Dear friends,

The UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) seeks to reduce tensions across cultural divides that threaten stability and peace among and between communities and societies. The Alliance welcomes efforts by states, civil society, and other actors to build trust and respect among diverse communities – including among religions.
We therefore welcome the UN General Assembly’s unanimous adoption on October 20th, 2010, of a Resolution establishing the World Interfaith Harmony Week, upon an initial proposal by H.M. King Abdullah II of Jordan on September 23rd 2010.
We note that the intent of the resolution is to be broad and inclusive, bringing together people of all religions, faiths, and beliefs.

We urge members of the Alliance of Civilizations, partners, civil society organizations, faith communities, universities, youth, and other sectors to visit the website established by the Jordanian government at www.worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com to learn more about the initiative and investigate ways in which they may promote the initiative, support it or get involved.

Furthermore, you will find below two notes prepared by the Secretariat of the Alliance that provides you with an overview of the initiative – please disseminate them to your own constituencies and partners. I thank you in advance for your kind collaboration.

Sincerely,

H.E. Mr. Jorge Sampaio, Former President of Portugal, United Nations High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations

Note 1: Background

World Interfaith Harmony Week, from 1 to 7 February 2012

On October the 20th 2010, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously established the World Interfaith Harmony Week through the adoption of a Resolution upon an initial proposal by H.M. King Abdullah II of Jordan on September 23rd 2010.

The UNGA Resolution on “World Interfaith Harmony Week” reaffirms that mutual understanding and interreligious dialogue constitute important dimensions of a culture of peace and it proclaims the first week of February of every year the World Interfaith Harmony Week between all religions, faiths and beliefs.

Therefore, it encourages all States to support, on a voluntary basis, the spread of the message of interfaith harmony and goodwill in the world’s Churches, Mosques, Synagogues, Temples and other places of Worship during that week based on Love of God and Love of the Neighbor, or based on Love of the Good and Love of the Neighbor, each according to their own religious traditions or convictions.

“The World Interfaith Week Harmony” is underpinned by the idea that there is a lot to be done by:
(1) ‘Co-ordinating and uniting the efforts of all the interfaith groups doing positive work with one focused theme at one specific time annually, thereby increasing their collective momentum and eliminating redundancy.
(2) Harnessing and utilizing the collective might of the world’s second-largest infrastructure (that of places of worship — the largest being that of education) specifically for peace and harmony in the world: inserting, as it were, the right ‘software’ into the world’s religious ‘hardware’.
(3) Permanently and regularly encouraging the silent majority of preachers to declare themselves for peace and harmony and providing a ready-made vehicle for them to do so. Moreover, if preachers and teachers commit themselves on the record once a year to peace and harmony, this means that when the next inter-religious crisis or provocation occurs, they cannot then relapse into parochial fear and mistrust, and will be more likely to resist the winds of popular demagoguery.’

Your help is very much needed. Specifically, we need and gratefully ask you to:
(1) Write a personal email or letter of support for this initiative and post it at www.worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com at the appropriate place.
(2) Forwarding an email to all those on your email list who you think might be interested in it and them to their friends and so on as much as possible.
(3) Posting any resources you think would be important to the theme of the World Interfaith Harmony Week at www.worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com at the appropriate place.
(4) Organizing an event as simple as a sermon or a lecture or an event on the first week of next February on the theme of Interfaith Harmony.
(5) Recording your event at www.worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com at the appropriate place according to your own country.
(6) Consult the United Nations’ Alliance of Civilizations website (www.unaoc.org) to find inspiration to develop your own project for the 2012 world interfaith harmony week.

Note 2: Get involved!

The World Interfaith week Harmony between all religions, faiths and beliefs aims at celebrating Love of God and Love of the Neighbor or Love of the Good and Love of the Neighbor, each according to the various religious traditions or convictions.

By uniting all interfaith groups and faith communities — those consisting of hundreds of members as well as those of very few — but also by binding together all the world’s citizens of good will and by uniting our efforts between East and West, North and South, our combined efforts will have a greater impact for good.

From 1 to 7 February 2012, let us
- Use the second largest historical infrastructure on earth – places of worship – to help cement religious leaders in promoting interfaith harmony.
- Use schools – all kinds and levels – and classrooms to help disseminate among youth a culture of peace, respect, tolerance, harmony and human dignity.
- Use public zones of encounter – market places, parks, libraries, museums, community centers – to celebrate interfaith harmony and world peace.
- Use the workplace to organize a common event to enhance people’s knowledge, more tolerant attitudes and mutual respect.
- Use new technologies of information and communication, media and new media to help disseminate stories on the implementation of this initiative and make the headlines.
- Use this week to demonstrate that people from different communities can come together in harmony to serve a common humanity
- Use any other opportunities to implement this initiative and contribute to enlarge its scope.

Plan and organize your event and register it on the website
www.worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com

For additional information, please contact Helena Barroco, High Representative for UNAOC’ office in Lisbon, hbarroco@netcabo.pt

A number of concrete projects, partnerships and policy recommendations have been developed at the Forum, including several under the Youth Program of the UNAOC. Specifically, during the Youth Preparatory Event, young leaders met to debate on key aspects of cross-cultural and interreligious understanding. Several concrete projects were developed as an outcome, including an on-line youth-lead campaign against the use of xenophobic rhetoric in political discourse, an on-line global dialogue with Dr. Jeffrey Sachs, etc. Also, Youth Recommendations were drafted and then shared with world leaders during the Forum Opening Ceremony on December 11. More information on these initiatives will soon be posted on the UNAOC Youth Website.

The Youth Preparatory Event was an integral part of the UNAOC Forum and a vital opportunity for youth to meet and interact with decision-makers from various fields, including politics, civil society, media and religious institutions. The Doha Youth Preparatory Event counted on the support of the Friendship Ambassadors Foundation and the International Youth Council, which were also the organizers of this large gathering of youth at the United Nations.

For more information about the UNAOC Youth Program, please contact Ms. Isabelle Legare, Youth Program Manager at isabellel@unops.org.

(Photograph by Amrita Jayakumar)

The main objective of the Forum is to provide a platform for leaders such as heads of states, members of the media, representatives from NGOs, as well as multilateral, civil society and youth organizations, etc. to meet and have constructive discussions on the priorities of the UNAOC, i.e. intercultural dialogue and understanding and promotion of peaceful coexistence.

A total of 400 youth from over 100 countries took part in the Forum. On December 10, during the Youth Preparatory Event, this diverse group of 400 young leaders met to debate key aspects of cross-cultural and interreligious understanding.

The main outcome of the discussions was the drafting of Youth Recommendations to world leaders on specific policies that affect the lives of young people, and on ways to enhance and build on the achievement of young people in bridging cultural divides. These recommendations were presented on December 11, during a plenary with an audience of world leaders and other forum participants.

These 400 young leader represent a variety of youth-led organization such as national youth councils, NGOs, youth networks and youth media that are active in their communities and are committed to the UNAOC principle. Travelling from as far afield as Senegal, Zimbabwe, Fiji, Kyrgyzstan, Iraq, Afghanistan, Tunisia, Yemen, Ecuador, they will contribute to the discussion at the Doha Forum through their own unique experience, expertise and thoughts on the various themes to be discussed.

His Excellency Dr. Jorge Sampaio, United Nations High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations first addressed the audience: “We have all witnessed a turning point that will forever change the way that young people shape their societies. You are finding new ways to ensure that your desires and efforts to achieve positive social change are recognized. Your presence here is a sign of that and I can very much appreciate this, including from a personal point of view”.

The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon came to congratulate “the young leaders of today and tomorrow”, for their efforts to advance the objectives of the Alliance of Civilizations. He underlined the “necessity to fight over religious and cultural differences in this unique moment we are living.” He also added that “no nations can be on its own to face humanity’s challenges”.

Eventually, as a leading advocate of youth empowerment, Highness Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser started by designating the audience as “the true model of the Alliance”. Then, she encouraged them to “seize the opportunities of the Forum to start fresh, revisit history, speak out and redesign their future by creating a right environment to be flourished through education and knowledge”.

The youth event is an integral part of the UN Alliance of Civilizations Forum and a vital opportunity for youth to meet and interact with decision-makers from various fields, including politics, civil society, media and religious institutions. The Doha youth event was organized in collaboration with the Friendship Ambassadors Foundation, the International Youth Council and the World in Conversation Project.

Now, the Gülen Institute is organizing a second International Essay Contest for all high school students in grades 9 through 12 enrolled in public or private schools from all over the world. This year’s topic is “Creating solutions for the challenges faced by children today”. Based on research, students will address challenges such as violence, poverty, lack of access to education, child neglect, child labor, trafficking and slavery, drug abuse, health and nutrition, and gender inequality. Their essays will follow a discussion around possible causes of these challenges, how they interact and how they affect children’s life, and potential means that realistically overcome these challenges.

All winning students and their supervisors will participate in an award ceremony that will take place in Washington, D.C. in May 2012, tentatively. During their 4-day stay in Washington, D.C. and New York City, students will present their essays in discussion sessions; meet U.S. Congress members, the United Nations headquarters, visit local universities, think-tank institutions and tourist attractions. The Gülen Institute will sponsor winning students’ and their supervisors’ travel, accommodations and meal expenses.

The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations is supporting this essay contest since they share common goals such as connecting “youth interested in advancing cross-cultural understanding” and “connecting youth across borders”.

You can find more information and see the pictures from the last event by visiting the contest website, http://www.gulenyouthplatform.org/

Further details are also available at GI_YouthPlatform2012_Flyer

Theme: Alliance of Civilizations and Serbia – “Embracing Civilizations’’

The contest opens on Monday, 03 October 2011, at 00:00:01 and closes on Thursday, 20 October 2011, 11:59:00

Only images not yet published may be submitted

Eligibility: 18 years and older

Award: attending the 4th Global Forum of the Alliance in Doha (Qatar) and taking part in an amazing event in December 2011

Submit your photo via http://www.unphotocontest.rs

The e-discussion is intended to serve as a forum for young people and youth-led organizations to share their own views, experiences and recommendations on preparing for, entering, and remaining active in the workforce. Throughout each week, a broad theme will be explored in depth from a social lens through diverse views and perspectives.

The e-discussion will be held in three languages (English, Spanish, French).

This consultation will take place on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=147059458722534

The videos in the Generation 9/11 video project feature the opinions of young adults from the U.S., Pakistan, Egypt, Morocco and Hungary, who ranged from school-aged to recent college graduates at the time of the attacks. Now they are making their way in the world as young professionals working in journalism, the arts, international relations and other fields. Their responses to September 11 have impelled them to travel and study abroad, volunteer in diverse ethnic and religious communities, engage in cross-cultural dialogue, and record their observations in a range of media.

The Generation 9/11 video project is a joint endeavor of the British Council’s Our Shared Future and Transatlantic Networks 2020 (TN2020) projects, and videos were edited by TN2020 member Gabriella Kessler. The videos in this album reflect the personal views of the participants, and the British Council bears no responsibility for their content or the views expressed within them.

For more information as well as to see the videos, please go to http://www.britishcouncil.org/usa-intercultural-dialogue-generation-9-11

The first UNAOC-BMW Group Award Ceremony will take place in Doha, Qatar in December 2011, during the IVth Annual Forum of the UNAOC held in the presence of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and world leaders. A highly competitive selection process has been set in place to guarantee that projects are selected for outstanding achievement in creativity, excellence and proven positive impact.

The partnership between the UNAOC and the BMW Group exemplifies public-private sector cooperation in building pluralistic and integrated societies as a key factor in preventing conflicts and contributing to prosperity, security and peace.

Further details as well as the call for applications can be found at http://www.unaoc.org/actions/grants-and-competitions/wifi/

As the tenth anniversary of 9/11 approaches, many of us are wondering how best to honor the many victims of that tragedy and its aftermath. I found my own answer when a friend asked me to join him and a few others on a walk with some Muslim and Jewish families he invited through their congregations. It turns out that our walk is one of many 9/11 Walks being organized by local communities all over the USA and around the world. The goal of these walks is simple: to help people honor all the victims of 9/11 by walking and talking kindly with neighbors and strangers, in celebration of our common humanity and in defiance of fear, misunderstanding and hatred.

Think about it: Wouldn’t it be great if 9/11 became a day for Christians, Muslims, Jewish people, and everyone else to step over boundaries and walk kindly with ‘the other’, the way Martin Luther King Day has become a day for community service?

It turns out that the original idea was to organize one big cross-boundary walk in New York City, but officials there encouraged smaller walks instead. Now the idea is for lots of people — people like you and me — to organize 9/11 Walks in their own neighborhoods. So then, handfuls of members from churches, mosques, synagogues, community groups, and families around the world are inviting each other to meet up on that afternoon.

On the 9/11 walks website (www.911walk.org) you can easily find a walk or learn how to organize one of your own. All it takes is a few minutes, a few phone calls, and a little bit of hope and courage.
As we remember the tragedy of 9/11, most us us also remember the wonderful ways neighbors and strangers reached out and connected with one another. I’m looking forward to rekindling some of that hospitality and kindness on our walk, and I invite you to do the same.

Secretary-General Says in Message Commemorating International Youth Day

Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message for International Youth Day, to be observed 12 August:

“Change Our World” is more than the theme of this year’s International Youth Day; it is an injunction that should inspire young people at all times.

Far too many of the world’s more than 1 billion young people lack the education, freedom and opportunities they deserve. Yet, despite these constraints — and in some cases because of them — young people are mobilizing in growing numbers to build a better future. Over the past year, they have achieved stunning results, overturning dictatorships and sending waves of hope across regions and around the world.

Young people are gifted with open minds and a keen awareness of emerging trends, and are bringing their energy, ideas and courage to some of the most complex and important challenges facing the human family. They often understand better than older generations that we can transcend our religious and cultural differences in order to reach our shared goals. They are standing up for the rights of oppressed peoples, including those who suffer discrimination based on gender, race and sexual orientation. They are confronting sensitive issues in order to stop the spread of HIV. And they are often the leading proponents of sustainability and green lifestyles.

The international community must continue to work together to expand the horizons of opportunity for these young women and men, and answer their legitimate demands for dignity, development and decent work. Failing to invest in our youth is a false economy. Investments in young people will pay great dividends in a better future for all.

This Day marks the end of the International Year of Youth, a milestone in global advocacy by and for the world’s young people. My hope is that this experience will now provide a foundation to go even further in harnessing the talents and energies of young people. To them I say: you have the opportunity to change our world. Seize it.