{"id":34559,"date":"2024-09-17T14:16:19","date_gmt":"2024-09-17T14:16:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/?p=34559"},"modified":"2024-09-17T14:16:19","modified_gmt":"2024-09-17T14:16:19","slug":"un-alliance-of-civilizations-unaoc-congress-of-the-leaders-of-world-and-traditional-religions-in-kazakhstan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/un-alliance-of-civilizations-unaoc-congress-of-the-leaders-of-world-and-traditional-religions-in-kazakhstan\/","title":{"rendered":"UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) &#038; Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in Kazakhstan"},"content":{"rendered":"<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-34566\" src=\"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Congress_World_Religions-scaled-e1726582202678.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"355\" \/>H.E. Mr. Miguel \u00c1ngel Moratinos<\/strong><br \/>\nRepresentative of the UN Alliance of Civilizations<\/h5>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><em><strong>&#8220;I congratulate Kazakhstan for spearheading the 2023\u20132033 Development Concept of the Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions document.&#8221;<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h5>\n<h5>UNAOC serves as a soft-power political tool of the United Nations Secretary-General for conflict prevention and conflict resolution. Launched in July 2005, UNAOC is a United Nations entity that aims to improve understanding and cooperation among nations and peoples across cultures and to reduce polarization at local and global levels. Its special status and mandate have been recognized by the United Nations General Assembly in its resolutions A\/RES\/64\/14 of 10 November 2009 and A\/RES\/69\/312 of 6 July 2015.<\/h5>\n<h5>To fulfill our mandate, UNAOC carries out advocacy and programming activities that foster cross-cultural understanding and promote interreligious and intercultural dialogue among diverse communities. In doing so, we partner and work closely with governments and municipalities, other United Nations entities and agencies, the private sector, academia, media, faith-based organizations, faith actors and civil society at large.<\/h5>\n<h5>In 2019, I was tasked by the United Nations Secretary-General to coordinate the development of a United Nations Plan of Action to Safeguard Religious Sites and oversee its implementation. The Plan of Action is a framework for action to better prevent, prepare and respond to attacks against religious sites.<\/h5>\n<h5>To support the effort to safeguard religious sites and worshippers, UNAOC launched a global communications campaign with the hashtag \u201c#forSafeWorship\u201d inviting individuals around the world to share short multimedia stories highlighting their personal connections to religious sites. The ongoing campaign celebrates the universal significance of these sites as symbols of shared humanity, history and traditions.<\/h5>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"XRnIfVQyUu\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/astana-hosted-the-21st-session-of-the-secretariat-of-the-congress-of-leaders-of-world-and-traditional-religions\/\">Astana hosted the 21st Session of the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);\" title=\"&#8220;Astana hosted the 21st Session of the Secretariat of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions&#8221; &#8212; Pakistan In the World\" src=\"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/astana-hosted-the-21st-session-of-the-secretariat-of-the-congress-of-leaders-of-world-and-traditional-religions\/embed\/#?secret=AApNXp8sKp#?secret=XRnIfVQyUu\" data-secret=\"XRnIfVQyUu\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h5>Under the Plan of Action, UNAOC also is supporting an ongoing effort to map religious sites around the world with a focus first on several pilot countries in accordance with the principles of geographical balance, respect for freedom of religion and belief, and representation of diverse faiths. Sweden was the first pilot country to unveil an interactive map of its religious sites.<\/h5>\n<h5>Together with the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, the United Nations CounterTerrorism Committee Executive Directorate and the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute, UNAOC implemented a multi-year United Nations Global Programme on Countering Terrorist Threats against Vulnerable Targets. The Programme aimed to contribute to the development of cooperative approaches to strengthen the protection of vulnerable targets from terrorist attacks, including threats against religious sites and places of worship.<\/h5>\n<h5>Further, UNAOC delivers a host of activities that bolster the capabilities of civil society organizations and individuals to promote intercultural and interfaith dialogue within their local communities and on a broader scale. Examples include the Intercultural Innovation Hub, through which UNAOC and the BMW Group, with the support of Accenture, empower innovative grassroots projects to promote intercultural dialogue with the aim of achieving a more peaceful and inclusive world.<\/h5>\n<h5>In cooperation with the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe and other partners, UNAOC helped develop a Tutored Online Training Course on Global Education and Intercultural\/Interfaith Dialogue. Through our Youth Solidarity Fund, UNAOC provides capacity-building and financial support to youth-led organizations that demonstrate innovative and effective approaches to interreligious and intercultural dialogue in the service of fostering peaceful and inclusive societies. We have also mainstreamed intercultural dialogue into our Fellowship Programme and the Young Peacebuilders Programme.<\/h5>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"1PJ1juhdVV\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/changing-the-world-and-the-human-mentality-the-impact-of-the-congress-of-leaders-of-world-and-traditional-religions-in-kazakhstan-on-the-search-for-world-peace\/\">CHANGING THE WORLD AND THE HUMAN MENTALITY: The Impact of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in Kazakhstan on the Search for World Peace<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);\" title=\"&#8220;CHANGING THE WORLD AND THE HUMAN MENTALITY: The Impact of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in Kazakhstan on the Search for World Peace&#8221; &#8212; Pakistan In the World\" src=\"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/changing-the-world-and-the-human-mentality-the-impact-of-the-congress-of-leaders-of-world-and-traditional-religions-in-kazakhstan-on-the-search-for-world-peace\/embed\/#?secret=LHlTa7tFZA#?secret=1PJ1juhdVV\" data-secret=\"1PJ1juhdVV\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h5><em><strong>Finally, as the United Nations Under-Secretary-General who holds the post of High Representative for UNAOC, I regularly issue public statements condemning hate crimes, harassment against Jews, Muslims and Arabs and attacks against religious sites and worshippers around the world.<\/strong><\/em><\/h5>\n<h5>I also leverage my policy and advocacy engagements to draw the attention of the international community to acts of religious intolerance and urge all stakeholders to stand in solidarity with those targeted by enforcing empathy and mutual respect through interfaith and intercultural dialogue.<\/h5>\n<h5><em><strong>The importance of the Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions and such similar venues<\/strong><\/em><\/h5>\n<h5>In his inauguration speech in November 2022,<span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><em><strong> Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan,<\/strong><\/em><\/span> aptly described one of the most important historical assets of the Kazakh people as \u201cunity in diversity\u201d. Indeed, given Kazakhstan\u2019s rich spiritual heritage and history of peaceful coexistence and religious tolerance, the Congress of the Leaders of the World and Traditional Religions is an important initiative with the moral authority to unite diverse faith communities, advance the Kazakh vision of a peaceful, just and harmonious society across borders and appeal for open and inclusive dialogue among all civilizations.<\/h5>\n<h5>By initiating the establishment of the Congress, Kazakhstan demonstrated its genuine commitment to advancing dialogue in the political and religious realms and to strengthening the process of spiritual rapprochement among the peoples of the world. Through the Congress, the international community recognizes that peace, justice and harmony can never be taken for granted. Rather, sustainable and lasting peace rooted in trust, mutual respect, human rights and dignity for all must be nurtured every day.<\/h5>\n<h5>I would welcome the launch of similar initiatives across the globe because I believe in the power of faith and spiritual leaders to guide their faithful towards universal peace, security and stability by reaffirming our shared human values and our collective commitment to the spiritual and social development of humankind.<\/h5>\n<h5>For many, faith is inextricably linked to hope and resilience. I could point to numerous examples of faith actors, religious leaders and spiritual leaders offering positive narratives in response to hatred and division that proliferate in their respective communities and also online by building trust, fostering dialogue, and calling for unity, solidarity and mutual understanding.<\/h5>\n<h5><em><strong>The uniqueness of the Congress<\/strong><\/em><\/h5>\n<h5>I commend the Government of the Republic of <span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><strong>Kazakhstan<\/strong><\/span> for taking the lead in promoting dialogue among civilizations and religions, including through its establishment of the Congress of the Leaders of the World and Traditional Religions. It is no coincidence that an interfaith forum as important as Congress was born in Kazakhstan, which is home to 17 religions and more than 100 ethnic groups that have peacefully coexisted for centuries.<\/h5>\n<h5>Since 2003, the Congress has fostered dialogue between and among faiths and cultures in a quest for solutions to the most daunting challenges of our time. For instance, the interfaith platform has been critical to building bridges between Christianity, Islam and other religious communities at a time when terrorism and religious extremism threatened to deepen the rift between them.<\/h5>\n<h5>Thus, the mission, objectives and priorities of the Congress are of particular relevance to the mission, objectives and priorities of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations.<\/h5>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><strong>It is an honour for UNAOC to be invited regularly to the Congress and we cherish our partnership with the Nursultan Nazarbayev Center for Development of Interfaith and Intercivilization Dialogue.<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"4vHnz9Ng0e\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/pakistan-in-the-world-may-june-2023\/\">Pakistan in the World -May\/ June 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);\" title=\"&#8220;Pakistan in the World -May\/ June 2023&#8221; &#8212; Pakistan In the World\" src=\"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/pakistan-in-the-world-may-june-2023\/embed\/#?secret=MYVvwcwjLG#?secret=4vHnz9Ng0e\" data-secret=\"4vHnz9Ng0e\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h5>The importance of interreligious and interfaith dialogue in the context of modern challenges. Interreligious dialogue\u2019s development in the future.<\/h5>\n<h5>Intercultural, interfaith and interreligious dialogue is critical not only to address the root causes of radicalization but also to provide a counter-narrative to racism, xenophobia, antisemitism, anti-Muslim hatred and other forms of religious intolerance that are feed off each other and foment extremism. Tragically, no region in the world is immune to the threat of extremism.<\/h5>\n<h5>Most recently, drastic changes in the geopolitical landscape, a tendency towards unipolarity and deepening divisions across ethnic, cultural and religious faultlines have prompted a revival of a debate over the clash between the West and the rest of the world. Interreligious dialogue is one of the keys to reconciliation in conflict zones. There is an urgent need to create the conditions for peace, including rebuilding trust and an environment of mutual respect, in the Middle East, in particular, so that diverse communities can reconnect and engage in sincere and fruitful dialogue.<\/h5>\n<h5>Unfortunately, interreligious and intercultural dialogue is a viable conflict prevention and diplomacy tool that has been often overlooked. However, as the work of UNAOC has demonstrated, it is critical in the fight against isolation, mistrust and confrontation. In fact, I am convinced that interreligious and intercultural dialogue will prove to be the 21st century\u2019s most powerful vector for conflict prevention and conflict resolution.<\/h5>\n<h5>It is encouraging that social, cultural and religious matters have become more prominent in the agenda of the international community. The Fez Declaration, adopted by United Nations Member States during the 9th UNAOC Global Forum in Morocco in November 2022, reaffirmed that dialogue among civilizations can play an important role in the search for common ground among civilizations as well as the recognition of the inherent dignity and equal rights of all human beings. The Secretary-General\u2019s report entitled \u201cOur Common Agenda\u201d calls for a reinvigorated multilateralism that recognizes the importance of religious leaders and faith-based organizations in the vast array of actors who can and should engage in collective action.<\/h5>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>The United Nations will convene a high-level Summit of the Future from 22 to 23 September 2024 in New York that will bring world leaders together to forge a new international consensus on how we can best safeguard the future and deliver a better world.<\/strong><\/span><\/h5>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"9AVBBr8PQi\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/pakistan-in-the-world-sept-oct-2023\/\">Pakistan in the World \u2013 Sept\/Oct 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);\" title=\"&#8220;Pakistan in the World \u2013 Sept\/Oct 2023&#8221; &#8212; Pakistan In the World\" src=\"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/pakistan-in-the-world-sept-oct-2023\/embed\/#?secret=kDzoXqAAz2#?secret=9AVBBr8PQi\" data-secret=\"9AVBBr8PQi\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h5>At the moment, the United Nations General Assembly Member States are negotiating a historic document \u2013 a \u201cPact for the Future\u201d \u2013 to be adopted by consensus before the Summit. I am delighted to note that the cultivation of a culture of peace; protection and promotion of culture; eradication of all forms of racism, xenophobia, lslamophobia, antisemitism and all forms of intolerance are being duly recognized in intergovernmental consultations on the \u201cPact for the Future\u201d.<\/h5>\n<h5>The acknowledgment of the importance of including these elements in international policy and advocacy frameworks gives me hope that dialogue, not war, will prevail and that humanity will achieve sustainable and enduring peace.<\/h5>\n<h5><em><strong>Important points in the content of the Development Concept of the Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions.<\/strong><\/em><\/h5>\n<h5><span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><em><strong>I congratulate Kazakhstan for spearheading the 2023\u20132033 Development Concept of the Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions document.<\/strong><\/em><\/span> It is a very elaborate road map that sets a strategic vector for the next decade of action. Since youth and education are among the core pillars of the work of UNAOC, I was pleased to discover in the Development Concept document many areas of convergence for UNAOC and the Congress in the coming years.<\/h5>\n<h5>As the<span style=\"color: #3366ff;\"><strong> Kazakh poet, Magzhan Zhumabaev,<\/strong> <\/span>once said: \u201cI believe in youth.\u201d Since I share that conviction, I was moved to see how much importance the Development Concept dedicated to young people, including convening a Forum of Young religious leaders with secular and spiritual youth. I also welcome the Congress plan to promote international youth dialogue to address concerns of modern generations.<\/h5>\n<h5>I also see promise in the Development Concept proposal to enhance cooperation among educational institutions, research centres, scientists and experts in the interest of supporting research on interreligious and inter-ethnic relations, interreligious dialogue and interaction and the role of religions in modern society. Implementing educational programmes and fostering competencies, knowledge and skills among youth who participate in interreligious and intercultural dialogue are essential to the ongoing effort to build mutual respect and understanding.<\/h5>\n<h5>Lastly, I appreciate that the Development Concept recognizes the paramount role of UNAOC in reducing intercultural tensions and building bridges between communities through interfaith and intercultural dialogue and that the Congress is committed to strengthening its cooperation with UNAOC.<\/h5>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"0zlqnc2jH6\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/pakistan-in-the-world-aug-sep-2024\/\">Pakistan in the World \u2013 Aug \/ Sep 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);\" title=\"&#8220;Pakistan in the World \u2013 Aug \/ Sep 2024&#8221; &#8212; Pakistan In the World\" src=\"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/pakistan-in-the-world-aug-sep-2024\/embed\/#?secret=Ikdd5EYrHh#?secret=0zlqnc2jH6\" data-secret=\"0zlqnc2jH6\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>H.E. Mr. Miguel \u00c1ngel Moratinos Representative of the UN Alliance of Civilizations &#8220;I congratulate Kazakhstan for spearheading the 2023\u20132033 Development Concept of the Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions document.&#8221; UNAOC serves as a soft-power political tool of the United Nations Secretary-General for conflict prevention and conflict resolution. Launched in July 2005, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":34566,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[90],"tags":[1673,2882,4623,2699,143,251,47,5897,5896,2797,356,5895,43],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34559"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34559"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34559\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34568,"href":"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34559\/revisions\/34568"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34566"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34559"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34559"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistanintheworld.pk\/live\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34559"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}