Riyadh: Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah chaired today the opening session of the 11th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), hosted by Riyadh. The event is held under the theme 'Two Decades of Dialogue for Humanity: Advancing a New Era of Mutual Respect and Understanding in a Multipolar World'.
According to Saudi Press Agency, the forum was attended by prominent figures including United Nations Secretary-General Ant³nio Guterres and High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations Miguelngel Moratinos. The gathering also included foreign ministers from various countries, political and religious leaders, heads of international organizations, and representatives from civil society.
In his opening remarks, Prince Faisal emphasized the significance of Saudi Arabia hosting the forum, highlighting the Kingdom's support for United Nations efforts to champion values such as dialogue, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence among different civilizations and cultures. He articulated that the Saudi Vision 2030 reflects a national strategy rooted in moderation, openness to diverse civilizations, and a commitment to countering hate speech and extremism.
Prince Faisal pointed out that the 11th session of the UNAOC serves as an opportunity to review past efforts and facilitate the exchange of ideas on managing diversity and differences through communication and dialogue among various civilizations and religions.
Stressing the importance of youth, the foreign minister stated that they represent the future and are messengers of peace. He expressed his pleasure at the significant presence of young individuals at the forum, noting the concurrent youth forum and the graduation of the eighth cohort of the Young Leaders Qualification Program of the (Salam) Project for Civilizational Communication. He emphasized that the forum is indeed a platform for youth.
The forum's objectives include reviewing two decades of global dialogue achievements, discussing current challenges, and envisioning future collaborative efforts to enhance mutual understanding among people worldwide, thereby supporting international peace and stability.