UN forum on global dialogue kicks off in Saudi Arabia

By Hussien Elkabany and Betul Yilmaz

ISTANBUL (AA) - The 11th session of the UN Alliance of Civilizations Global Forum (UNAOC) opened in Saudi Arabia on Sunday, with the participation of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

In his opening speech, Guterres emphasized the importance of bridge-building across faiths, cultures, and civilizations in resolving global conflicts, as “there is no mission more vital today.”

“It's time to end the vicious cycle of death and destruction,” he said.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan told the event that the kingdom’s hosting of this session “reflects its continued support for UN efforts to promote the values of tolerance, dialogue, and peaceful coexistence among cultures and religions.”

For his part, Secretary-General of the Muslim World League Mohammed Alissa said the international humanitarian values on which the United Nations is founded enjoy international legitimacy.

“Great civilizations were built on religion and societal traditions,” Alissa added, calling on religious and intellectual leaders around the world to assume the responsibility of confronting extremist ideologies.

The two-day forum is expected to draw political and religious leaders, as well as representatives of international and regional organizations for various discussions under the theme: “Two Decades of Dialogue for Humanity — Advancing a New Era of Mutual Respect and Understanding in a Multipolar World.”

The UN Alliance of Civilizations is a platform established in 2005 by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and co-sponsored by the governments of Türkiye and Spain to improve cross-cultural relations between diverse nations and communities.