REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, NUSA DUA -- The 6th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) ended with a shared and common view among delegates and participants on the importance of respecting cultural diversity in a multidivergent civilization.
"We have realized that economic development is essential for peace, which can only be achieved when the conditions for wealth creation exist in a country, when economic progress can be shared with the community, and when cultural diversity is respected," High representative of UNAOC Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser said on his closing speech at the Global Forum in Nusa Dua, Bali, here on Saturday.
Al-Nasser underlined that humans stood on common values regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, culture, or nationality.
"From that view, let us work together for greater peace," Al-Nasser said.
Meanwhile, Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa called on the delegations of governments and youth participants to work together in creating reconciliation and tolerance and reminding others about the cost of intolerance through the four pillars of UNAOC: youth, media, migration, and education.
"Yesterday, we had discussed about how to bring forward dialogue, education that could enable youth to contribute not only for creation of tolerance but also for celebrating diversity," Natalegawa noted.
The world is rife with conflicts and intolerance, and "facing such a situation, should we remain silent or rise against these?" he demanded.
The forum, therefore, was a means to affirm tangible actions toward intolerance.
"Through the UNAOC forum, we at least have a fighting chance, a potential to act," Natalegawa affirmed.
No such thing as a bridge between Islam and the West exists. "But more of a bridge between extremism and moderation," he said.
Natalegawa noted that extremism could be observed in every civilization and religion. "What we are facing is threat from extremism and intolerance rather than between religions."
UNAOC project activities have been fashioned around the four pillars, which could play a critical role in helping to reduce cross-cultural tensions and to build bridges between communities.
In the opening session on Friday, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had underlined that human race had been paying for the cost of intolerance for a very long time.
"One would think that after more than 180 million deaths and so much hunger, disease, and pain endured as a result of armed conflicts in the 20th century, humankind will renounce war forever. We, however, have not escaped war's grip," Yudhoyono said.
"If we can substantively advance the four pillars of our cooperation, then our alliance will make a difference in fighting prejudice, ignorance, extremism, and injustice across the world," the president stressed.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on his opening remark in the forum noted that many of the world's worst crises were instigated by those who exploited fear for power. Too many societies had fissures with regard to culture, religion, and ethnicity.
War begins within the mind, and the path to peace is through the heart, Ban Ki-moon said. "We cannot allow communities to be threatened by atrocities and crimes because of who they are and what they believe," he emphasized.
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