The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova launched the International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures with the establishment of the High Panel on Peace and Dialogue among Cultures. “This day marks the beginning of an intellectual journey throughout which we will reflect on ways to trace new perspectives for peace in the 21st Century,” declared the Director-General.

Meeting for the first time in Paris this morning, the international panel comprises prominent political, intellectual and religious personalities from all regions of the world. Its members have been asked to reflect on and reinvent the construction of peace founded on justice, respect for human rights, gender equality and solidarity in the context of globalization, and the challenges its poses, such as climate change, management of resources and ethical and economic issues, to which we must respond by consistently using the strength and impact of dialogue.

The Panel’s mission is to ring out UNESCO’s message of peace in the world, through education, science, culture, information and communication. It will meet once or twice a year, and its membership may vary according to the subjects addressed. The members were selected for their exceptional careers and are volunteering their expertise.

High point of the launch on Thursday 18 February, the conference on intercultural dialogue was opened by Ms Bokova, with the participation of some of the Panel members. Subjects debated were “The power of cultural diversity and dialogue” and “Building peace – the place of shared values in the era of globalization”.

Read the full press release, UNESCOPRESS, 19 February 2010

Contact
Jasmina Sopova, +33 (0) 1 45 68 17 17, j.sopova@unesco.org

Related Links:

Director-General’s Message [PDF, 115 Kb]

UNESCO activities for the Year

Webcast of meeting