“Dialogue has become a pressing need to sustain peace even within geographical borders of a country,” Culture and Information Abdul Aziz Khoja said while addressing the three-day World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue in the Azerbaijan capital Baku.
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev and first lady Mehriban Aliyeva also attended the forum in Gulustan palace, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The forum is organized by the government of Azerbaijan in collaboration with UNESCO, the UN Alliance of Civilizations, the Council of Europe, and the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO).
“Escalation of clashes and conflicts in many parts of the globe shows that intercultural dialogue is an imperative for a world where the values of truth, goodness and aesthetics reign supreme,” Khoja said. “The Islamic civilization initiated a universal humanitarian culture thriving on tolerance and openness.”
He said Saudi Arabia with its Islamic values considers itself a partner in the promotion of global peace and maps out the contours of a world of stability, security and peace and above all respect for diverse national cultures.
The minister also recounted the efforts of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah to initiate and propagate the concept of dialogue among various cultures and religions.
“The king made his call for interfaith dialogue from Makkah, and then establish a global dialogue with the participation of various religions,” he said.
The Saudi delegation to the forum is the largest in terms of participants.
ISESCO Director General Abdulaziz Al-Tuwaijri in his address to the forum said intercultural dialogue and bonding people of diverse cultures are among the priorities of his organization. “This forum can be a new beginning for intercultural dialogue,” Al-Tuwaijri said.
Director of the UN Alliance of Civilizations Secretariat Marc Scheuer said holding such an event in Baku was significant. “One should not be afraid of diversities in the modern world,” Scheuer said, noting that diversity is the lifestyle of the people in the age of globalization.
Participants include global leaders and public figures, heads of international organizations, heads of state and ministers of culture and cultural ambassadors, among others.
The forum is organized within a framework outlined at a conference of ministers responsible for culture in Europe and neighboring regions in December 2008.
