World Leaders Disapprove of Huntington’s Clash of Civilizations

The initiative of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia who aimed at promoting peace across the globe and among various religions regardless of their regions. Recently the United Nations hosted an international Peace Conference that was attended by political and religious leaders across the world, but such wouldn’t have been possible without the Madrid meeting. It is important to note that the initiative was championed by the Saudi king along with his counterpart (king) of Spain. They both sponsored the Madrid Dialogue Conference held in July 2008. Hence the recent UN Peace Conference was no doubt convened on the request by King Abdullah, under agenda item 45 "Culture of peace" in order to inform the General Assembly of the process initiated at the Madrid Dialogue Conference.

In fact the UN already shouldered an effort aimed that bridging the gaps among civilization termed as the Dialogue among Civilization. But the recent conference further proves the point that the World is searching for a mutual understanding and ways of solving the looming and contentious problems facing mankind.
In this vein, the N General Assembly President Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann sent invitations to 192 member countries and observers to attend the conference, which it called a "useful preparatory step" toward an interfaith and intercultural meeting to be held in 2010.
This noble effort spearheaded by Saudi remains contentious as some angles across the world hold certain reservation to the initiative. Regardless of the positive aspects of the interfaith dialogue conference, some dismissed the meeting as a public relations (PR) exercise. The reason being that Saudi Arabia has aimed to boost its global image after the September 11, 2001 attacks in which 15 of the 19 Al Qaida militants who destroyed New York's Twin Towers were Saudi Arabians. Human rights groups, which maintain that Saudi Arabia is among the world's least tolerant countries, have voiced reservations about the interfaith initiative. European governments also expressed concern over recent attempts by Islamic governments to stifle criticism of Islam, even in the West. "Freedom of religion cannot be achieved without freedom of speech, even if it is sometimes used to express derision," said former French Prime Minister Alain Juppé, speaking on behalf of the European Union. In the similar vein certain Saudi clerics have shown scant support for the initiatives and three prominent figures declined to comment on them.
In spite the reservations, others have hailed King Abdullah, for promoting such initiative and has dismissed idea that Saudi Arabia is not moderate. Perhaps the king’s effort shows that Saudi Arabia can deal with the rest of the world as he met Pope Benedict in the Vatican last year, brought Sunni and Shiite clerics to Makkah in March, jointly convened the Madrid Dialogue Conference (July) with Spanish King and on his behest the UN called for a Culture for Peace Conference held on the fringes of the 63rd Session of the General Assembly.


At the UN General Assembly's Culture for Peace Conference

In his opening remarks, Secretary-General Ban said new divisions could emerge in today’s world as economies merged, cultural boundaries disappeared and new media brought societies closer together. “And indeed, we are seeing some troubling phenomena,” he said, noting, among others, that communal strife was intensifying; extremist ideologies were on the rise; and societies were more polarized.
Yet, he said that while anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and other kinds of faith-based discrimination and racism were showing a “dismaying persistence”, interfaith initiatives were a way to ensure that the world’s rich cultural diversity made the world more secure and peaceful -– not less.

In his address to the Assembly, King Abdullah said that throughout history, differences between followers of religions and cultures had engendered intolerance, causing devastating wars and bloodshed without any sound logical or ideological justification. It was time to learn from the harsh lessons of the past and agree on ethics and ideals in which everyone believed, he said. He invited the Madrid Conference participants to elect a committee that would conduct a future dialogue. Saudi Arabia’s concern for an ongoing discourse stemmed from Islamic faith and values and compassion for human conditions. The country would continue to extend its hand to everyone advocating peace, justice and tolerance.

The Madrid report main thrust was the need to promote understanding and tolerance among followers of the world’s faiths, and on the dual needs to combat terrorism and propaganda on the “clash of civilizations”. The report says that some 200 clerics, academics, and experts representing diverse creeds and belief systems from around the world took part in the Conference. Appropriate modalities for a follow-up to the Conference are being finalized. The report concludes that, given the growing number of actors involved in intercultural and interreligious dialogue, and difficulty of reflecting in a comprehensive manner on new initiatives, the Assembly might focus its future request for reporting on the preparations of the International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures (2010) by the United Nations and other major international actors.

General Assembly President Miguel d’Escoto of Nicaragua asked Member States to choose between allowing behaviour such as selfishness and unbridled greed to dominate societies and acting to ensure that solidarity and social responsibility become the guiding principles. One of today’s most pressing problems was the shameful reality that half of humanity lived at levels of hunger, malnutrition and poverty that were incompatible with their inherent dignity and rights.
The United Nations had the opportunity to include the values of past prophets, saints and sages in its work, he added. The upcoming High-level Follow-up Conference on Financing for Development, scheduled for Doha, Qatar, in two weeks, would be filled with references to ideals such as justice, peace and tolerance. “We know that nothing short of heroic decisions and actions can awaken us from our moral coma,” he declared urging delegates to let solidarity be the “star” at the conference as they strove for peace and addressed the ongoing financial crisis.

GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Philippines, recalled the World Conference on Dialogue, held in Madrid in July, saying that event had brought together Jews, Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and representatives of other religions, in the hope of promoting tolerance among followers of the world’s faiths.

Introducing a draft resolution on “promotion of interreligious and intercultural dialogue, understanding and cooperation for peace”, the Philippines’ President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said one of the resolution’s most relevant points was the affirmation that mutual understanding and interreligious dialogue were important components of the culture of peace. The draft was especially relevant to the United Nations as the Secretary-General had issued a report on interreligious and intercultural activities for the first time in the Organization’s history. The resolution also asked that a United Nations decade be proclaimed for interreligious dialogue. Noting that her country chaired the first United Nations Summit on Interfaith Dialogue three years ago, she said the Philippines’ participation in the present initiative improved its relationship with Middle Eastern and Islamic nations. “What we are doing together here today and tomorrow is every bit more powerful than bullets”, she said.

Jean-Louis Cardinal Tauran, President of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue of the Holy See, extended the regards of Pope Benedict XVI, who said the gathering was needed by the international community. “The United Nations must be a school for peace”, said Cardinal Tauran, adding that all Member States were equal at the United Nations.
“The United Nations must be a school for peace”, he stated, as it was a place in the world where all Member States were equal. The daily debate only increased the sentiment of belonging to the same global family. He noted that believers had their place in their society, as the prayers of believers practiced solidarity, taught peace, and offered trust before judging. These attitudes educated people to allow peace to flourish.
The final declaration at the Madrid Conference had been the result of such shared beliefs and dialogue. Dialogue was essential to life as it was the way people became acquainted with one another. He offered, in his conclusion to the Assembly, that brotherhood and prayer lead the way to a safer world. “Make brotherhood not just an ideal, but a reality,” he said.


MOHAMMAD SAED TANTAWY, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Egypt, said that when talking of the culture of peace in Islam, Muslims talked about positive dialogue among civilizations, religions and cultures, and he offered nine realities of faith and human nature. All people were created by God to cooperate with one another with virtue and piety, not transgression and aggression. “No Arab is better than a non-Arab, except by piety,” he said, quoting from the Koran. The reality was that differences in beliefs and ideas were human nature. Imposing beliefs on one another only created hypocrites, not true believers. However, he went on to say, differences in beliefs did not preclude cooperation, mutual understanding, friendliness or an exchange of benefits sanctioned by God. There were two common cornerstones revealed to the messengers of God: to worship God alone with devotion, and to maintain good manners. He said that the good word worked equally with friends and non-friends. Justice was a virtue, he continued, quoting the scripture that “when you judge between people, you judge with justice […] and when you speak, then be just”, and he called to the Assembly to stand strong against the crimes of injustice until justice prevailed.


SHIMON PERES, President of Israel, recalled that 13 years ago, this week, his friend and partner, then Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin had been assassinated, “while singing a song of peace”. However, he went on to say, “Assassins may take a life, but they cannot kill a dream.” He reminded the Assembly that during that time, many Arab and Muslim leaders had joined Israel in its grief, allowing tragedy to unite across boundaries and borders, and illuminate the shared goals of peace and fraternity.
The first call to peace between brothers, he said, was Abraham to his nephew Lot. “Please let there be no strife between me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are kinsmen.” Furthermore, a basic tenet of religious faith was that man was created in God’s image, he stated, and to harm a man was to harm God. Thus the agenda of nuclear weapons, long-range missiles and terrorism, among others, needed to be changed. World leaders from regions of religious conflict reiterated the call for a culture of peace. “ Israel is ready for peace,” said Israeli President Shimon Peres. Regardless of the results of the upcoming elections, he stressed the Israeli Government’s commitment to continue peace negotiations with the Palestinians and the recent explorations of peace with Syria. As it renewed faith and strengthened dialogue among nations, the High-Level meeting could spark a profound worldwide move toward reconciliation. Speaking directly to King Abdullah, he said, “Your Majesty, the King of Saudi Arabia, I was listening to your message. I wish that your voice will become the prevailing voice of the whole region, of all people. It’s right. It’s needed.”


MICHEL SLEIMAN, President of the Republic of Lebanon, said today’s meeting bore particular importance, as it was a high-level response to the peace and dialogue process launched last July by the King of Saudi Arabia in Madrid, Spain. States’ common interest in the invitation to dialogue was compounded by heightened fears around the extremism of those who exploited religious emotions to fuel power struggles. That interest had grown as a result of concern at events characterized by ethnic violence,
Lebanese President Michel Suleiman said turning to dialogue to settle existing conflicts, or defuse simmering ones, would not yield results unless trust had been woven into the process. Ongoing oppression questioned the credibility of any dialogue, which was primarily true in the Arab Levant and Holy Land, and he questioned how dialogue could flourish when Israeli occupation of Palestinian and Arab territories persisted.


Salam Fayyad, Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority, said tolerance and coexistence among religions could only be promoted if dialogue aimed at achieving peace was deepened. He called on all Member States to uphold these core principles and create a culture of tolerance that maintained the right to religious belief and human dignity. “The people of Palestine, Muslims and Christians, aspire to peace and justice and are committed to the principles of peaceful coexistence,” and he pledged to continue to work for a lasting peace based on justice and respect for all rights so that, rather than being a victim of history, the Palestinian people could become a participant of history. However, to speak of religious tolerance he needed to speak of the city of Jerusalem, a city of some of the holiest shrines of Christianity and Islam. Occupation of Jerusalem over the last four decades had altered the character and status of the Holy City through the harassment of its Palestinian, Christian and Muslim citizens. The Security Council and General Assembly, as well as other United Nations organs, had adopted numerous resolutions which challenged measures taken by Israel, making void its laws and jurisdiction. However, none of those resolutions had been implemented and he called for the international community to give Jerusalem and its inhabitants the support necessary to address illegal practices that impeded on the principles of justice and rules of international law. Doing so would ease tensions and fears of the citizens and enhance dialogue toward the achievement of freedom, peace and tolerance. If the suffering of the Palestinian people continued unabated –- from their displacement and living in exile, to the confiscation of their land, water and resources -- he stated, the international efforts to establish peace on a two-State solution based on the 1967 borders would be jeopardized, and he urged the international community to support the Arab Pace Initiative which provided broad prospects to end the conflicts and establish peace and harmony. Recalling that the late President Yasser Arafat had “raised the olive branch […] which is deeply rooted in our land as a symbol of coexistence and tolerance”, he reaffirmed both Arafat’s message and the Declaration of Independence of the State of Palestine. “The people of Palestine, Muslims and Christians, aspire to peace and justice and are committed to the principles of peaceful coexistence,” he said, and pledged to continue to work for a lasting peace based on justice and respect for all rights so that, rather than being a victim of history, the Palestinian people could become a participant of history.

E. AHAMED, Minister of State for External Affairs of India, said every one of the world’s major religions had a home in his country, making it a nation of unparalleled diversity. Islam had flourished on the subcontinent for over 1,300 years, and there were now 150 million “Ummah” among the population. In other words, one Muslim in every ten, worldwide, was an Indian. Christianity came to India shortly after its founding, while Jewish and Zoroastrian people had an ancient history of freely practicing their faiths in India. He said dialogue was a historical tradition in India, and it drew upon respect for knowledge, willingness to question and desire to learn. It was in the absence of such dialogue leading to understanding that intolerance, bigotry and violence flourished. One reason why extremist ideologies, violence and terrorism had grown was the lack of dialogue, because there was no disputing that terrorism, as a manifestation of extremism, intolerance and violence, was the antithesis to all religions. The central teachings of all religions were based on the universal values of peace, goodness and humanity. “No religion condones violence or the killing of human beings.”

CARINA CHRISTENSEN, Minister of Culture of Denmark, said that increasing intercultural dialogue and understanding was an integral and indispensable part of the effort to ensure a dynamic and peaceful development of international relations, and it was due to the appreciation of that fact that her Government had been supportive of several interfaith initiatives in the country, as well as abroad. To that end, Denmark attached great importance to promoting dialogue between young people, and, in today’s ever-changing world, it was vital to consider carefully what was conveyed to future generations. In that regard, education was perhaps the single most efficient path to a peaceful handling of cultural and religious diversity, she stressed. Such education had to put a stronger emphasis on commonly shared values like tolerance, mutual understanding, respect for cultural, ethnic and religious diversity, protection and promotion of universal human rights, including the rights of religious minorities, adherence to non-violence, and the principles of peaceful co-existence.
For that reason, she continued, Denmark was proud to have hosted the Copenhagen conference on education for dialogue and intercultural understanding in October this year. That conference had been organized and sponsored by what he said was an impressive group of international and national organizations committed to the objective. Among them were the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC); the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization; the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization; the Council of Europe; the Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for the Dialogue Between Cultures; the Danish Centre for Culture and Development; and the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations. Noting that one of the main themes of the Copenhagen conference was how to combat stereotypes about religions and beliefs in educational systems, she expressed the hope that the resultant expert recommendations would serve as an inspiration for practitioners throughout the world just as she hoped today’s Assembly meeting would similarly do. She added that it was important that, as responsible leaders, participants in the Assembly meeting promulgated tolerance and mutual understanding to avoid conflict and hatred between peoples just because they had different cultures, different beliefs and looked different.

Mr. HENNINGSSON, Senior Advisor of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sweden, welcomed today’s noble initiative undertaken by the King of Saudi Arabia. Discussing cooperation between the United Nations and religious organizations, he drew attention to the dialogue that took place in Istanbul, Turkey, last month, and included the Director for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Turning to the UNESCO project “The Image of the Other” in school curricula, he said that project had been ongoing for four years, carried out in cooperation with the League of Arab States, among other partners. In closing, he profoundly appreciated the United Nations’ efforts to restore trust among the world’s peoples, notably through initiatives stemming from the Muslim world.