central Africa or from Australasia is as admirable as a Schubert quartet or a 19th-century French or Russian novel.
They all express the concerns, unwishes, and joys of being alive.
They all speak of and to the predicament of humankind.
A Chinese vase from the Ming Dynasty or a horse from Xi'an, an Olmec or Mayan head, or a painting by Hiroshige are as exquisite as a Greek sculpture or a painting by Raphael or Titian.
A depiction of the god Shiva is as meaningful as a poem by Blake or Keats.
An antique Persian carpet is as beautiful and sophisticated as a 17th-century Belgian tapestry or a painting by Rothko.
The only reason why the Western world thought its civilization was a superior one is that it was Western powers, i.e.
, Spain, France, Portugal, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Great Britain mostly, that established from the 15th to the 20th centuries, through war and technology, the biggest, most powerful world empires.
The West imposed its standards, its presumed superiority because it was then the richest, most technologically advanced civilization with the best armies.
One of the key discoveries of the 20th century's journey was that, indeed, the rediscovery, the realization that there were other civilizations on the planet equally important, equally valuable.
Mexico, a civilization stretching back at least 3,000 years, did not escape the centuries' journey towards reevaluation of a nation's past and the pride on a past that had been neglected, perhaps denied for centuries.
The art that was produced by the Mexican Revolution and the ideas of José Vasconcelos became the Mexican mural school of painting and the recovery of popular and pre-Columbian art, including dance and music.
Dear friends, let us celebrate that the heritage of many civilizations is present in today's world and that we acknowledge those civilizations with equal respect and admiration.
That recognition should be the basis for a more meaningful dialogue among nations and the construction of a better world.
I thank you.
Thank you, Ambassador, for your passionate words.
I now give the floor to Mr.
Mintenberg, Director of the UNESCO Liaison Office in New York and the UNESCO Representative to the United Nations.
You have the floor, sir.
Your Excellency, Ambassador Fu, Excellencies, distinguished co-sponsors, Under-Secretary Moratinos, ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of UNESCO, it is a great pleasure to address you today on the occasion of the International Day for Dialogue Among Civilizations.
Today's commemoration is a timely reminder, indeed, that in our complex and interconnected world, dialogue is not a luxury.
It is a necessity.
I would like to thank the Permanent Mission of China for its leadership in advancing this important initiative and for bringing us together today.
China's longstanding commitment to fostering intercultural exchange reflects a deep understanding that cooperation across cultures is essential to building a shared and peaceful future.
We meet at a time of profound global strain.
Conflicts are increasing in both numbers and duration.
More than 120 million people are forcibly displaced worldwide.
At the same time, digital spaces are amplifying polarization and disinformation, fragmenting our shared understanding of reality.
As affirmed in UNESCO's constitution, and I quote, "Since wars begin in the minds of men and women, it is in the minds of men and women that the defenses of peace must be constructed," unquote.
For the past 80 years, the organization has championed dialogue among peoples based on that idea.
Yet today, intercultural dialogue is too often seen as a symbolic add-on.
In reality, it is a strategic lever for transforming the social fabric that underpins conflict.
Where opportunities for meaningful exchange are limited, trust erodes.
Divisions deepen, weakening the prospects for lasting peace.
Evidence is clear.
Most conflicts arise in contexts where the capacity for dialogue is low.
Strengthening this capacity is therefore not peripheral.
It is a direct investment in the foundations of peace.
And as was mentioned by several speakers, cultural heritage plays a vital role in advancing dialogue.
From the ancient city of Babylon in Iraq to the Acropolis of Athens, and from Borobudur Temple in Indonesia, the world's largest Buddhist monument, to the living traditions of mariachi music in Mexico, these are not only treasures of the past.
They are living testimonies to centuries of exchange, interaction, and mutual learning among civilizations.
They remind us that dialogue has always been at the heart of human progress.
Culture should be preserved, and it should be promoted.
And we are very grateful for the member states to put this topic higher on the agenda of the UN.
At the same time, intercultural dialogue also requires strengthening education systems, cultural policies, and civic spaces that sustain inclusion.
It means equipping individuals, especially young people, with the skills to navigate diversity and fostering cooperation in science across borders, thus encouraging the open exchange of knowledge, joint research, and shared solutions to global challenges.
Let me share a few examples of our work to advance such dialogue worldwide.
First, through initiatives such as the UNESCO Intercultural Leadership Program Use for Peace, we are empowering a new generation of leaders to bridge divides.
In its first year, the program trained participants from over 110 countries and supported initiatives reaching more than 1 million people worldwide.
Second, from Ukraine to Sri Lanka and Rwanda, UNESCO supports initiatives that rebuild trust, address trauma, and strengthen social cohesion through culture, education, and heritage.
Third, through media and information literacy, ethical frameworks, and initiatives such as the Silk Roads Program, we are fostering dialogue and mutual understanding in an increasingly digital world.
Dear friends, none of this can happen and can be achieved alone.
Today's challenges call for strong, inclusive partnerships across governments, international organizations, civil society, and private sector.
On this International Day of Dialogue Among Civilizations, events like today help build the understanding and trust we urgently need.
UNESCO, as a specialized agency for education, culture, sciences, and communications, stands ready to join forces with all of you to turn dialogue into action and action into lasting impact.
Let us move forward together, inspired by our shared humanity and united in our commitment to peace.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr.
Mintenberg.
And I wish to once again thank all the co-sponsors for their support.
And today we have with us a Chinese university professor as a panelist.
Professor Liu Yonglong is a chair professor at Xiamen University in China.
He will bring us a unique perspective as a scholar on global environmental governance and sustainable development.
Professor Liu, you have the floor.
Thank you, Ambassador Fu.
Excellencies, distinguished guests, and ladies and gentlemen, it's a great honor for me to be here.
It seems to me that I'm the only scientist to speak here.
As the environmental ecologist, I would like to share with you on strengthening cross-cultural communications to enhance ecological civilization.
We gather here today in a world of extraordinarily cultural ways, from the rice terrace of Asia into the sacred groves of Africa, from indigenous stewardship transition traditions in the Americas to the ecological ethics rooted in the Chinese philosophy of harmony between humanity and nature and beyond.
Every civilization carries deep wisdom on living in balance with the natural world.
For so long, these wisdoms have remained separate stories.
So I propose here it's time to bring these into genuine conversation and discussions.
Through my career as a scientist and of course, I also join many international programs and initiatives here, even serve as the UN Secretary-General's 10-member group for SDGs.
I have focused on global ecological governance, an integrated part of broader global governance discourse.
In this endeavor, the dialogue among civilizations has a unique role to play.
First, intercivilization dialogue can be an essential piece of ecological governance.
Environmental action often fails when defeats foreign or imposed.
But when conversation is grounded in the community's own values and traditions, it takes root.
Ecosystem protection inspired by indigenous land ethics, reforestation guided by local seasonal knowledge, coastal stewardship shaped by generations of marine culture, these succeed not despite their cultural specificity but because of it.
Cross-cultural and civilization exchange multiply these solutions.
What one tradition knows, another can learn.
Together, we protect our living planet far better.
Second, intercivilization dialogue is a pathway to genuine, inclusive, sustainable development.
Accelerating sustainable development requires not only technology but also shared learning across cultures.
Nature-based solutions and community-led conservation models are most effective when co-designed across different cultural traditions, adapted to local context, and delivered on the ground.
Sustainable development that bypasses this dialogue risks repeating mistakes of the past, imposing universal blueprints on diverse realities.
So ladies and gentlemen, the global governance architecture on ecology remains fragmented.
That must change.
Aligning the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Convention on Biological Diversity, and Sustainable Development Goals requires not just technical coordination, but it demands that nations speak across their governance traditions, building a long-term trust only genuine dialogue can create.
This is already beginning.
Eco-city partnership between Chinese and European cities, South-South knowledge exchange on traditional ecological practices, the list goes on.
We must scale up and institutionalize what is already working.
Allow me to propose three concrete steps.
First, include intercivilization dialogue, especially on ecological civilization, in global environmental governance approaches, co-developed with diverse cultural representatives.
Second, explore launching a voluntary UN platform for cross-cultural ecological governance where nations share conservation philosophy as equal partners.
Third, further strengthening people-to-people exchanges alongside necessary field visit workshops where discovery and discussion take place because lasting solutions can be inspired through strong dialogue among civilizations.
So our planet needs more than just one civilization's answer.
It needs all civilizations in conservation and collaboration.
When we speak to one another across cultures, not in monologue but in genuine dialogue, environmental governance becomes legitimate, sustainable, and effective.
So let's build that conservation together for a better ecological civilization.
Thank you very much.
Thank you, Professor.
And now I give the floor to Ambassador Mariad, DPR of Russia.
You have the floor for them.
Yeah.
Thank you, Ambassador Fu.
Excellencies, dear friends, let me start by expressing our sincere appreciation for the permanent mission of China for organizing the event on the occasion of International Day for Dialogue Among Civilizations.
This day is important to remind us that the world consists of a multitude of unique civilizations, and it is our duty to promote dialogue and facilitate their mutual respect and enrichment.
Today, we are witnessing growing tensions, loss of trust, and deepening political divisions.
Who could have imagined when the United Nations was founded that 80 years after the defeat of the ideology of racial superiority, schools serving national minorities would be closed in the middle of Europe, children would face restrictions on learning and speaking their native languages, and Christian communities would come under pressure, as if the lessons of ethnic and religious intolerance from the 20th century had never been fully learned? Against this backdrop, Russia was among the first member states to support the resolution of the General Assembly 78/286, establishing the Day for Dialogue Among Civilizations, and joined the core group of authors.
Throughout the process, we spared no effort in supporting our friends with whom we are bound by the ties of comprehensive partnership and the strategic cooperation and in fostering broad consensus around the initiative.
For us, promotion of intercivilizational and interreligious dialogue remains a consistent priority.
This approach is rooted in Russia's unique experience as a state civilization with deep historical ties with cultures of Europe and Asia, and a longstanding tradition of ensuring the harmonious coexistence of peoples, religions, and languages within a common political and cultural space.
We advocate strengthening mutual respect among people and combating all forms of intolerance and discrimination.
These principles are enshrined in a number of Russian initiatives at the General Assembly, including the annual resolution on combating glorification of Nazism, neo-Nazism, and other practices that contribute to the fueling of contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance.
We would also like to highlight the important work of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations.
In this regard, the recent visit of the High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, His Excellency Mr.
Miguel Moratinos, to Russia reaffirmed the shared commitment to further cooperation with the Alliance in advancing a unifying agenda of dialogue among civilizations.
We are convinced that dialogue, mutual respect, and cultural diversity must remain fundamental principles of international cooperation.
Accordingly, the International Day for Dialogue Among Civilizations should serve not only as a symbol but also as a practical platform for the promotion of peace, trust, and solidarity.
And I thank you.
Thank you, Mariad, for your remarks.
And next, I would like to give the floor to Ambassador Asim Ahmad, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
And I would like to join many of my colleagues who are here in the room to congratulate you, Ambassador Fu, and other ambassadors for organizing and co-sponsoring this very important event.
And it is actually a very interesting and absorbing discussion.
And we really appreciate the messages that we have heard from Foreign Minister Wong Yi, S.G.
Guterres, President of the General Assembly, and Mr.
Moratinos, the High Representative, and also acknowledge the remarks by His Excellency, the President of Colombia, and many of my colleagues, the historical perspective, especially by the Permanent Representative of Mexico.
And then we also had this scientific perspective that provided a new dimension to this discussion.
And I believe that all of this basically is pointing out to the fact that dialogue and diplomacy remain the most effective tools to transcend differences and foster mutual understanding and cooperation.
It is the spirit of dialogue that enabled human civilization to forge mutual respect and trust and chart a path of shared progress and development.
And we are here sitting in the UN, and I think it would be in the fitness of things to recall that the establishment of the UN in the aftermath of the World War in itself, you know, it was this organization was cognizant, and it remains very responsive to the interlinkage that exists between international peace and dialogue among civilizations.
So particularly at this critical juncture of history, when global peace and harmony is imperiled by myriad challenges, the significance of intercultural and civilizational dialogue cannot be overemphasized.
And many colleagues have mentioned and this is the other interesting part I mean, all of us have roots in civilizations that go back to thousands of years.
In the case of Pakistan, the Indus Valley civilization and Harappa, it goes back 5,000 years.
And we are located at the crossroads of the Middle East and West, South, and Central Asia.
And Pakistan has been a melting pot of many civilizations and religions.
And I can say that values of interfaith harmony and peaceful coexistence, diversity, pluralism, dialogue, all these things that have been mentioned in this discussion are not only defining features of Pakistan's Pakistani civilization but also a driver of our foreign policy.
And it is in this spirit that Pakistan, together with the Philippines, for example, we co-sponsored this resolution titled Promotion of Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue: Understanding and Cooperation for Peace, which was recently adopted by the General Assembly with consensus.
So I would like to appreciate this discussion and would conclude by saying that as a committed partner, Pakistan will continue its engagement with the UN and all member states for advancing our shared objectives of dialogue among civilizations, cultures, and faiths for global peace and prosperity.
I thank you.
Thank you, Ambassador.
Now I would like to invite Ambassador Laposov, Permanent Representative of Uzbekistan, for his remarks.
I thank you, Excellency.
Mr.
Fu Song, Permanent Representative of China.
Excellency, Mr.
Miguel Moratinos, S.G.
, High Representative for UNOOC, fellow distinguished colleagues.
We thank Permanent Missions of China and UNOOC for convening this important event.
It's a distinct honor for Uzbekistan to participate in this high-level event.
As a co-penholder of the landmark resolution proclaiming the International Day for Dialogue Among Civilizations, Uzbekistan views this day not merely as a calendar marker but as a reaffirmation of the fundamental necessity of our interconnected world.
Our commitment to the dialogue is rooted in the rich history of the Silk Road, a bridge that for centuries fostered the exchange of ideas, science, and culture between East and West.
Today, Uzbekistan continues this legacy by placing the principles of peace, tolerance, and harmony at the heart of its national policy.
Excellencies, in a global landscape often challenged by division and intolerance, Uzbekistan has made the strengthening of interethnic and interreligious harmony a national priority.
We are home to over 130 nationalities and multiple religious confessions.
Our approach is based on convictions that diversity is not a challenge to be managed but our greatest national asset.
We have fostered an environment where the culture of peace is reflected in our laws, our educational system, and our active civil society, ensuring that the voice of every community is heard and valued.
Central to our efforts to promote global understanding is the recent establishment of the Center of Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan, which was put forward by His Excellency Mr.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of Uzbekistan.
By safeguarding the vast intellectual heritage of our ancestors, who contributed so profoundly to the Golden Age of Islam, the center serves to present the true essence of Islamic values: compassion, critical inquiry, moderation, and respect for human dignity.
We invite the international community to partner with this institution in utilizing this platform to facilitate scholarly exchange, promote cultural diplomacy, and demonstrate that the intellectual legacy of the past provides the essential tools for solving the challenges of our future.
In conclusion, I would like to mention that dialogue among civilizations is the most effective instrument for conflict prevention and sustainable development.
Uzbekistan remains firmly committed to working alongside the UN and all member states to foster a culture of coexistence.
I thank you.
Thank you, Ambassador.
Next, I will give the floor to Ambassador Sawanthat, Permanent Representative of the Laos PDR.
You have the floor, sir.
Thank you, His Excellency Ambassador Fu Kong, Permanent Representative of China, and the Secretary-General, Excellencies, distinguished colleagues.
At the outset, the Laos PDR would like to congratulate China and UNESCO and other co-sponsors for organizing this important high-level event to mark the International Day for Dialogue Among Civilizations.
Excellencies, in the current rapidly changing and complex global environment, engaging in dialogue among civilizations is very essential to foster mutual understanding and trust, and enhance cooperation and peaceful coexistence among nations.
The International Day for Dialogue Among Civilizations offers a good platform to advocate and underline the importance of dialogue, equality, and respect for civilization diversity, and enhance people-to-people connection and mutual learning in order to strengthen global solidarity and promote peaceful, harmonious, and interconnected world and global governance.
In closing, the Laos PDR attaches great importance to civilization diversity and reiterates its full support for the Global Civilization Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping and is committed to enhancing dialogue among civilizations.
I thank you.
Thank you, Ambassador.
And now I would like to invite Ambassador Caldwyn, PR of the Bolivian Republic of Venezuela, to be followed by Cuba.
You have the floor, sir.
Excelentísimo Embajador Fu Kong, Excelentísimo Señor Miguel Ángel Moratinos, Alto Representante de las Naciones Unidas para la Alianza de Civilizaciones, Excelencias.
La República Bolivariana de Venezuela le agradece por esta invitación y le desea éxito en el desarrollo del evento.
Vivimos un momento histórico en el cual los valores y objetivos que dieron origen a la conmemoración del Día Internacional del Diálogo entre Civilizaciones están más vigentes que nunca.
Hablamos de continuar avanzando y consolidando la cultura de paz bajo el concepto de unidad en la diversidad, así como de seguir luchando contra el discurso del odio y la desinformación, el racismo, la xenofobia, el nazismo, el fascismo y toda forma de intolerancia.
Excelencias, Venezuela reafirma el compromiso ético y político, trazado en nuestra Constitución Nacional, de defender estos conceptos y principios ante un escenario geopolítico internacional cada vez más complejo.
Venezuela, guiada por los principios de la diplomacia bolivariana de paz, apoya y fomenta el diálogo, la cooperación internacional y el entendimiento entre los Estados como medios indispensables para disminuir las tensiones, prevenir los conflictos y contribuir a la paz y la estabilidad a nivel mundial.
Venezuela reafirma su apoyo a un diálogo entre civilizaciones auténticamente inclusivo y representativo, que incorpore las voces y perspectivas de todos los pueblos en toda su diversidad política, económica, social y cultural.
Para que el diálogo entre civilizaciones sea verdaderamente inclusivo, no puede estar limitado por la imposición de medidas coercitivas unilaterales, que son contrarias a los derechos humanos, al derecho al desarrollo de los pueblos y a los principios de respeto y tolerancia en las relaciones internacionales.
Por ello, Venezuela reitera su llamado para el levantamiento definitivo de estas medidas.
Excelencias y distinguidos delegados, observamos con preocupación los desafíos que dificultan la consolidación de un diálogo auténtico, inclusivo y productivo entre las culturas, así como para el establecimiento de una efectiva cultura de paz basada en el respeto mutuo y la igualdad soberana de los pueblos.
Lamentablemente, los conflictos armados y la violencia se ciernen sobre la humanidad, por lo que es necesario trabajar mancomunadamente en el reconocimiento mutuo y en la valoración de la diversidad cultural y religiosa.
Para concluir, Venezuela reitera su firme compromiso con la promoción de la tolerancia, el respeto mutuo, la solidaridad y la cooperación entre los pueblos como pilares fundamentales del diálogo entre civilizaciones, para la convivencia pacífica y la construcción de un orden internacional más justo, inclusivo y respetuoso de la dignidad de todos los pueblos.
Muchas gracias, Señor Presidente.
Thank you, Madame Ambassador, and welcome to New York.
And next, I would like to give the floor to the representative of Cuba.
You have the floor, Madame.
Excelencias, estimados participantes, en un escenario internacional cada vez más desafiante para la humanidad, el Día Internacional para el Diálogo entre Civilizaciones, encomiable iniciativa promovida por la Hermana República Popular China, representa una contribución tangible a la promoción del diálogo, la paz, el respeto mutuo, la tolerancia y la cooperación.
Cuba se honra de haber integrado el grupo de países proponentes de esta loable iniciativa.
Muchas gracias, Embajador Fu Kong, por la convocatoria.
Agradecemos el acompañamiento permanente del Alto Representante para la Alianza de Civilizaciones de las Naciones Unidas, Señor Miguel Ángel Moratinos.
Vivimos en un mundo convulso marcado por la proliferación de guerras, hegemonismos y el auge de la intolerancia y la discriminación.
Mientras se intenta imponer una peligrosa doctrina basada en la fuerza para la conducción de las relaciones entre Estados, a la cual Cuba se opone fervientemente, se etiqueta a algunas religiones y culturas como un peligro para la humanidad y para la seguridad nacional de otros países.
Es inadmisible que se intente ponderar el valor de unas culturas o civilizaciones sobre otras, o que se ignore la diversidad cultural.
Resulta deplorable la continua imposición de medidas coercitivas unilaterales que contravienen flagrantemente el derecho internacional y representan una afrenta a una verdadera y genuina cultura de paz, como en efecto la guerra criminal económica que se aplica contra Cuba y que sufre todo mi pueblo y las amenazas del uso de la fuerza en su contra.
Urge ante estos retos avanzar de consuno en la construcción de la comunidad de futuro compartido a la cual Cuba respalda plenamente.
Se precisa ante todo de la acción unida de nuestros países para rechazar con firmeza el unilateralismo, la coerción y la guerra, y para lograr una gobernanza global reformada y mejor que contribuya a lograr las aspiraciones de desarrollo de todas nuestras naciones.
Cuba, fiel defensora de la paz y la justicia, no cesará en el empeño por construir un orden internacional verdaderamente justo, democrático y equitativo, donde impere la solidaridad, la cooperación internacional, el diálogo respetuoso entre Estados y el respeto a la Carta de las Naciones Unidas y el derecho internacional.
Un mundo seguro sin bloqueos, sin medidas coercitivas unilaterales, hegemonismos o intentos de dominación.
Ratifico la determinación de mi país de defender a ultranza su soberanía e independencia y la voluntad de seguir trabajando con el resto de la comunidad internacional hacia la construcción de la tan anhelada comunidad de futuro compartido.
Cuenten con Cuba en el empeño de seguir explorando nuevos caminos para el diálogo entre civilizaciones y escribir juntos nuevos capítulos en favor de una gobernanza global más representativa, inclusiva y justa para todos.
Muchas gracias.
Thank you, Cuba.
And next, I would like to give the floor to Ambassador Ibrahim Olabi, Permanent Representative of Syria.
Thank you, Mr.
Chair.
I wasn't on the original speakers' list, and I thank you for accommodating me on it.
And I just took the floor to really thank you and thank colleagues for organizing such an important event here.
As Syria makes its way back to the world, to the multilateral system after a long dark era, we find the issues of dialogue among civilization incredibly important for us.
Also an important part of internal healing in Syria because it's something that unites rather than divides Syrians who were forced to mistrust each other over decades as a form of repression.
As many of you know, Damascus is considered the oldest continuously inhabited capital of the world.
We have a number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites there that unfortunately were declared in danger during the conflict.
That danger now subsided, and we are working on reconstruction.
But even that, Mr.
President, I was in Syria a few weeks ago visiting a reconstruction site, and that particular site was halted because an ancient door of an ancient time was found while digging.
And so we had to stop the reconstruction efforts and try to preserve what has been found.
So for us, events like this, whether here at the UN in our kind of mini dialogue of civilization, if you like, we find it as incredibly important.
But also as Syria makes its engagement with many states and many ancient civilizations and many civilizations as it comes back to this new era, but also internally, as I mentioned, as a form of healing, I just wanted to take the floor to congratulate you and colleagues for really holding this event.
And I look forward here in New York to be engaging more with you and other colleagues on this very important issue, highlighting the new era for Syria being an ancient civilization.
Thank you.
Thank you, Ambassador, for your remarks.
And next, I give the floor to the representative of Azerbaijan.
You have the floor, sir.
Thank you, Mr.
Ambassador.
Excellency, at the outset, I would like to thank the Permanent Mission of the People's Republic of China for convening this important meeting.
As a country that has long promoted intercultural and interfaith dialogue, Azerbaijan was pleased to co-sponsor the UN General Assembly Resolution 78/286, which declared 10th of June as the International Day for Dialogue Among Civilizations.
Azerbaijan firmly believes that promoting understanding and dialogue among cultures and civilizations strengthens the universal values enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Regrettably, discrimination, intolerance, and violence are on the rise globally, requiring accelerated efforts by the international community underscoring the need for stronger international cooperation.
Building freedom, justice, and peace also depends on tolerance, empathy, mutual understanding, and inclusiveness.
In this regard, we commend the important work of UNESCO and the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations in fostering dialogue and building bridges among cultures and civilizations.
Our society is inherently multicultural and multiconfessional, with a history of peaceful coexistence that has endured throughout the centuries.
We remain committed to promoting tolerance and mutual understanding both nationally and internationally.
Among Azerbaijan's key initiatives is the World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue, launched within the framework of the Baku Process in 2008.
The forum has become an important global platform for advancing intercultural dialogue and cultural diversity.
Its seventh edition will take place this October under the theme "Dialogue for a Shared Future: Building Bridges in a Fractured World.
" In conclusion, Excellency, Azerbaijan reaffirms its strong commitment to promoting dialogue among cultures and civilizations and advancing the values of culture of peace.
Thank you very much.
Thank you for your intervention.
And next, I give the floor to Nicaragua.
You have the floor, Madame.
Embajador Fu Song, representante permanente de la República Popular China ante Naciones Unidas.
Excelentísimo Señor Miguel Ángel Moratinos, Alto Representante de las Naciones Unidas para la Alianza de Civilizaciones.
Excelencias, distinguidos representantes.
Nicaragua saluda la conmemoración del Día Internacional del Diálogo entre Civilizaciones y expresa su reconocimiento a la República Popular China y a la Alianza de Civilizaciones de las Naciones Unidas por promover este importante espacio de reflexión, encuentro y cooperación.
En un mundo marcado por crecientes tensiones, conflictos, desigualdades, discursos de odio y respeto a la diversidad cultural y profundas brechas en la gobernanza global, el diálogo entre civilizaciones adquiere una importancia fundamental.
Hoy más que nunca, los pueblos del mundo necesitamos más diálogo, más respeto, más solidaridad y más cooperación.
Para nuestro Gobierno de Reconciliación y Unidad Nacional, el diálogo, además de ser un instrumento diplomático, es una práctica de paz, de convivencia, de entendimiento y de respeto entre los pueblos.
El diálogo verdadero debe construirse sobre la base de la igualdad, la dignidad, la no imposición, la no injerencia y el reconocimiento de que cada pueblo tiene derecho a vivir, organizarse y desarrollarse conforme a su propia historia, cultura, identidad y modelo de sociedad.
Nicaragua defiende una cultura de paz, de reconciliación y de unidad basada en nuestro modelo cristiano, socialista y solidario, que coloca al ser humano, a las familias y a las comunidades en el centro de nuestras políticas públicas.
Desde nuestra experiencia, sabemos que la paz se fortalece cuando se promueve el respeto mutuo, la justicia social, la solidaridad, la inclusión y la participación de todos los sectores de la sociedad.
El diálogo entre civilizaciones debe servir para unir, para comprender y para construir puentes.
La diversidad cultural, espiritual, histórica y social de nuestros pueblos debe ser vista como una riqueza de la humanidad y una base para construir relaciones internacionales más justas, solidarias y equilibradas.
Nicaragua considera que una gobernanza global verdaderamente justa y equitativa debe estar sustentada en los principios de la Carta de las Naciones Unidas, en particular la igualdad soberana de los Estados, la autodeterminación de los pueblos, la solución pacífica de controversias, la cooperación internacional y el respeto pleno a la soberanía de cada nación.
En este contexto, Nicaragua reitera que la imposición de las ilegales medidas coercitivas unilaterales constituyen el obstáculo más destructivo para el desarrollo de los pueblos y para la plena implementación de la Agenda 2030 y sus objetivos de desarrollo sostenible.
Estas medidas son contraproducentes para el diálogo entre civilizaciones, representan agresiones contra pueblos libres, afectan su derecho al desarrollo, profundizan las desigualdades y violan los principios de la Carta de las Naciones Unidas.
Por ello, reiteramos la urgencia del fin inmediato de esas medidas ilegales, injustas e inhumanas, medidas que son agresiones en contra de pueblos libres.
Nicaragua continuará acompañando todos los esfuerzos orientados a promover el entendimiento entre culturas, la cooperación entre naciones, el respeto a la diversidad, la paz, la solidaridad y una gobernanza global más inclusiva y multipolar.
Estamos convencidos de que el diálogo entre civilizaciones es un camino necesario para seguir construyendo un mundo de paz, justicia, respeto y esperanza para todos los pueblos.
Muchas gracias.
Thank you, Madame, for your statement.
That concludes our list of speakers.
And I want to thank everybody for your active participation.
But before we conclude the meeting, please allow me to make a few concluding remarks.
Distinguished guests, dear colleagues, since its inception, the International Day for Dialogue Among Civilizations has provided a valuable platform for civilizations to engage in dialogue on an equal footing, deepen mutual learning, and strengthen international solidarity.
It is a cherished occasion for old and new friends to come together in a spirit of openness, friendship, and cooperation.
This year, amid ongoing volatility and transformation, the call for peace and progress grows stronger than ever.
We are gathered today for a shared purpose: to mobilize consensus among all parties, energize momentum for dialogue and cooperation, and to governize actions to improve global governance.
So in my view, today's dialogue has highlighted three major messages that resonate across the room.
First, upholding equality of civilizations will advance international fairness and justice.
So let us work to ensure equality and dignity for all, stand by true multilateralism, and stay committed to peaceful coexistence among civilizations.
Second, promoting diversity of civilizations allows countries to thrive on their own merits.
So let us respect the development paths and the social systems chosen independently by people of different countries and build a community with a shared future where all civilizations thrive together.
Third, facilitating exchanges among civilizations unites humanity against common challenges.
So let us keep pushing the frontiers of human knowledge and draw inspirations from dialogue among civilizations to address global challenges and explore pathways toward global modernization.
Dear colleagues, as the Chinese saying goes, "Where will prevails, no boundary holds.
" Guided by this spirit, China stands ready to work with all countries to champion equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness among civilizations, and translate the Global Civilization Initiative and the Global Governance Initiative into actions.
Together, we will inject fresh impetus into the course of peace, development, and human progress.
So let me once again express our sincere gratitude to all of you for joining us in celebrating the International Day for Dialogue Among Civilizations.
We look forward to welcoming you again next year at the same time.
Thank you.
And I now announce the conclusion of the high-level event.
Thank you all very much.