UNAOC Group of Friends High-Level Meeting

Yes, of course, dear friend. Well, thank you very much. Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to this UNHRC Group of Friends High-Level Meeting. For me, it's a great pleasure to chair that, and side by the two co-sponsors, Spain and Turkey. And I will ask first to express to Your Excellency, Mr. Diego Martinez-Bello, State Secretary of Foreign Affairs, and Global Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the European Union, European Union is present here. Thank you, Diego. And of course, my dear friend, Your Excellency, Mr. Levent Gurun, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey. My dear friend, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, allow me first and foremost to express my sincere gratitude to all members of the Group of Friends for joining us today and for unwavering support for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations. Today's meeting marks the 29th gathering of the Group of Friends since its establishment in 2007. This remarkable continuity is a testament to the enduring commitment of member states to the principle of dialogue mutual respect, inclusion, and peaceful coexistence. The year 2025 and '26 to date has been particularly eventful. Across the United Nations system, UN entities and agencies have had to navigate significant budgetary constraints and workforce reduction. And despite these challenges, United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, UNAC, has continued to implement its regular program, advocacy initiative, and mandate activities without disruption. This would not have been possible without the steadfast support of our member states. I would therefore like to extend my deepest appreciation to our two co-sponsors, the government of Spain, and Turkey, as well to all member states that have provided financial and political support to the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations throughout this period. I would also like to particularly acknowledge the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for hosting the 11th UNOEC Global Forum in Riyadh. The forum was a tremendous success, and marked the last UNHRC Global Forum attended by the United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres. As many of you can recall, Secretary General Guterres participated in person in our ninth, 10th, and 11th Global Forum, reflecting the importance he has attached to UNHRC as a special initiative of the Secretary General. My sincere appreciation also goes to Angola, and especially to His Excellency President Joao Lourenco, for hosting in Luanda my initiative, our initiative of a call for peace, end of wars, and respect to international law. President Lourenco brought a new and important dimension to this initiative, which began in Guernica, continued in Sarajevo, and culminate this year in Luanda. His leadership reinforced our collective call for peace, dialogue, and respect for international law through an African lens. Excellencies, over the past year, the concept of civilization has gained renewed prominence in the geopolitical landscape. Civilizations are back. I welcome President Xi Jinping's proposal to launch the Global Civilization Initiative. The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations is working together with China to support dialogue among civilizations. At the same time, we have witnessed attempts by some actors to misuse and to instrumentalize this concept. We even hear threats of exterminating entire civilization. Since its inception, UNHCR has consistently maintained that civilizations cannot be set against one another. They must cooperate to build a better future for our shared, joint community. And I think in this endeavor, that no civilization is superior to another. Together, we must recognize, promote, and celebrate the valuable contribution that every civilization has made in the past, continues to make today, and will undoubtedly make in the future. Distinguished delegates, looking ahead, UNOSC remains committed to advancing dialogue, partnership, and innovation through new initiatives in the coming year. Since my office has already circulated the UNOSC Annual Report for 2025 and the summary report of activities covering January to September 2026, I will not elaborate on the achievements and activities contained in this document. Instead, I would like to briefly highlight what lies ahead during the final quarter of 2026 and in 2027. First, institutional development. This week, UNHCR signed three important memoranda of understanding with members of our Group of Friends. This morning, I have the honor to sign an MOU with the government of Egypt. I was delighted to meet with Her Excellency, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, Dr. Badr Abdel Atti. We have a very productive discussion and defined concrete action points, beginning with my participation in the coming Asian Forum this November, organized by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt and current International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping, and Peacebuilding. The second MOU was signed with UNESCO. I was pleased to meet once again with the Director General of UNESCO, Mr. Khaled Alani. Since he assumed office in 2025, our collaboration has steadily expanded, and this new MOU marks an important chapter in strengthening cooperation and enhancing coordination between our respective institutions. Indeed, both our institutions are co-organizing with the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan on 27 and 28 of October, the Seventh World Forum for Intercultural Dialogue. The third MOU was signed with Muslim World League. I was privileged to meet again with its Secretary General, Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Aissa, following the excellent event this organization hosted in New York on artificial intelligence for everyone. This agreement opened province and avenues of cooperation, particularly combating Islamophobia, advancing artificial intelligence ethics, and promoting interfaith, intrafaith, and intercultural dialogue. In this context, our first joint initiative will take place in Cordoba, Spain, on 10th of November. and the patronage Royal House of Spain, the Royal House of the Kingdom of Morocco, and with the support of UNESCO, we will celebrate the legacy of Ibn Rushd, known in the West as Averroes, whose enduring contribution helped advance a remarkable era of reason, knowledge, and intercultural exchange. Second, upcoming global forum. United Nations Office for Civil Society convening capacity gives our work in general and our Global Forum in particular a broad global reach. Over the years, UNOSCE has built a broad and trusted platform for engagement. Through 11 Global Forums and numerous other initiatives, UNOSCE has provided a durable and trusted platform where governments, can engage directly with civil society, faith leaders and religious institutions, young people, media and private sector. In the context, it's heartening to see that UNOCF floor and forum are now in high demand. I'm pleased to inform member state to that four member state have formally expressed their interest in hosting our future edition of UNOEC global forum. There are Azerbaijan, China, Iran, and Spain have respectively proposed to host the 12, 13, 14, and 15 edition. UNOEC is a special initiative of United Nations Secretary General We look forward to following the established practice of briefing the Executive Office of the incoming Secretary-General in 2027 on this proposal and discuss the way forward. Third, addressing discrimination and intolerance based on religion or belief. The UNHRC Action Plan 24-26 placed a strong emphasis on combating discrimination, religious intolerance, and hate based on religion or belief. Over the past few years, I have devoted significant attention to two key priorities: strengthening the United Nations system-wide response to antisemitism and advancing global efforts to combat Islamophobia. Both portfolios will remain among my highest priorities in 2027. Regarding antisemitism, we have taken important first steps forward, implementing United Nations Action Plan to enhance monitoring and response to antisemitism through the launch of an online learning module of understanding antisemitism. The objective is to strengthen awareness across the workplace and promote our culture of dignity, respect, inclusion, and accountability. I also intend to establish a dedicated working group on antisemitism before the end of this year. Regarding the Islamophobia portfolio, in my dual capacity as United Nations Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia, my office is advancing the work on a United Nations action plan to combat Islamophobia. We are making steady progress, and I hope to launch this important initiative in 2027. I place particular importance on a race to Muslim communities and a joint initiative that address Islamophobia and anti-Muslim prejudice and discrimination. I will continue to conduct more official visits to member states to enhance global effort in addressing this scourge. Excellencies, these efforts are firmly anchored in mandate provided by member states. I do not work UN General Assembly resolution highlighted and encouraged the work of UNHRC in the promotion of inter-religion, inter-cultural relation. I express my gratitude for the member state who have supported and encouraged UNHRC work through this resolution. UNHRC also led the preparation of Secretary-General report on the promotion of interreligious and intercultural dialogue, drawing on contribution from across the United Nations system. Through this crucial responsibility, we bring experience from different setting and contact to the attention of Member States and inform the deliberation. I will continue to strengthen and invest more initiative and program in this indispensable prevention tool. Four, new initiative. Allow me to use this opportunity to introduce a new initiative that I intend to launch under the title, "War is not a game." This Behind every conflict are shattered lives, broken communities, and lost opportunity for future generation. This message inspired the Alliance for Peace Initiative, which launched at the Global Forum in Perth in 2022 and subsequently supported the Global Forum in Cascais 2024 and Riyadh 2025. And through this initiative, UNHSC continues to promote dialogue, mutual understanding, and a culture of peace, particularly among young people. Today, countries, video game, and digital platform present violence as something to be played one and celebrate. But my dear friend, war is not an entertainment. We should ban, ban the video war games. We cannot accept that young children will play in front of the screen to kill people, to kill, to kill, to kill. We had enough of so much killing. War produced real victim, real suffering, and lasting consequences for individual families and society. Through this initiative, I will call upon creators, developers, players, and specific young people to reject the normalization and glorification of violence in digital spaces. Instead, I encourage them to play for peace, not for war. When we choose peace over violence, the greatest victory is the construction of a more inclusive, just, future, peaceful for humanity. After this segment, we will share a short video and presentation of Mrs. Sonia Diaz, President of Fundacion Educacion Accion, who will share with us the innovative work she has been doing in education. Excellencies, concluding, I intend to further strengthen and expand the membership of UNOSC Group of Friends. particularly among member states from the global south. I hope that the time we gather again, we will welcome new members into our growing community of nation, committed to dialogue, mutual understanding, and peace. Excellency, this year's meeting should serve not only as a platform for reflection, but also as a catalyst for more action. Much has been done, indeed. You must also recognize how much work remains to be done. Your continued support remains indispensable to the success of UNOSCC and to our shared mission of building bridges across culture, religion, and society. I thank you again for your partnership and commitment, and I look forward to our continued collaboration in the years ahead. I thank you. And now I give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Diego Martinez-Bello, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Global Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Union and Cooperation with Spain. My dear Diego, you have the floor.

Thank you, High Representative, my dear friend, Deputy Minister, dear colleague. I'm very happy to be here one more year in this Alliance Civilisation Forum. At the 2024 Alliance Forum held in Cascais in Portugal, His Majesty the King of Spain, Felipe VI, recognized the Alliance of Civilization represents the practical application of what has come to be known as values diplomacy. It is the values of tolerance, diversity, and respect that rest upon the universal principle of human rights, human dignity, and peaceful coexistence among cultures, principles on which the Alliance of Civilizations has already been working for more than two decades. Spain, through a culture of peace building, has succeeded in building peace from diversity. The 11th Global Forum, held in Riyadh under the auspices of Saudi Arabia, took place under the theme, "Two Decades of Dialogue for Humanity: Advances Towards an Era of Mutual Respect and Understanding in a Multipolar World." I take this opportunity to publicly thank our solid friends for the excellent organization of the forum. Today, we live in a fragmented, polarized world with a multiplicity of factors in the midst of the digital age, where extremist narratives and hate speech try to find their space and amplification, where young people do not see their aspirations fulfilled, and where women continue to fight for their equality. It is precisely there where the Alliance of Civilizations finds its purpose. Spain is committed to multilateralism and defends the importance of finding fair, sustainable solutions aligned with international law and the United Nations Charter to address the serious conflicts currently affecting the global context. This is what we are demonstrating in the conflict in Gaza, in Ukraine, and others. In short, we must continue working and practicing peace. Making peace is a political decision towards improving the quality of national and global coexistence. The Alliance of Civilization has gone from being an aspiration, as it was conceived by the so-called ideologist, to being a reality. There are already more than 161 countries that make up the group of friends of the Alliance present here. Thank you. Throughout these 20 years, Spain has been not only a co-founder, but also a committed partner providing political, financial, and diplomatic support. In 2008, we hosted the first global forum of the Alliance of Civilizations in Madrid, and since 2022, along with Turkey, Spain has contributed 1 million euros annually to the Alliance. I would like to thank the High Representative for his commendable efforts in implementing the objectives and programs of the Alliance of Civilizations. The presentation he has made on the implementation of the Action Plan for 2024-2026 demonstrates that the alliance's realization is more necessary than ever. And I extend my support for the future work program. In this regard, I want to highlight the work of the High Representative, your work, who is also the special envoy for combating Islamophobia and the focal point for antisemitism. I congratulate you, High Representative, on the United Nations plan to enhance monitoring and response to antisemitism. And I recall that Spain has had a national plan since 2023 in compliance with the European strategy on combating anti-Semitism and fostering Jewish life, which is in effect until 2030. From this podium, I offer our full collaboration in the efforts to design a specific plan to combat Islamophobia at a global level, a task in which the United Nations is currently immersed. At this point, I would like to underscore the United Nations plan of action to safeguard religious sites which is based on the universality and sanctity of all places of worship. The global campaign #ForSafeWorship, promoted by the Alliance of Civilizations, remains a public awareness tool to promote the protection of places of worship and to spread messages of interreligious solidarity. And I also highlight the initiative, a call for peace, the end of wars, and respect for international law. which since its inception in 2025 has focused on the value that certain cities in the world hold for having been the epicenter of armed conflicts and which have managed through respect, dialogue and the coexistence of all religious and ethnic groups to walk forward together without forgetting the origin of the confrontation and keeping very much in mind the current challenges that could shake this understanding. I could mention Guernica, Sarajevo, Rwanda. In the near future, Beirut, Bogota, and Nagasaki. The aims and the values that give life to the alliance are still very present in the Spanish foreign policy. Our foreign action strategy for 2025-2028 states that we will continue to support the Alliance of Civilizations as a Spanish-led initiative that fosters dialogue and mutual understanding at the international level at a time when they are more needed than ever. I commend the Alliance for its projects and initiatives centered on the pivotal role of women in shaping societies and their contribution to conflict resolution, such as the Women's Alliance for Peace program, promoting the role of women as peacemakers, as well as those directed towards youth as the future architects of peace and coexistence. After 20 years, it can truly be said that an Alliance of Civilization generation has already emerged. Today, Dear colleagues, in this turbulent and fragmented world where polarization festers, effective multilateralism must be the key to promoting peace and global inclusive prosperity. Let us use the tools that multilateralism promotes, fosters and defends from these forums of the Alliance of Civilizations with intelligence and strategic vision. The Alliance is the quintessential UN framework of reference for intercultural dialogue, and together, all friends of the Alliance must collectively protect its universal and transversal vocation. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much, Mr. Velio, for your statement, and I express my gratitude to the government of Spain for its political and financial support of UNHRC and to me personally. Now I give the floor to her challenge, Mr. Levant. Gumbur, Keo, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey. You have the floor, my friend.

Thank you, Mr. High Representative. Dear Diego, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, it is a great pleasure for me to attend once again this annual meeting of our group of friends. First of all, let me express my sincere appreciation to High Representative Moratinos for convening this meeting, but more so for his continued active leadership to advance the work of our Alliance. Indeed, he has been not only the High Representative of our Alliance, but I would say kind of its engine by relentlessly pursuing our objectives around the world. So, Mr. High Representative, thank you so much. Once again, we are blessed to have you at the helm of our Alliance. Dear colleagues, Every year in New York, on the margins of UNGA, we meet as a group of friends, but amidst a flurry of meetings, of course, which keep all of us running from one meeting to another, sometimes merely for an act of presence. But I think this is not one of those, because these gatherings provide us with a valuable opportunity to reflect on the Alliance's activities over the past year, consider its future priorities, and reaffirm our collective resolve to advance its mission and uphold its guiding principles. And this is not just a lofty or symbolic exercise, because 21 years after the establishment, the mission of the Alliance is as valid today as it was on day one, to strengthen intercultural and interreligious understanding. This was also the main message, as you pointed, Mr. President, that came out of the 11th forum of the alliance held in Riyadh last December, when we gathered to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the alliance. Indeed, under the excellent hospitality of our Saudi Arabian hosts, for which let me express once again our sincere gratitude, all the speakers and participants stressed the same thing. that in the last two decades, since the launch of the Alliance, yes, the world has changed profoundly, yet our message remains the same, that we cannot build peace if hatred grows between our cultures, or protect dignity if people are reduced to stereotypes. And I think even more importantly, that we cannot secure the future if we see diversity as a threat rather than a source of strength. But today, we unfortunately live in a world increasingly like that. In an age of progress, but fragile trust, more connection, yet more polarization, more information, yet more manipulation. This is an environment where intolerance can easily take root, and we all know where it leads, because history shown us. all too painfully, that any form of intolerance, whether racism, xenophobia, or hate speech, can easily lead to acts of violence and terrorism if necessary steps are not taken in a timely manner. So that's why the alliance is not a slogan. It is a necessity. And that's why its founding purposes remain ever more clear and compelling. What are they? To promote mutual understanding, across cultures and religions to strengthen solidarity between peoples, reduce the space in which extremism and hatred can recruit, and build partnerships among governments, educators, media, youth, women, and civil society among some. Let us therefore ensure that the Alliance has the institutional capacity and the resources it needs to deliver these objectives. Because while doing that, though, We must also keep in mind that civilizations do not necessarily clash because they are different. They clash when there is injustice, when there is humiliation, when there is poverty without hope, and when there is propaganda without truth. Therefore, while doing what we are doing in normal times, we must also address the deeper drivers of tension, such as inequality, injustice, and unresolved conflicts. To this end, our cooperation should be genuine, Peace must be credible, justice must be consistent, and human dignity, of course, must be non-negotiable. And finally, of course, faith, too, must be a force of mercy, not division. Religion is not the enemy of peace. The misuse and abuse of religion is. We must therefore reject the demonization of any faith community and defend religious freedom and mutual respect for all. In this context, of course, we highly value the additional important responsibility undertaken by High Representative Moratinos. as the UN Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia. We look forward, of course, to timely finalization of the UN Action Plan that he and his team are preparing to provide a comprehensive and effective framework to strengthen international efforts to combat Islamophobia and other forms of discrimination against religion and promote mutual respect, tolerance, and understanding. In conclusion, I think the choice before us is rather simple. Either a future that is defined by divisions or one where humanity chooses cooperation over contempt and confrontation. Over the last two decades, these Group of Friends meetings, bringing together countries from all across the world, from regional and cultural backgrounds, in fact demonstrated where we stand on this choice and has already proven a central principle. that no civilization is complete just by itself, that the alliance, this alliance belongs to everyone, that it is not owned by one geography or one faith, and that it is a universal platform to protect our shared humanity. Therefore, from this meeting, let us once again express our strong commitment to ensure that the Alliance, with its distinctive convening and connective ability and its vast expertise, will continue to serve as a strong force for mutual understanding and peace across cultures and faith, and that it will be defined not only by dialogue, of course this is important, but even more so by shared responsibility, action, and further progress. Turkey, as one of the co-sponsors of this initiative will remain a steadfast supporter of these goals and a committed partner in advancing its mission. Thank you so much, Mr. High Representative.

Thank you very much, my dear Levant, my dear Your Excellency, Mr. Levant GURUNKAY, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey. I thank you for your statement, and I reiterate again my gratitude for the government of Turkey for the commitment and financial support to GNSC. Excellency, before we move to the next set, let me present to you a short video of this initiative, "War is not a Game." And then I will give the floor to my dear friend, Mr. Sonja Bief, to a presentation of the new initiative about education. So, let's see.

War can look exciting when it's just a game. Digital games are built around winning. Every mission has another chance. Every defeat can become another victory. Every life can respawn. But war is never defined by victory. War is always defined by loss and tragedy. When violence is framed as play, it's easier to ignore the human cost of war. Lives lost. Homes destroyed. Families separated. Children whose lives are changed forever. In the real world, there are no winners in war. There are no second chances, no respawns, no clean endings. The screen may fade to black, but real life doesn't. Violence is not entertainment. War is not a game. What we play shapes the world we live in. So let's choose differently. Let's choose stories that build rather than destroy. Let's play games that connect us rather than divide us. Choose peace, even in the video games we play and the virtual worlds we create. Let's play for peace, not war.

So now I give the floor to Mrs. Sonia Diaz, expert in education. Sonia, you have the floor.

Whenever life put me in a difficult situation, I would turn to my father and ask, "Why me?" And he always would answer, "Why not?" meaning just do something about it. Perhaps today, education needs exactly the same question. Your Excellency, Mr. Miguel Angel Moratinos, High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, Excellencies, distinguished ministers and delegates, we are not simply living through another technological revolution, we are living through a change of era. Underneath lies one of the great contradictions of our time. We are educating for a world that, in many ways, no longer exists, while our children are already living, learning, feeling, and suffering in a world we do not yet fully understand. We ask them to concentrate in a society designed to distract them. We ask them to think critically in an ecosystem that rewards outrages and turns disagreement into confrontation. We ask them for emotional balance in a culture that profits from their anxiety and rewards the superficial. And yet, I refuse to believe that any of this is inevitable. Because the greatest enemy of educational transformation is not technology. It is resignation. That quiet voice telling us that schools will never really change, that teachers can do more, that technology has already won, that polarization is irreversible. that the future will arrive anyway, whether we are ready or not. I refuse to accept that, because when a society stops believing in its ability to educate, it begins to surrender its ability to change itself. Education must become an act of anticipation. In a world fascinated by artificial intelligence, perhaps our most urgent responsibility is to discover what is truly human. But education cannot do this alone. We cannot ask teachers to repair every day what society breaks outside the classroom. This transformation needs all of us, educators, families, governments, universities, businesses, technology, media and civil society. Because education is the place where we decide what kind of future becomes possible. And right now, it's already an urgent and global conversation. And this is why we have already begun. Through our Observatory for the Future of Education, we are bringing together schools, researchers, institutions, and organizations to identify, measure, and pilot and amplify what truly transforms education. Actually, we are already contributing to the OECD's PISA Education 2040. So I am not asking you today simply to agree with me. I am asking you to roll up your sleeves and join us in the courtyard to bring your knowledge, your influence, your institutions, your courage, and your capacity to make things happen. Because the future is not something that simply happens to us, it's something we build. We need one another. The present and the future generations need us to become the good ancestors we are called to be. I am Sonia Diaz. And I would please ask you that when we leave this room, we stop asking, why are we facing such a challenging educational times? And ask yourselves instead, why not? Why not? And then come and do something together about it. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Sonia Diaz, for your intervention, your inspiring work, and you say education has to be an instrument for anticipation and to create a better world. So now we start the high-level meeting segment of the speaker of the members of the Group of Friends. And I have the privilege and the satisfaction to give the floor to His Excellency Abdelhakem Al-Jubeir, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. You have the floor.

Thank you very much. Bismillahirrahmanirrahim. I would like to first express my sincere appreciation to His Excellency, Mr. Miguel Martines, for the kind invitation to participate in this high-level meeting. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is pleased to participate in this important meeting, which reflects the importance we place on the principles of dialogue and coexistence among different religions and cultures, as well as our support for the objectives and mission of the United Nations Alliance for Civilizations. The Kingdom's engagement with the UN Alliance of Civilizations is grounded in the conviction that dialogue, coexistence, and respect for religious and cultural diversity are essential foundations for peace and stability. We welcome the alliance's important role in promoting a culture of dialogue and mutual understanding, combating hate speech, and contributing to the protection of

religious sites and cultural heritage.

In support of these objectives, the Kingdom, together with a number of countries, contributed to the drafting of the UN General Assembly resolution titled Promoting a Culture of Peace and Tolerance to Safeguard religious sites in January 2021. Also in support of the Alliance's objective, the Kingdom hosted the 11th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations in Riyadh in December 2025, bringing together 108 official delegations from the Group of Friends of the UN Alliance of Civilizations alongside more than 1,000 participants The forum featured 64 speakers representing more than 27 countries and international organizations. The hosting of the 11th Global Forum was particularly significant as it coincided with the 12th anniversary of the establishment of the UN Alliance of Civilizations.

It provided an important opportunity to reflect upon the progress

achieved over the past two decades, while also considering the challenges that continue to confront our societies in promoting dialogue, countering hate speech, and strengthening mutual understanding.

It is essential that we build upon these efforts and translate our shared commitments into meaningful action.

The outcomes of the 11th Global Forum provide an important foundation in this regard. We therefore underscore the importance of following on the forum's final communique by reviewing our collective commitment to multilateralism, respect for international law, and intercultural and interfaith dialogue. Dialogue remains among the most effective means of preserving diversity, advancing peace, preventing conflict, fostering reconciliation, and strengthening social cohesion in an increasingly complex global environment.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

remains committed to contributing constructively to these efforts and to working with the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, member states, and all relevant partners to achieve a culture of peace, tolerance, coexistence, and mutual respect. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Thank you very much, Your Excellency, Mr. Abdil al-Malik al-Jubeir, Minister of State of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for his intervention and to express the commitment towards the alliance. And again, I want to commend your extremely well-organized global forum, 11th global forum of the alliance, the way you support it, and the Riyadh Declaration. The Riyadh Declaration is now our guiding framework, what we have to develop together. So thank you very much to be with us, and thank you to the Kingdom in order we continue our very fruitful partnership. Now I give the floor to the Foreign Minister, Her Excellency, Mr. Maxim Ryzhkov, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus.

Your Honorable Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen. The Alliance of Civilizations was born in the wake of the tragic events of September 11th and the subsequent conflicts that followed. Its founding promise was clear, to prevent Samuel Huntington's nervously grim prediction of a clash of civilizations from becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. For two decades, this platform has made important contributions, fostering dialogue, promoting cultural exchange, connecting youth across divides. For this, we commend the Alliance. However, we must ask ourselves a fundamental question today: has the threat of civilizational conflict truly receded? We believe it has not. In fact, we observe with concern that the underlying conditions for such a conflict have been deliberately cultivated. The West, despite its relative decline on the global stage, persists in its efforts to preserve hegemony. To maintain this dominance, it seeks to destabilize the global majority through the instigation of wars, the fueling of regional conflicts, and the imposition of unilateral coercive measures that punish sovereign nations for pursuing independent paths of development. What is particularly alarming is the growing rhetoric that calls for the consolidation of a singular Western civilization, framing it as inherently superior to all others. Such narratives are not merely arrogant, they are dangerous. They deliberately position one civilization against another, creating an artificial dichotomy that undermines the very purpose of this alliance. Belarus has consistently stood against such divisive logic. As early as 2005, at the United Nations Summit, President Lukashenko proposed the principle of respecting the diversity of pathways to progressive development. This is not abstract diplomacy for us. It's a lived reality. At home, representatives of over 150 nationalities and 25 religious confessions coexist in peace. We have proven that unity doesn't require uniformity. Internationally, we actively engage with countries across all civilizations, east and west, north and south, on the basis of mutual respect. Today's growing geopolitical turmoil requires us, as members of the Group, to move beyond rhetoric. The Group of Friends cannot afford to preach dialogue while some of its members practice the opposite policies of dictates, sanctions, and threats against other countries. Such double standards not only erode the Group's credibility, but also fuel the very civilizational tensions we are mandated to address. Therefore, we call upon all members of the group to practice what they preach. Belarus is firm on its position. Unilateral coercive measures have no place in international relations and must be repealed. We believe that all nations must treat every civilization, every country, and every nation as an equal partner in building a just multipolar world order. Belarus stands ready to contribute to this noble mission. Thank you for your attention.

I thank you, His Excellency, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, Her Excellency Maxym Ryzhenko, for his presence, his intervention. And I have to really to express my gratitude because Belarus has been always present in this ministerial segment, and you personally for your commitment and your leadership. So thank you very much with that, and we take note of your very enriching proposal. So thank you very much. Now I give the floor to His Excellency, Mr. Chiradzadeh, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan.

Thank you, excellencies, distinguished colleagues, ladies and gentlemen. Adopted, I wish to express my sincere appreciation to the Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, His Excellency Mr. Miguel Angel Moratinos, for convening this high-level meeting and for his continued leadership in advancing dialogue, mutual respect, and cooperation among cultures and civilizations. We meet at a moment of rising tensions and ongoing conflicts, including the tragic situations in the Middle East, Ukraine, Sudan, and other regions, alongside growing divisions within many societies. These challenges make it even more important to strengthen our cooperation. In this regard, the Alliance continues to serve as a key forum for building trust, promoting understanding, and supporting joint action to address the issues our world faces today. Excellencies, Tajikistan's own experience has taught us that peace is a deliberate and sustained effort. Having endured a devastating imposed civil war, we emerged from conflict through diplomacy, reconciliation, and inclusive nation building. This history has shaped our firm conviction that disputes must be resolved solely through peaceful means and that dialogue is the most effective instrument for preventing conflict and strengthening social cohesion. We continue to advance regional cooperation through the Dushanbe process on countering terrorism and its financing which promotes joint efforts to address threats that undermine peace and stability. Ladies and gentlemen, in an era marked by growing intolerance and inequality, the role of UN-AOC is more vital than ever. We welcome the Alliance's efforts to strengthen preventive diplomacy and to advance intercultural and interfaith dialogue, which are essential for promoting understanding and reducing tensions. As a proud contributor to these shared efforts, at the initiative of Tajikistan, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the resolution establishing the International Decade of Strengthening of Peace for Future Generations, 2027-2036. This milestone reflects the initiative of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, His Excellency Mr. Emomali Rahmon, whose forward-looking vision guided the proposal of this resolution which received broad and overwhelming support from the United Nations membership. The Decade provides a global framework for advancing intergovernmental, intergenerational solidarity, education for peace, and cooperation among governments. UN entities, youth, religious leaders, academia, and civil society. Excellencies, I am pleased to inform you that Tajikistan intends, in cooperation with the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, Youth Office, other UN agencies, and partners, to organize a high-level international conference on peace in Dushanbe in 2027, which will serve as the official launch of the International Decade of Peace for Future Generations. We envision this conference as a global platform dedicated to promoting dialogue, mutual respect, and intercultural understanding, principles that lie at the heart of UNAOC's mission. I would like to invite all members of the Group of Friends to take an active role in the preparation and to participate in the conference itself. Your engagement and expertise will be vital in ensuring a meaningful and effective start to the decade. Ladies and gentlemen, as we look ahead, Tajikistan stands ready to work closely with UNAOC and all members of the Group of Friends to advance our shared vision of peace, mutual respect, and understanding across generations. We encourage the Alliance to continue prioritizing preventive diplomacy, youth engagement, intercultural education, and partnerships that strengthen social cohesion and resilience. Thank you for your attention.

Thank you, Your Excellency, Mr. Shilojiddin, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan. I can assure you that we welcome your initiative to have this important high-level conference in Dushanbe. I think you have come at timely to link peace with the future generation. You are only doing what the preamble of the United Nations Charter says. The preamble, you read again, you will remember that the UN has been created in order to avoid the next generation of the course of war. So we will work together in order to guarantee a successful conference in your country. Thank you very much. Now I give the floor to Her Excellency Mr. Mohammad Haj Hassan, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Malaysia.

Thank you, His Excellency Miguel Angel Martines, High Representative.

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, Malaysia is pleased to participate in this Group of Friends High Level Meeting on the margin of UNGA 81. We commend the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations for over two decades of dedicated service to promoting dialogue, mutual respect, and peaceful coexistence in an increasingly complex and polarized world. Malaysia has been a steadfast member of a group of friends since 2007, and our commitment to the Alliance remains unwavering. As a multi-ethnic and multi-religious nation, we embody moderation and pluralism. Excellencies, we cannot ignore the alarming global rise in intolerance, xenophobia and religious discrimination, including Islamophobia. To this end, Malaysia lauds the appointment of the UN Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia, which aligns with our own domestic appointment of a Special Representative to Combat Islamophobia. In this digital era, we must also confront the dual-edged sword of technology While connectivity brings us closer, digital platforms have also become fertile ground for rapid and unchecked spread of hate speech. We call upon tech companies, civil society and Member States to foster a responsible digital ecosystem to ensure the digital sphere remains a safe space for constructive dialogue rather than a breeding ground for division and alienation. In this regard, we actively participate in global efforts such as the recent global conference on promoting interreligious and intercultural dialogue and tolerance in countering hate speech co-organized by Morocco, the UN Office of Genocide Prevention, and the UNAOC to promote international standards that counter online hatred while safeguarding human rights.

Excellencies.

Malaysia stands ready to work closely alongside the UN AOC and all members of group of friends to bring to bridge divides, counter hateful narratives, and build a world where diversity is protected as a source of shared strength.

I thank you.

Very much. Foreign Minister of Malaysia, Mr. Mr. Mohamed Haj Hassan, for your participation and your intervention. And again, I remember I said to your ambassador here that I feel we need the alliance to give back what has been a permanent support of Malaysia. You have been always present politically, financially, diplomatically, and what we have to find, and we will discuss bilaterally how we can enhance the positive role of Malaysia in this issue. Thank you. Thank you very much. Yes, I yield the floor to His Honorable Dato Erywan Pehin Yusof, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brunei Darussalam. You have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Excellencies, let me begin by thanking His Excellency Miguel Angel Moratinos, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the United.

Nations Alliance of Civilizations, for convening this annual meeting at the sideline of the High-Level Week.

And for his continued leadership.

In advancing dialogue and understanding across cultures and religions. At a time of growing division, the work of the Alliance is increasingly important. We are witnessing now a troubling rise in religious hatred, intolerance, and discrimination. For Muslims in particular, rhetoric that demeans Islam and vilifies Muslim communities is becoming increasingly normalized and in some cases is being used to justify discrimination. This should concern us all.

When hatred against one religion and community is tolerated, it weakens the mutual respect and peaceful coexistence on which.

Our societies depend on.

Brunei Darussalam therefore believes that all forms of religious hatred and intolerance must be addressed firmly and consistently But our response must also bring people together, rather than deepen the very divisions we seek to overcome.

This is where dialogue matters.

Inter-religious.

And inter-cultural dialogue can prevent misunderstanding from becoming mistrust, mistrust from becoming hatred, and hatred from leading to senseless violence. We therefore welcome the Muscat plan of action launched by the Sultanate of Oman and United Nations Alliance of Civilizations as a practical framework.

For strengthening respect for religious and cultural diversity and preventing hatred and intolerance.

Ultimately, our success will not be measured by the documents that we adopt, but by whether people of different faith and cultures can live together in dignity, security, and mutual respect.

I thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you very much, Your Excellency, Honorable Dato Arie Hamzah bin Jusoh, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brunei Darussalam, for the intervention, your commitment. I have to praise the role Brunei has always played not only bilateral between your country and UNHRC, but also within ASEAN. So we really appreciate and thank for your support. So now I think I will give the floor, I think, because everybody's coming in out, so we don't know if he's the right person. We I pass the floor to His Excellency, Mr. Felix Plascencia Gonzalez, Minister of People Power for Foreign Affairs and International Trade of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Mr. President.

I deliver this on behalf of the Vice Minister of Venezuela.

Foreign Minister had to step out, but we'll do it.

Mr. President, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is participating in this meeting to reaffirm its commitment to a culture of peace grounded on the principles of the UN Charter and built through dialogue, mutual respect, and recognition of our diversity. In times of growing polarization, intolerance, and mistrust, the Alliance of Civilizations bears a particularly important responsibility.

To help us build bridges where differences exist, and to rebuild trust where divisions threaten our very coexistence.

We therefore celebrate its two decades of work and believe that we must move towards an alliance that is increasingly action-oriented, strengthening education for peace, empowering young people and women as agents of dialogue, promoting intercultural and interreligious exchange, and responsibly using new technologies to bring our societies closer together, never apart. The recent Luanda Declaration reminded us of a fundamental truth: Peace cannot be taken for granted. It requires dialogue, mutual respect, and political will. It also requires restoring confidence in diplomacy and multilateralism. Mr. President, our country also seeks to make these principles a reality at the national level. Today, Venezuela is committed as never before to strengthening dialogue, rebuilding trust, and moving towards greater understanding amongst Venezuelans. To that end, we have promoted, among other initiatives, the program for peace and democratic coexistence, which aims to prioritize dialogue over confrontation and to recognize that the legitimate differences existing throughout Venezuelan society need not become irreconcilable divisions.

For its part, the amnesty law for democratic coexistence enacted earlier this year is a concrete.

Expression of that effort and of our commitment to contributing to social peace, democratic coexistence, pluralism, and national reconciliation. We do not in any way intend to ignore our differences. On the contrary, we aspire to demonstrate that it is possible to address them within the framework provided by our national constitution. That it is possible to rebuild trust and find spaces where we can once again recognize one another as part of the same society. Mr. President, that same conviction guides our actions on the international stage. Coexisting among nations requires dialogue and respect, but it also requires overcoming practices of coercion, exclusion, and intolerance that cause pain and suffering, deepen divisions, and erode the trust necessary for ensuring an efficient cooperation among nations.

The tragic events that struck Venezuela on June 24 also taught us a powerful lesson.

In the face of adversity, we received solidarity from governments, international organizations, and peoples from different regions, cultures, and traditions.

The differences did not disappear, but neither did they prevent us from coming together around what we share, our humanity.

That experience reaffirms our conviction that diversity need not divide us. It can become a source of connection, learning, and cooperation. For this reason, Venezuela today renews its commitment to dialogue, cooperation, and consensus building. I thank you, Mr. President.

To the representative of Venezuela, we really encourage Venezuela authorities to continue this path of dialogue, reconciliation, and for gratitude for the support always to the alliance of civilization. So now I give the floor to His Excellency, Mr. Dzhakhan Askimbayev, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan. You have the floor.

Chair, Excellencies, distinguished colleagues, it's a privilege to address this high-level meeting of the Group of Friends of the UN Alliance of Civilizations. Kazakhstan commends the 160-member Group of Friends and personally UN Under-Secretary-General, the High Representative, His Excellency Miguel Angel Martinez and his team for their leadership. We welcome the progress achieved under the UN AOC Plan of Action for 2024-2026 and look forward to shaping its future priorities. As President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan underscored, in times of global uncertainty, bridges of rapprochement between cultures and civilizations are needed more than ever. This conviction guides Kazakhstan's domestic and foreign policies. Located at the crossroads of East and West, Kazakhstan places national unity, social cohesion, and interfaith harmony at the core of its state policies. The new constitution provides a framework rooted in our enduring values, unity, social concord, mutual respect, and shared responsibility, while newly established People's Council reinforces civic cohesion and inclusive governance. This domestic commitment anchors Kazakhstan's global efforts on advancing intercultural dialogue. Since 2003, the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions convened in Astana, has served as a prominent platform for dialogue, peace-building, and cooperation among religious communities. Last year, the eighth Congress brought together more than 100 spiritual leaders and delegates from 60 countries and adopted the Astana Peace Declaration. On its sidelines, Kazakhstan and the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations co-organized a special session on safeguarding religious sites. We are also honored to award Honorable High Representative Miguel Angel Martines with the Astana International Prize for contribution to interfaith dialogue. The Congress continues to broaden its international outreach. The newly launched International Online Center for Spiritual Knowledge provides digital research and interfaith resources for youth and scholars globally. Three strategic documents will be presented at the upcoming 24th session of the Secretariat of the Congress this October. First, a document on climate responsibility will highlight environmental stewardship as a shared moral imperative for all religions. Second, ethical quadrails for artificial intelligence will emphasize that technological progress must remain anchored in human dignity, freedom, safety, and responsibility. Third, the Charter on the Rights of the Terminally Ill Child, a joint humanitarian initiative with the Holy See, will promote spiritual, palliative, and psychological support for children and their families. As we advance these human-centered priorities, Kazakhstan looks forward to the continued support of the UN Alliance of Civilizations to the work of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. Distinguished colleagues, addressing today's crisis requires sustained political will and meaningful cooperation among governments, religious institutions, civil society, academia, and youth. We must stand united against xenophobia, religious intolerance, anti-Muslim hatred, and all forms of discrimination, and translate dialogue into practical tools for conflict prevention and peace building. Kazakhstan remains committed to deepening its partnership with UN Alliance of Civilizations and the Group of Friends in advancing unity in diversity, mutual respect, and lasting peace. Thank you for your attention.

Thank you very much to His Excellency Mr. Dzhakshyn Akhybayev, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Let me commend the role of Kazakhstan to support the Alliance work and to commend the strong conclusion of the Astana-Kazakhstan Summit last year of traditional religious leader and the Astana Peace Declaration. I can assure you that it's very difficult in this turbulent time to have all religious leader from Moscow to Israel, from Armenia, from Kazakhstan, from Azerbaijan, everybody was there, and I have really to commend that. And of course, the session we have about protecting religious sites to safeguard religious sites. I think it was a very important meeting. So, thank you very much. Convey to President Tokayev my profound regards and recognition. Thank you very much. So, now I give the floor to His Excellency, Ms. Susana Isabel Xavier, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the Portuguese Republic. You have the floor.

Distinguished High Representative Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, allow me to express Portugal's appreciation to the leadership for once again convening this gathering. We reiterate our full support for the UN Alliance of Civilizations and its continuous efforts to foster dialogue, mutual understanding and effective multilateral cooperation. Amid escalating geopolitical tensions and social fragmentation, Portugal considers UNAOC an indispensable partner in building inclusive, peaceful, and resilient societies. In our current global climate, marked by conflict, polarization, and rampant disinformation, practicing intercultural and interfaith dialogue is an imperative. Countering hate speech and empowering youth through education and civic participation must remain top priorities. Let me be clear, there can be no sustainable peace without genuine dialogue and social inclusion. In this regard, Portugal is proud to host in Lisbon both the International Dialogue Center, CAIS, and the global seat of the Ismaili Imamat a tangible testament to our practical commitment to international bridge building. We also take great pride in our long-standing partnership with UNAOC, demonstrated by our hosting of the 10th UNAOC Global Forum in Cascais. Moreover, during the 11th Global Forum in Riyadh, Portugal actively reaffirmed these principles by, first, highlighting multilateralism and interfaith dialogue as vital instruments for conflict prevention and mediation. Second, reasserting our commitment to human rights, gender equality, and social inclusion across international fora. And third, addressing critical geopolitical challenges, particularly regarding the situations in the Middle East and Ukraine. Furthermore, at a high-level gathering in Luanda last July, His Excellency the President of the Portuguese Republic, Antonio Jose Seguro, underscored the imperative of international mediation and called for a strengthened multilateral framework, urging all states to strictly uphold international law and pursue peaceful conflict resolution. Today, on behalf of the Government of Portugal, I reaffirm: Portugal remains steadfast in its commitment to the UN Alliance of Civilizations and its founding vision. I thank you.

Your Excellency, Ms. Ana Isabel Zabea, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation for the Republic. Thank you very much for your intervention, your presence here today with us. Thank you, Portugal, and the leadership. We never forget how you organized the Cascais Global Forum. It was a great success that lead the way for what later on in Riyadh was consolidated. And we really appreciate the message that your president sent in Luanda to support the initiative, a call for peace and the war and respect of international law. And I know that you are very active. You have two very important centers, KIC, the Imamat, and you know, and MINIA, that are working with this sense of defending principles and values of respect and mutual acceptance. So thank you very much to you and to your government for defending the values and principles of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations. Now I give the floor to the Excellency Mr. Dzhokhar Dzhokharov. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan. You have the floor.

Thank you, Your Excellency, Mr. High Representative, Excellencies, esteemed colleagues, ladies and gentlemen. I'm privileged to address you at this year's UNO Group of Friends High-Level Meeting. As a country with a centuries-long tradition of diversity and multiculturalism, Azerbaijan attaches particular attention to fostering a culture.

Of peace.

And promoting intercultural and interreligious dialogue at both national and international levels. To this end, Azerbaijan engaged closely with United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and takes regular initiative to bring together political, cultural, and religious leaders from our region and around the world to advance interfaith dialogue. Since 2008, we have pioneered the Baku Process, an initiative that has since developed into a practical global platform for open, respectful exchange among people of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. A central element of the Baku Process is a world forum on intercultural dialogue, which has become a recognized gathering for advancing cooperation and trust. We highly value the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations as one of our key international.

Partners within the Baku Process framework. Furthermore, Azerbaijan has officially confirmed its intention and would be honored

to host the 13th Global Forum of the UN Alliance of Civilizations in 2027.

This will provide another unique opportunity to strengthen dialogue, promote mutual understanding, and reinforce multilateral cooperation.

We recall the successful organization of the 7th Global Forum in Baku in.

2016 and are confident that 2027 Forum will once again make a meaningful contribution to the Alliance's work. Additionally, Baku will host the 7th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue from 27 to 29 October 2026 under the theme.

"Dialogue for a Shared Future: Building Bridges in a Fractured World." As we mark the 15th anniversary of the Forum.

We look forward to welcoming leaders, policymakers, scholars, and civil society representatives to Baku. Excellencies, our efforts to restore trust, multilateralism must be accompanied by genuine respect for cultural diversity and a deeper understanding of different societies and traditions. I would like to reaffirm Azerbaijan's unwavering commitment to promoting intercultural dialogue and cooperation with you now. Together through understanding, respect, and collaboration, we can build a more peaceful and inclusive world for current and future generations.

I thank you. To His Excellency Mr. Yalcin Rafiyev, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, and thank you for your intervention and for the role Azerbaijan has been planned to support the alliance of civilization. And we are ready for your World Forum of Intercultural Dialogue. We are working together. I'm sure it's going to be an outstanding moment. And going back to Baku is always a pleasure. So we will continue to work together in the next weeks and months. Thank you very much. Now I give the floor to His Excellency, Mr. Robert Mr. Vissamov Monian, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Trade of the Republic of Armenia. You have the floor.

Thank you very much. Excellencies, distinguished colleagues, ladies and gentlemen. First, I would like to thank you, Mr. Moratinos, for convening this meeting of the Group of Friends and for providing an opportunity to reflect on the achievements of the UN Alliance of Civilizations. and on our shared responsibility to advance dialogue and mutual understanding. Armenia remains firmly committed to promoting a culture of peace and nonviolence, grounded in dialogue, respect for diversity, tolerance, and the peaceful resolution of disputes. The historic developments of 8 August 2025 in Washington opened new prospects for the South Caucasus. Armenia is committed to build on the peace achieved through concrete cooperation. We believe that lasting peace should translate into greater regional connectivity, economic opportunities, and people-to-people contacts, creating tangible benefits for all peoples in our region. Excellencies, education is an essential pillar of sustainable peace. Armenia firmly believes that education plays a transformative role in addressing root causes of conflict, fostering mutual understanding, strengthening social cohesion, and preventing hatred, discrimination, and violence. In this spirit, on 4 June this year, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted the Education for Peace Resolution, initiated by Armenia with broad cross-regional support. Cosponsored by around 100 UN member states, this resolution reaffirms the essential role of education in building peaceful and inclusive societies and in fostering a culture of peace and nonviolence. We also attach particular importance to ensuring the right to education and the protection of cultural rights in emergencies. The government of Armenia continues its efforts to address the needs of Armenian refugees, including by ensuring their access to education and supporting the preservation of their language, traditions, cultural expression, and intangible cultural heritage. The protection of cultural heritage is another area where the principles of the Alliance of Civilizations are of particular relevance. Armenia advocates for the effective implementation of international legal instruments for the protection of cultural heritage, including the 1954 Hague Convention and its 1999 Second Protocol. We also believe that new and emerging technologies can significantly strengthen efforts to document, monitor, and protect cultural heritage. Reflecting this conviction, Armenia initiated the adoption by consensus of the resolution entitled Enhancing the Protection and Restoration of Cultural Heritage through the Use of New and Emerging Technologies at the meeting of the high contracting parties to the 1954 Hague Convention in December 2025. I'm also pleased to highlight that in May this year, Armenia joined the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Areas, our membership further strengthens Armenia's contribution to international efforts aimed at safeguarding cultural heritage affected by conflict and supporting practical preservation and restoration initiatives. In conclusion, I wish to reaffirm my country's steadfast commitment to further contribute to the work of the UN Alliance of Civilizations and strengthen its role as a platform for advancing dialogue, mutual respect, tolerance, and cooperation among cultures and religions. I thank you.

Thank you very much, His Excellency Mr. Robert Abisogomonyan, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of the Republic of Armenia. Thank you for your intervention. Thank you for your -- to being here with us. And you know that the UNHCR has been working very closely with your government, with your country. particularly on the protection of cultural heritage, we'll continue to try to help everybody in order that that issue should be going in the line of peace and reconciliation that you are defending. So thank you very much, and thank you for your presence here today. Now I give the floor to the Excellency, Mrs. Ana Giansi Rodriguez Camejo, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba.

Excellencies, we thank the High Representative Miguel Angel Moratinos for convening this event of the Group of Friends of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations. The current unjust international order deepens inequality and exclusion, under practices that are discriminatory in their very essence. Supremacist ideas, hate speech, xenophobia, and Islamophobia are on the rise, particularly in developed world. In Latin America and the Caribbean, declared as a zone of peace, the United States continues to threaten the sovereignty of the countries of our region, seeking once again to impose the infamous Monroe Doctrine, now with new imperialist corollaries. In the face of this reality, the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations must continue promoting intercultural dialogue, tolerance, respect for international law, understanding and peaceful coexistence among peoples, international cooperation, and peace. Excellencies, Cuba remains committed to building a just, inclusive, prosperous, and sustainable society. We will continue to do so despite the United States blockade, which is the main obstacle to the country's economic and social development and a flagrant violation of the human rights of our people. The United States blockade has been reinforced to unprecedented levels with the imposition of an energy blockade that is inflicting collective punishment with an undeniable humanitarian impact. This is a policy designed to cause the greatest possible harm to our people and economy, with the declared purpose of provoking a social uprising and regime change. However, nothing, nothing will bring our people to their knees. In close unity, we will continue advancing along the path we have freely chosen, prepared for both for dialogue and peaceful coexisting with the United States, despite our profound difference, but if necessary, to defend every inch of our sacred soil to the very end. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much to his representative of, which is Ana Jessy Rodriguez Canedo, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. of the Republic of Cuba. Thank you for your intervention, your presence here, the support Cuba has always given to the United Nations Office of the Secretary-General. You can be assured that the United Nations Office of the Secretary-General will be in full solidarity with the people of Cuba and the Cuban authorities. We will continue to work together to support you in these difficult times. So, thank you very much. We will now go and give the floor to Her Excellency, Mr. Jonathan Ferdinand Miamon, Undersecretary General, Vice Minister, Office of the Presidential Advisor of Peace, Reconciliation and Unity of the Republic of Philippines. You have the floor.

Excellencies, colleagues, good afternoon. The Philippines congratulates the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and the Group of Friends for your outstanding work in sustaining this relevant platform for dialogue, understanding, and cooperation among diverse cultures, faiths, and communities. Since 2006, the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations has advanced action across five priority areas, which include education, youth, migration, media, and women as peace mediators. For the Philippines, these principles are deeply rooted in our peace story. Our country's peace processes have taught us that sustainable peace must be built on the foundation of dialogue, inclusion, and mutual respect. In particular, our experience in the Bangsamoro demonstrates the importance of understanding differences through sustained engagement among communities of diverse identities, cultures, and religious belief. The strength of our nation does not only come from our people's unity, but also in our diversity. The Bangsamoro peace process has shown us that interreligious and intercultural dialogues are crucial in building trust, address historical grievances, and create conducive atmosphere that will empower communities to shape their own future. This conversation reinforced the importance of inclusive institution that recognize diversity as an essential component of peace. As the United Nation advances the UN80 initiative, we also see an opportunity to strengthen not only the efficiency of the multilateral system, but also its capacity to deliver more coherent and meaningful support to national peacebuilding priorities. This initiative emphasizes greater coherence, reduced fragmentation, and stronger impact for the people and the UN serves. As such, the Philippines reaffirms its commitment to continue working with the UNAOC and its partners to advance dialogue across cultures, faiths, and generations. We believe that by bringing diverse voices to the table, fostering dialogue across cultures and faiths, and investing in the next generation of peacebuilders, we can build societies where diversity becomes a source of strength rather than division. Let us continue to build bridges where there are divisions, strengthen inclusion where there is exclusion, and create spaces where diversity becomes a foundation for peace. I thank you.

Thank you very much, His Excellency. Jonathan Ferdinand Miano, the Secretary General, Peace Minister of the President's Advisor of Republic of Philippine for your intervention. And again, I have to commend the very positive role Philippine has been always supporting politically, diplomatically, the role of the United Nation, allies of civilization. Now, I have the honor to give the floor to Her Excellency, Mr. Namin Munir, Ambassador Special Secretary, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan.

Thank you, Co-Chairs, USG Moratinos. A very good afternoon to everyone.

I am.

Honored to attend today's high-level ministerial meeting of the Group of Friends of the United Nations Alliance for Civilizations. I wish to thank High Representative Moratinos for presenting an expose of activities undertaken by the UN OIC. Excellencies, human progress has been made possible by fostering a spirit of dialogue between communities and cultures. Dialogue demolishes artificial barriers and establishes bridges of trust and understanding. No wonder times of human progress and prosperity were, in fact, times of dialogue and international cooperation. our civilization finds itself today at a point of inflection. Regressive trends of the past like xenophobia, racism, and intolerance have been resurrected with a renewed intensity. These disturbing signs could impair global peace and stability and impede humanity's progress and development. Islamophobia is a bellwether for this abominable trend. It is a modern-day predatory evil, threatening Muslim lives, values, and culture. In some countries, Islamophobia is enjoying state patronage, manifested by the public lynching of Muslims and systematic discrimination and destruction of historic mosques and shrines. international community needs to contain Islamophobia, lest it drags Muslim populations to the brink of tragedy. Excellencies, UN AOC is making a commendable effort aimed at fostering a spirit of dialogue between world civilizations. We appreciate that the High Representative Moratinos has engaged with a wide range of stakeholders to amplify these endeavors as envisaged in the success of the 11th UN AOC Global Forum held in Riyadh last year. As a member of the UN AOC Group of Friends, Pakistan will continue to endorse the Alliance's initiatives and support USG Moratinos' leadership. Excellencies, As an heir to the ancient civilization of the Indus Valley and the Muslim civilization of South Asia, Pakistan is fashioned by the ethos of pluralism, inclusivity, and multiculturalism. We have made a sustained effort to preserve our Hindu, Christian, Sikh, and Buddhist heritage. On 20th of May 2026, the UN General Assembly adopted the resolution on promotion of interreligious and intercultural dialogue, understanding and cooperation for peace, jointly proposed by Pakistan and the Philippines. The consensual adoption of this resolution signals international community's reaffirmation of peaceful coexistence between different civilizations. Excellencies, history is the most abundant source, resource of to shape the future. Regardless of the enormity of global challenges raging around us, we draw inspiration from earlier successes in rescuing our world from xenophobia, intolerance, and hatred. Our past achievements can guide our future endeavors for a harmonious coexistence between diverse cultures, civilizations, and faiths. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Your Excellency, Ambassador Munir, Special Secretary, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan. Thank you for your kind words to my personality and the work of the UNHCR. I have to thank you back to Pakistan, your leadership and your government for the way you are supporting the work of Alliance of Civilizations and particularly the work of the UN envoy to combat Islamophobia. We are working together in order we can achieve a very positive UN plan to combat Islamophobia. So thank you for being with us today. Now I give the floor to His Excellency, Mr. Hatem al-Hattam, Chief of International Organization, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain. You have the floor.

Thank you, Excellency. Mr. Miguel Margaritones, High Representative of the UNOEC and UN Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia. Excellency Mr. Rubio, Excellency Mr. Gormoglu. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to thank the High Representative, Spain and Turkey for their continued leadership and commitment to advancing dialogue, mutual understanding, and peaceful coexistence. At a time of persistent conflicts, growing polarization, and rising intolerance, the role of UNHRC is more relevant than ever. Dialogue must not be viewed merely as a response after divisions emerge. It should be an integral part of preventive diplomacy, helping to build trust, address tensions at an early stage, and contribute to lasting peace. Excellency, the Kingdom of Bahrain therefore welcomes the Alliance's new initiative on preventive diplomacy and supports further strengthening its coordination with member states and other United Nations entities, while engaging religious and community leaders, young people, educators, and civil society. Such an approach can also contribute to the objectives of UNAT by promoting greater coherence, effectiveness, and tangible impact across the United Nations systems. Under the vision of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of the Kingdom of Bahrain, Bahrain has pursued a practical approach founded on dialogue, peaceful coexistence, and respect for freedom of religion and belief. This is reflected in the Kingdom of Bahrain Declaration, the King Hamad Global Center for Coexistence and Tolerance, the King Hamad Award for Coexistence and Tolerance, and Bahrain's initiative establishing The 28th of January is International Day of Peaceful Coexistence. His Majesty has also called for an international convention to criminalize religious, sectarian, and racial hate speech and prevent the misuse of media and digital platforms to incite extremism, terrorism, and intolerance. These principles are particularly important in times of conflict. The continued suffering of the Palestinian people, particularly in Gaza, underscores the need to protect human dignity, reject hatred and dehumanization, ensure humanitarian assistance, and respect Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem. Bahrain reiterates its support for a just and lasting peace based on a two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the lines of 4 June 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital. In conclusion, looking beyond 2026, Bahrain encourages UNHRC to continue strengthening preventative diplomacy, addressing hate speech and disinformation in the digital sphere, investing in education and youth, and confronting all forms of religious hatred and intolerance in a balanced and principled manner. The Kingdom of Bahrain will continue to support the UNHRC and the work with its group of friends to advance dialogues as a practical instrument for prevention, peace, and human dignity. Thank you, Excellency.

Thank you very much, Your Excellency, Mr. Hatem, Chief of International Organization, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kingdom of Bahrain, for your support and your permanent encouragement to the work and activity of UNHRC, and I have to take the opportunity to commend the work that Bahrain is doing in the Security Council in a difficult time. And even it's very much that you are here in our group of friends. So thank you very much. I really appreciate it. So now I give the floor to the organization, His Excellency, Mr. Mehmed Pasaci. Ambassador, Special Envoy, Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation on Combating Islamophobia. Mr. Patasi, you have the floor.

Thank you, Excellency. Excellencies, distinguished representatives, ladies and gentlemen, allow me.

First to express my appreciation to the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, to its High Representative, Miguel Angel Moratinos, and His Excellency Mr. Diego Martinez-Bello, and His Excellency Mr. Levent Gumructu, and all the more than 160 members of the Group of Friends for convening this important meeting. It's a particular pleasure for me to participate on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and to reaffirm the OIC's strong support for the work of UN-AOC. The relationship between the OIC and UN-AOC is based on a shared understanding that dialogue among civilizations, cultures and religions is not simply desirable, it is essential to building peaceful, cohesive and resilient societies. For many years, our two institutions have worked within this common vision. We therefore greatly value UN Alliance of Civilizations' contribution to promoting mutual understanding, intercultural dialogue, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence. The OIC and UN Alliance of Civilizations have maintained a long-standing cooperation framework and have repeatedly expressed their readiness to strengthen it through practical initiatives. Excellencies, this cooperation has particular importance today in the context of the continuing rise of Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hatred. Islamophobia cannot be addressed only after discrimination, incitement, or violence has already occurred. It must also be addressed at the level of where perceptions, stereotypes and narratives are formed. This is precisely where the contribution of the UN Alliance of Civilizations is particularly important. Through its work on intercultural and interfaith dialogue, UN Alliance of Civilizations helps create Spaces in which communities can encounter one another, not through stereotypes, political polarization, or fear, but through direct dialogue, mutual understanding, and human connection. This is an essential dimension of preventing Islamophobia. Too often, Muslims and Islam are discussed without Muslims being part of the conversation. Too often, differences are presented as threats rather than as opportunities for understanding. And increasingly, digital platforms can amplify stereotypes and misinformation on a scale that traditional dialogue mechanisms cannot easily match. In this environment, initiatives that build trust between communities are more important than ever. The OIC strongly believes that dialogue is not a substitute for human rights, but it is an important complement for them. We need both effective protection against discrimination and violence and sustained engagement that addresses the prejudices and misconceptions that allow such discrimination to develop. Excellencies, the OIC therefore highly values UN Alliance of Civilizations work in bringing together governments, religious leaders, civil society, young people and other stakeholders. Excellencies, I am particularly encouraged that our cooperation is receiving renewed attention at the highest level. The meeting here held here in New York on 20 September between His Excellency, the Secretary General of the OIC, Mr. Ismail Wold Sheikh Ahmed, and His Excellency Miguel Angel Moratinos, reaffirmed the importance of strengthening cooperation between the OIC and UN Alliance of Civilizations in combating Islamophobia, hate speech and discrimination, including through joint initiatives on tolerance, coexistence and intercultural dialogue. As the OIC Secretary-General's Special Envoy on Combating Islamophobia, I stand ready to work closely with UN Alliance of Civilizations and with the relevant partners represented here to translate this shared commitment into concrete programs and practical outcomes. The OIC remains firmly committed to this objective. We look forward to strengthening our partnership with UN Alliance of Civilizations and to working together to promote a world in which diversity is respected, freedom of religion or belief is protected, dialogue prevails over prejudice, and every individual can live with dignity and equal rights. I thank you.

Thank you very much, Your Excellency, Mr. Mehdi Pakzad, Ambassador Special Envoy to the Secretary-General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference on Combating Islamophobia. Thank you for being here with us. I can confirm and reaffirm our commitment to work together. We are already doing so. We have been changing, you know, our common goals in order to combat Islamophobia, and we are very ready to increase our cooperation, our partnership in the near future. So now I give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Djoudou Meddouchi, Chief of Staff of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Cooperation, of Burkina Faso abroad. You have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. President, Your Excellency, Mr. Deputy Secretary General and High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, ladies and gentlemen. I extend the sincere congratulations of my delegation to His Excellency, Mr. Miguel Angel Maratinos, for his vision and commitment to keeping alive the tradition of this high-level meeting of a group of friends, the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations. Burkina Faso, convinced that the plurality of religions and culture constitute a wealth for humanity, is proud to belong to this group of friends that works to create a bridge between our diversity. Yet, while technological progress should promote better mutual understanding, we are witnessing a rise in polarization, radicalization, and speech and violence based on political, religious, and cultural affiliation. In our multicultural society, terrorist groups exploit these affiliations to divide communities, weaken social cohesion and spread terror. The peaceful neighbor of yesterday, the sister communities of yesterday, becomes a threat and target to be eliminated for survival. This reality teach us the urgency of building bridge between culture and faith and strengthening mutual understanding. Burkina Faso remain convinced that preventing division through dialogue and education is more effective than rebuilding trust between communities after crisis. It is in this spirit that our country, within the framework of the progress and popular revolution, worked to promote a nation united around universal value or tolerance, solidarity, and patriotism. The initiative of Comrade Captain Ibrahim Traore, President of Faso, Head of State in favor of youth, notably with Faso Mebo summer camp and with patriotic immersion for high school graduate are part of this dynamic. We commend the work of United Nation Alliance of Civilization in favor of intercultural and interreligious dialogue, which align with stabilization, social cohesion, and peaceful building axis of the Alliance 2026-2030 Strategic National Development Plan. In this context, We call for increased effort to combat hate speech and intolerance, protect religious and cultural sites, empower youth and women, prevent conflict and consolidate peace of a local level. Burkina Faso reaffirms its support of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and its determination to contribute together with all of its partners to a world free from hate and intolerance, terrorism and violent extremism. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Your Excellency, Mr. Yodom Desires Sogore, Chief of Staff of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Cooperation of Burkina Faso. Thank you for your intervention. Thank you for the report to us, the whole situation. You know, we've been trying to establish a concrete collaboration between your country and the Alliance of Civilizations, mainly under the plan of protecting religious sites, because you know that your country has suffered a lot of how religious sites have been targeted. And so we are ready to continue to work to find a concrete action in order to support your policy and your engagement to peace. So thank you, thank you very much. Now I give the floor to the Excellency Sultan Raev, Secretary General of International Organization of the Turkic Culture. Mr. Sultan Raev, you have the floor.

Excellencies, distinguished guests, dear friends, it is a great honor for me to be here today and to represent the international organization of Turkic culture, TURKSOY. I am here not only the Secretary General of TURKSOY, but also the writer. Literature has taught me one important truth. People may speak different languages and belong to different cultures, but we all understand the same values, life, dignity, compassion, memory, and peace. Today, our old faces, old conflicts, forced migration, and grown mistrust. Every war destroys not only human lives, but also cities, sacred places, cultures, heritage, and the memory of generations. The tradition in Palestine remains as against protecting human dignity and the cultures heritage is a responsibility for all humanity. I strongly believe that culture is not only about the past. Culture is also a tool for peace, before mediation and understanding. Before negotiation, we need trust. Before peace between states, we need respect between people. This is why the work of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations is so important. UNAC creates dialogue where there is division. It brings cultures together where there is mistrust. It helps us remember that diversity should not separate humanity. Dear participants, recently the sixth World Nomad Games brought together representatives from around 120 countries. These games showed that culture and tradition can become a language of peace, friendship, and mutual understanding. The nomadic tradition also teaches us to live in harmony with nature and to protect the balance between people and the world around us. For me, these 30 years to protect and promote the cultural heritage of the Turkic world. But our message is universal. We are ready to work more closely, use UNESCO through culture, use literature, art, and the cultural heritage. Together, we can build trust before conflict begins. I would like to thank High Representative Mr. Miguel Angel Martinez for his leadership and for bringing us together. Dear friends, there are many cultures, news, old, but so but there is only one humanity. Let culture build bridges where others build walls. Let culture bring trust where there is fear. And let us build a future based on peace, respect, and dialogue. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Your Excellency, Mr. Sultan Raev, Secretary General of International Organization, or Turkcell for being with us to have this contribution. You know that we have been consulting and working together with Turkcell, and we hope that this year, next year, we will reinforce our ties and concrete action on the ground. So thank you very much. Now I give the floor to Honorable Pedro Roque, President, Parliamentarian Assembly of the Mediterranean, Vice President, and President of Parliamentarian Assembly of the Mediterranean, third the Standing Committee on Human Rights and Dialogue among Civilizations. You have the floor.

Now, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, dear friends, Your Excellency, the High Representative, Miguel Angel Moratinos, Speaking for the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean, PAM, thank you for organizing this high-level meeting on UN-AOCS Group of Friends and for your ongoing leadership.

One year ago.

In this very room, we marked the 20th anniversary of the Alliance, and PAM reaffirmed its dedication to its principles. I am happy to share that this pledge has since turned into practical results. With the objective to unite youth associations into a unified platform for cross-generational exchange, the PAM Youth Initiative now actively connects lawmakers and young leaders through the Euro-Mediterranean and Gulf areas. Its inaugural session will take place in early 2027, creating a key milestone to build collaboration across this expanding network. Also, last January 2026, Abu Dhabi hosted the successful second session of the PAM Women Parliamentary Forum, which strengthened gender equality and women's active involvement in governance, particularly within intercultural and inter-religious dialogue. PAM's communication campaign against disinformation and hate speech keeps tracking and commenting toxic rhetoric and false narratives that are frequently magnified by emerging technologies and AI. Concurrently, our campaign against human trafficking and migrant smuggling continues to champion safe and regular migration channels through the Mediterranean. Furthermore, yesterday at the UN Headquarters, PAM hosted a focused event addressing how to combat online terrorist messaging, with an emphasis on preventing the radicalization and recruitment of youths and women. And looking ahead, PAM is fully prepared to assist UN AOC in designing its upcoming phase of work, drawing strength for the 2024-2026 Action Plan and the timeless vision of many cultures, one humanity. Parliamentary diplomacy is an essential for translating this vision into concrete policies, and PAM remains a steadfast partner to the Alliance in that mission. I thank you all for your attention.

Thank you very much, Honorable Pedro Roque, PanAm Vice President, and thank you for being with us. Yes, you were one year ago with us, and you have been always working together. I think we welcome your offer to work together to define the next plan of action of United Nations Office for Civil Aviation. because you represent the Mediterranean. The Mediterranean is the real platform of the multicultural and the multi-civilizational, you know, realities happen. So the inspiration coming from the Mediterranean will be always much welcome. So now I give the floor to the Excellency Dr. Istvan Lakatos, Deputy State Secretary for International Cooperation of Hungary. You have the floor.

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, dear colleagues, first of all, I would like to thank the co-chairs, Spain and Turkey, for convening this high-level meeting. At a time when our world is increasingly divided by geopolitical tensions, ideological polarization, and mistrust, dialogue is not a sign of weakness. It is an instrument of peace. This is precisely why the work of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations matters today. We are witnessing a renewed fragmentation of the international community into competing blocks. If we allow political disagreements to become cultural or religious divisions, we risk losing something even more fundamental than diplomatic cooperation, our ability to listen to one another. Multilateral institutions must therefore remain places where dialogue is possible even, and perhaps especially, when agreement is not. Hungary strongly supports this approach. We believe that sustainable peace cannot be built by eliminating our differences. It must be built by learning how to live with them, respecting different religious and cultural traditions, and maintaining channels of communication across political, cultural, and religious divides. In this context, freedom of religion or belief deserves particular attention. Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights reminds us that everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. But religious freedom is not exercised only behind closed doors. It has an individual as well as a community dimension. Protecting individuals, therefore, also means protecting their ability to practice their faith together with others, to maintain religious communities and institutions, and to express their beliefs peacefully in public as well as in private. This is particularly important at a time when antisemitism, anti-Christian hatred, anti-Muslim hatred, and other forms of religious intolerance continue to affect communities around the world. Our response must not be to push religion out of the public sphere. Rather, we should create societies in which different convictions can coexist peacefully and contribute to the common good. The Alliance of Civilizations has a unique role in this endeavor, building bridges where others see division and keeping dialogue alive where political circumstances make it increasingly difficult. Hungary remains committed to this mission because ultimately, dialogue among civilizations is not an abstract diplomatic exercise. It's one of the foundations upon which peace can be built. Thank you very much.

Very much. Your Excellency, Dr. Ivtan Lakatos, Deputy State Secretary for International Cooperation of Hungary, for the intervention. I fully agree about freedom of religion. and also very much engage the role of Hungary working together with the lands of civilization. That is very good that the new government of Hungary is maintaining this commitment to work together, and I welcome you for the very important speech. Now I give the floor to Her Excellency Mr. Repa Hadiev, Permanent Representative of Turkmenistan to the United Nations and head of delegation to the United Nations General Assembly 81.

Thank you.

Excellencies, distinguished colleagues, I would like to thank Under-Secretary-General Mr. Miguel Angel Moratinos for convening this meeting and for his dedicated leadership of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations. Turkmenistan highly values UNAOC as an important platform for promoting dialogue mutual respect and understanding among peoples, cultures and religions. In light of the new UNAOC initiative on preventive diplomacy presented by the High Representative, I would like to focus my remarks today on this important area. We believe that preventive diplomacy, dialogue among civilizations and respect for international law are closely interconnected and mutually reinforcing. First, for Turkmenistan, preventive diplomacy is closely linked to our policy of permanent neutrality. Just two days ago, on 23rd of September, at the meeting of the People's Council of Turkmenistan, a new national concept, international law and neutrality of Turkmenistan, was approved. The concept is aimed at strengthening the international legal foundations of our foreign policy and unlocking the practical potential of neutrality. in the interest of peace, security, and sustainable development. Second, Turkmenistan has practical experience in supporting preventive diplomacy. Since 2007, Ashgabat has hosted the United Nations Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, which has become an important platform for dialogue, confidence building, and peaceful solutions to regional challenges. Third, we see international law as an essential foundation for effective prevention. In this context, we attach particular importance to the United Nations General Assembly resolution initiated by Turkmenistan, proclaiming 2028 as the Year of International Law. We believe that the year provides a valuable opportunity for UN, AOC, member states, and other partners to promote international law, particularly among young people, while strengthening a culture of dialogue, mutual understanding, and peaceful settlement of differences. Turkmenistan stands ready to work closely with UNAOC and its partners on practical initiatives, bringing together preventive diplomacy, neutrality, international law, and intercultural dialogue. I thank you.

Thank you very much, Your Excellency, Mr. Repa Hajiyev, Permanent Representative of Turkmenistan. the United Nations, head of delegation, UNGA 81. Thank you for being with us, for your intervention. You know, we've been working together for this very important concept your country and your leadership is defending, neutrality, and we will continue to be ready to advance in your proposal and your initiative. So thank you, thank you very much. Now I give the floor to Mr. Sheikh Al-Fali, Director of International Organization Department of the State of Qatar. You have the floor.

Thank you. Mr. High Representative, Excellencies, first of all, I would like to thank His Excellency, Mr. Miguel Martinez, for convening this high-level meeting. The State of Qatar remains a strong supporter of the alliance and its important work in promoting dialogue, mutual respect, and understanding. We meet at a difficult time. Conflicts are multiplying, divisions are deepening, and we continue to witness an alarming rise in hate speech, racism, Islamophobia, and other forms of intolerance. These challenges remain us, while multilateralism and international cooperation remain indispensable. No country can address them alone. In this regard, the State of Qatar reaffirms its strong support for the landmark General Assembly Resolution 76/254, which proclaimed 15 of March as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia and which we proudly co-sponsored. Its adoption sent a clear message of our collective determination to combat Islamophobia, intolerance, and discrimination, whether they occur wherever they occur. We also welcome the convening by the Secretary General for the Global Conference on Promoting Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue and Tolerance and Countering Hate Speech, organized by the Kingdom of Morocco, the United Nations Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect, and the UNAOC, and held here in the United Nations last week. These initiatives are important expressions of our collective determination to combat intolerance and hatred, while strengthening dialogue, mutual respect, and peaceful coexistence. Excellencies, this also requires greater multilateral action in the digital space. Artificial intelligence and new technologies offer enormous opportunities. but they can also be exploited to amplify hate speech, disinformation, and harmful stereotypes at an unprecedented speed and scale. We must work together to address these risks and ensure that technology serves to bring people together rather than deepen divisions. From the perspective of international cooperation and development, I would also emphasize that dialogue and sustainable development cannot be separated. Peace and stability have social and economic foundations. Investing in education, health, livelihoods, and opportunities, particularly for young people, is also an investment in more peaceful and resilient societies. In the State of Qatar, these priorities are reflected in our national plan for the Alliance of Civilizations 2023-2027, with its focus on education, youth, media, women, and immigration. Excellencies, the State of Qatar will continue to support the Alliance and its efforts to translate dialogue into practical action. You can count on our continued support. Thank you.

I really thank Sheikh Al-Thani, Director of International Organization Department of the State of Qatar for the intervention and for the continued support of Qatar to the Alliance of Civilizations who are from the beginning there, who are from the beginning supporting politically, diplomatically, financially, and we know how much you have invested in the role and activities of the alliance. So thank you very much. And I hope we'll continue working together in the next future. So thank you very much. Now I give the floor to His Excellency, Mr. Amr El-Shelbiny, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Egypt. You have the floor.

Excellency, Mr. Miguel, and Excellencies. Allow me first to express my appreciation to the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and to the governments of Spain and Turkey as co-sponsors for convening this important meeting at a particularly critical juncture for our multilateral system. Egypt attaches great importance to the work of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and has been a longstanding member of its Group of Friends. We've used Alliance as an important platform for promoting mutual understanding, respect for diversity, and dialogue among cultures and religions, and for addressing some of the social and political drivers of polarization and conflicts. The relevance of this mandate has become even more evident today. The international community is confronted with protracted conflicts, growing polarization, rising intolerance and hate speech, and increasing attempts to portray differences of culture, religion, or identity as sources of division rather than dimensions of our shared humanity. In this environment, dialogue is not an alternative to diplomacy, it is an essential instrument of preventive diplomacy. Egypt, therefore, welcomes the efforts of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations to strengthen its role as a platform for prevention, mediation, and intercultural and interreligious dialogue. We particularly value its emphasis on engaging governments alongside religious leaders, youth, civil society, educators, and the media. Sustainable peace cannot be built exclusively through political and security instruments; it requires addressing the narratives and underlining conditions that fuel exclusion, discrimination, and radicalization. We also welcome the Alliance's effort to combat all forms of religious intolerance, racism, discrimination, and hate speech, including Islamophobia and anti-Semitism. This phenomena must be addressed through a comprehensive and non-selective approach consistent with international law and the purposes and principles of the United Charter. No religion, culture, or community should be collectively stigmatized, and no form of hatred should be treated as more deserving of attention than another. Egypt further believes that prevention must be translated into practical action. United Nations Alliance of Civilizations can make an important contribution by strengthening early warning and dialogue mechanisms, supporting mediation and reconciliation initiatives. At the same time, intellectual dialogue cannot be divorced from the broader international environment. Conflict, occupation, displacement, inequality, and the denial of legitimate rights can deepen grievances and undermine social cohesion. Egypt also welcomes the alignment of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations' future work with the objective of the United Nations' 80 Initiative. Looking ahead to 2027, Egypt encourages the Alliance to further strengthen partnerships with regional organizations, particularly those with established experience in mediation, peacebuilding, and intellectual and intercultural dialogue, and to ensure that its programs translate into tangible impact at the national and local levels. Excellencies, at a time when divisions increasingly threaten international cooperation, the message of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations remains profoundly relevant. Diversity should be a source of enrichment, not confrontation. Egypt stands ready to continue working with the alliance and all members of its group of friends to advance a culture of dialogue, mutual respect, and peaceful coexistence, and to strengthen multilateral action in support of peace and understanding. I thank you.

Thank you very much, Your Excellency. Mr. Amr al-Serbeny, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, thank you for your presence, your statement. And just this morning, you know, we signed with your Foreign Minister a very important MOU between the Alliance and the Republic of Egypt. So we are going to try to engage and implement all the elements that have been addressed in this MOU. Thank you very much. Now I give the floor to my dear friend, The Foreign Minister of Tunisia, Her Excellency, Mr. Mohamed Ali Nafti, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration, and Tourism Abroad of Republic of Tunisia. You have the floor.

Muchas gracias, Don Miguel Angel Moratinos, High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations. Muy buenas tardes. Continuar en espanol, pero no le he preparado bien. Excellencies, heads of delegations, ladies and gentlemen, it is a real pleasure for me at the outset of this meeting to reaffirm Tunisia's firm conviction that dialogue among cultures and civilization remains an essential instrument for promoting international peace and security. Tunisia believes that lasting peace cannot be achieved through political and security arrangements alone, but requires addressing the roots of mistrust, exclusion, and inequality, while fostering a general culture of dialogue, mutual respect, and recognition of cultural and religious diversity. For this reason, Tunisia strongly believes in the contribution of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations to conflict prevention and peace building, and highly appreciates the sustained efforts of Mr. Miguel Angel Moratinos in advancing the Alliance's role as a platform for dialogue, mutual understanding, and cooperation among peoples and cultures. We believe that the Alliance should continue to translate these principles and values into concrete initiatives, actions capable of addressing emerging challenges and contributing meaningfully to international peace and security. The 20th International Symposium on Strengthening the Role of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations in Promoting International Peace and Security, held on 17 November 2025, offered an important opportunity to advance in this vision. The Tunis Declaration, adopted on this occasion, highlighted key priorities, including strengthening intercultural and interreligious dialogue and civilizational diplomacy as tools for conflict prevention, combating hate speech, and disinformation, particularly in the digital space, and empowering women and youth in this field. It also underscored the role of education and media in promoting mutual understanding, as well as the importance of strengthening international and regional cooperation to translate this principle into concrete actions and initiative. The credibility of our multilateral system depends on our collective ability to uphold the principles of the United Nations Charter consistently and without selectivity, and to ensure that all peoples, regardless of their circumstances, are entitled to dignity, freedom, security, and development. In this regard, the Palestinian question remains one of the most profound tests of our collective commitment to these principles. The continued suffering of the Palestinian people, particularly in Gaza and throughout the occupied Palestinian territory in Al-Quds al-Sharif, reminds us that there can be no genuine peace without justice and no meaningful dialogue where fundamental rights continue to be denied. Mr. President, Tunisia firmly believe that dialogue, mutual respect, and solidarity must remain at the heart of our collective response to the challenges confronting humanity. The Alliance of Civilizations has an important role to play and to continue in this endeavor by strengthening bridges between communities, countering narratives of hatred and exclusion and promoting a culture in which diversity is recognized as a source of enrichment rather than division. I thank you so much.

I thank you, muchas gracias, mi querido amigo Mohamed, Thank you very much, Mohamed El Nafiti, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration, Tunisian Abroad of the Republic of Tunisia. Thank you for your very strong message today, and thank you for organizing, previous to the Global Forum of Riyadh, this important symposium that helps us to have a successful outcome in the 11th Global Forum. We will continue to work together. Tunisia has been always our outstanding partner in the Alliance of Civilizations, and we are very proud of your support and partnership. So thank you, thank you very much. Now I give the floor to the Foreign Minister of Mali, Mr. Abdoulaye Diop. Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Mali. You have the floor.

Merci, Monsieur le Président. Je voudrais, Excellence, Mesdames et Messieurs, commencer par adresser mes salutations amicales et fraternelles à M. Miguel Ángel Moratinos pour la présidence de cette importante rencontre. À cet égard, il est heureux de relever que notre organisation a tant bien que mal réussi à doter le monde d'instruments qui ont éloigné le spectre de confrontation à l'échelle mondiale. Les principes de liberté et d'égalité des nations et des hommes, longtemps pensés comme indissociables, se montrent aujourd'hui difficiles à combiner, voire contradictoires. dans la mesure où le libéralisme économique provoque d'énormes inégalités. La course au profit rabaisse les valeurs humaines au rang le plus insignifiant, sans que cela n'indigne outre mesure. Si l'idée de progrès était jadis si mobilisatrice, elle est aujourd'hui soumise à rude épreuve, lorsqu'elle n'est pas tout simplement rejetée. Mesdames et Messieurs, le Mali, mon pays, est victime d'une guerre menée par des groupes terroristes dont certains réclament défendre l'islam. Cet islam qu'ils prétendent défendre est l'antipode de leur discours de haine et aussi de leur méthode de violence. Ce que nous apprend l'islam, comme les autres religions révélées, c'est la paix, le respect de la vie humaine et la tolérance. Les prétendues revendications de ces groupes obscurantistes et barbares sont d'autant plus incompréhensibles que c'est sur une vieille terre de civilisation et de culture islamique qu'ils agissent, notamment mon pays, qui a vu fleurir au Moyen Âge de grandes universités, des centres de savoir comme Tombouctou. C'est bien au Mali qu'ont été érigés les royaumes et empires dont le socle de fonctionnement était l'islam. Cet islam tolérant a composé dans une symbiose parfaite avec les croyances endogènes, écrivant ainsi au Mali l'une des pages les plus illustres et glorieuses de la foi musulmane en Afrique de l'Ouest. Que dire de Tombouctou, où, dans une osmose parfaite, les sciences islamiques ont rencontré les savoirs endogènes pour faire de cette cité historique l'un des foyers les plus vifs de savoir qui n'a jamais cessé de fasciner le monde entier jusqu'à ce jour. Le Mali soutient, mesdames et messieurs, la déclaration de Riyad adoptée en décembre 2025 et salue les efforts de la communauté internationale pour faire avancer le dialogue interculturel et interreligieux en réponse aux défis de l'extrémisme violent, de l'intolérance et de la haine. Mon pays a fait du dialogue la pierre angulaire de la gouvernance actuelle, d'où l'initiative du dialogue intermalien, qui a débouché sur l'adoption de la Charte pour la paix et la réconciliation nationale. Chaque époque et chaque communauté ont connu leurs modes de dialogue qui ont constitué ces rassemblements populaires comme mécanismes de consultation du peuple sur des sujets d'importance. La charte du Kouroukan Fugha, notamment appelée la charte du Mandé, adoptée des siècles avant la Déclaration universelle des droits de l'homme, nous rappelle, plusieurs siècles après son adoption, que le dialogue n'est pas qu'un exercice circonstanciel voué à expédier les différents occasionnels. C'est bien un système culturel de vie en commun. Le gouvernement du Mali œuvre activement pour assurer la participation significative des femmes et des jeunes dans le processus de consolidation de la paix, de médiation et de prise de décision. Pour conclure, je voudrais réaffirmer notre optimisme pour la mise en œuvre des recommandations allant dans le sens du renforcement de la cohésion et de la stabilité durable, gage du développement harmonieux de nos sociétés et de nos pays. Je vous remercie de votre aimable attention.

Merci beaucoup, M. le ministre Abdoulaye Diop, ministre des Affaires étrangères et de la Coopération internationale de la République de Mali. Merci de votre présence personnelle, de votre contribution aujourd'hui et de l'explication que vous avez faite sur le dialogue entre religions et clarification de toutes les religions qui cherchent la paix et la réconciliation, d'une façon particulière avec cet amalgame malheureux qu'on écoute toujours entre islam et terrorisme et l'utilisation que les extrémistes font de cette religion. Vous savez, j'ai visité Tombouctou, et Tombouctou, c'est la ville où les 3 communautés ont pu vivre ensemble. Les chrétiens, les musulmans, même les juifs avaient leur place, et c'est dans cet esprit que je salue le rôle que votre gouvernement, votre président et vous-même vous faites pour lancer et maintenir le Mali comme un nouvel élément, une référence pour cette nouvelle Afrique, qu'on veut toujours être présent et plus actif. Merci beaucoup, mon cher ami Diop, pour votre présence aujourd'hui ici. I will give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Akin Obimal, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of India. You have the floor.

Thank you, Chair. My delegation thanks the UN AOC for briefing the Member States of its activities in the past year and expected initiatives in the coming years. Mr. Chair, my delegation underscores that the inter-religious, inter-cultural engagements serve as among the most effective instruments of preventive diplomacy. By building bridges of understanding before differences harden into dispute, platforms like UN AOC can help foster greater understanding and mutual respect between member states, prevent politicization of sensitive issues, so as to defuse tension, counter polarization and reduce the risk of conflict driven by religious or cultural misunderstandings. We support such efforts as long as the focus of UNAOCS outreach remains strictly within the social and cultural sphere. In this context, we also appreciate UNAOCS effort to align its work within the UN and 80 reform process. It is indeed a matter of vital consequence as the UN continues to face immense liquidity pressures. Mr. Chair, Allow me to recall your successful visit to New Delhi in April 2026, where we were pleased that you could have extensive engagement with a wide range of stakeholders during your visit. We hope this visit had helped deepen engagements between India and the UN AOC, and that it gave the delegation a true sense of the richness of Indian diversity and the depth of its civilizational heritage and the spirit of peaceful coexistence that defines it. Mr. Chair, as one of the world's oldest civilizations and among the most diverse democracies, India draws on its civilizational ethos to contribute meaningfully to this platform. India's engagement with UN AOC is rooted in the philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, that is, the world is one family, and Sarva Dharma Sambhav, which upholds equal respect of all religions and belief systems. These principles have guided India's domestic initiatives and its international outreach. In the same spirit, India truly believes that UN AOC can work the best when it remains inclusive, extending its inter-religious dialogue beyond the Abrahamic tradition to encompass all faiths, responding firmly to divisive propaganda and political rhetorics. Mr. Chair, India reaffirms its support to strengthening UN AOC's outreach and work within its mandate and the framework, and look forward to constructive engagement in the future. Thank you.

We really thank his Excellency, Mr. Akhilesh Vimal, Additional Secretary, Minister of External Affairs of India. And we really commend the role of India. We have been having a very successful visit to your country. and we have set a roadmap to work together. And I hope that next year, during this year, we will continue to work in this very positive agenda. So thank you very much. Thank you for being here, and thank you for your contribution. Now I give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Satu Swekari Kleven, Ambassador, Special Representative for UN Peace and Security and Global Partnerships. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland. You have the floor.

Thank you, Your Excellency, High Representative Mr. Maratinos, distinguished representatives of Turkey and Spain, ladies and gentlemen. I'm delighted to address this forum on behalf of the Republic of Finland. The work that the UN Alliance of Civilizations has done during the past decades is remarkable and one of its kind. The motto, "Many cultures, one humanity," speaks for itself and is more pertinent than ever. The obligation of states is to protect, respect and fulfill all human rights and fundamental freedoms of all persons, so that everyone can live free from discrimination, racism, intolerance or fear. Ladies and gentlemen, the promise of peace has always been at the core of the United Nations. At its best, the UN mobilizes collective action to prevent conflict, advance political solutions, and help societies emerge from war. It has strengthened the principles of dialogue, mutual understanding, human dignity, solidarity, and cultural diversity. Unfortunately, there is today a wide gap between the promise of peace and the reality we see around us. We are witnessing blatant violations of the UN Charter and a growing erosion of the norms and principles that have helped maintain peace and security for generations. Finland strongly believes in peace mediation as a means for conflict resolution and prevention. We are convinced about the need to increase our understanding of conflicts and find better ways of tackling the challenges facing peace efforts and mediators in today's fragmented international system. Religious and traditional leaders can have an important role in promoting peace, respect and understanding. We want to enhance inclusive peace mediation in order to advance sustainable peace in cooperation with others. We highly value our cooperation with Turkey as co-chairs of the Group of Friends of Mediation. The voices of women, minorities, young people and persons with disability must be heard. Our conviction is based on our own historical experience and on our efforts to support peace and development at the international level. In an era marked by growing tensions, we want to ensure that peace mediation remains an effective tool for resolving conflicts and that the UN remains in the center of these efforts. We know that the United Nations has a unique role as a trusted convener, a source of expertise, and a guardian of international norms. More than ever, we need a renewed commitment to peace and dialogue, respect for international law, and stronger accountability. Thank you, Your Excellency.

Your Excellency, Mrs. Satu Siquerra-Kleven, Ambassador, Special Representative of UN Peace and Security and Global Partnership, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland, and thank you to Finland, to your government, to your country because you have been always very active. You have been developing all kind of activities, mainly on mediation with Turkey, and you are in inter-religious dialogue also. And so we are very happy you are here with us, and we encourage to continue to work, and I'm very proud that you are continuing supporting us. So thank you, thank you very much. So now I give the floor to the Excellency, Mr. Eduardo Alcibiades Sanchez Kichlis, Director General for the United Nations, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mexico.

Muchas gracias. Thank you very much. First of all, thank you, High Representative, also to Spain and Turkey for convening this meeting. The work of the Alliance of Civilizations calls us to reflect and build pathways toward more peaceful, cohesive, and just societies by decisively promoting interreligious, intercultural, and intercivilizational dialogue. In this effort, we considered an indispensable tool for political dialogue to be the construction of peace narratives centered on our shared interests, such as mutual understanding, justice, and a better future for humanity. In an increasingly polarized world where the number of deaths in armed conflicts rose from 34,000 in 2010 to 245,000 in 2025, Mexico recognizes the crucial role of this alliance in contributing to reducing intercultural tensions, building bridges between communities, and promoting tolerance, reconciliation, and resilience. Therein lies the precise nature of preventive diplomacy. Its greatest success is often that what initially seemed inevitable does not happen. It is difficult to remember conflicts that fail to break out, but we have a good example in the Bakassi Peninsula on the border between Cameroon and Nigeria, where the UN Mixed Commission and exercise in quiet diplomacy enabled the leaders of both countries to sign a peace agreement in 2006. It is this type of work, silent yet constant, that the Alliance of Civilizations seeks to multiply. It represents a valuable platform to foster respect and harness cultural diversity for the benefit of future generations. Therefore, as an active member of the Group of Friends, Mexico maintains a firm commitment to facilitating a culture of peace and nonviolence, as well as an absolute condemnation of any type of discrimination or hostility. Likewise, we are convinced that youth are essential agents of change in transforming our societies. Together with the National Autonomous University of Mexico, the Norwegian Center for Conflict Resolution, and the Embassy of Norway in Mexico, the university program on a culture of peace and the eradication of violence was created, seeking to strengthen the social fabric and promote community-based participatory, collaborative, resilient, and inclusive work among university youth. This year, we presented also the second national action plan on women, peace, and security, which cross cut lines, action items from the youth, peace, and security agenda. We recognize that gender and youth perspectives are essential elements to guarantee inclusive, equitable, and sustainable peace building processes. Along those same lines, we recognize the value of the Alliance of Civilizations Young Peacebuilders Program. We are keenly interested in integrating this program into the lines of action of our national agenda, consistent with the position of Mexico has already defended in the Security Council regarding the direct participation of youth. Mexico will continue to work actively to prevent the emergence, continuation, and recurrence of conflicts by addressing their structural causes, encouraging early action, and promoting post-conflict reconstruction and development. always acknowledging the leading role that women and young people play in resilience and peace. Thank you.

Thank you very much to Excellency Eduardo Alciabre Sanchez Cresly, Director General for the United Nations, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, for the outstanding role of Mexico. I'm very happy you are here, that you are dressed, and you are very much interested in some of the UNHCR program. I think you have been always supporting the alliance, but I think we come to a moment that we have to do more. Mexico, a great culture, a great civilization, should be much more active. So tell your minister to engage more. That will be much welcome. So thank you very much. So now I give the floor to Mr. Abdul Wahab Mohamed Al-Sagheer, Assistant Secretary General for Corporate Communication of the Muslim World League. You have the floor.

Your Excellency, Miguel Moratinos, ladies and gentlemen, it's an honor to be with you today, and we are honored at the Muslim World League to be a partner with this important organization. At MWL, we believe in a simple but powerful idea. Peace begins with people when we educate them, when we protect human dignity, and when we empower the people, and when we choose dialogue over division. But dialogue alone is not enough. Dialogue must become action, shared values must become partnerships. This is the spirit behind our global initiative for girls' education, which led to the Islamabad Declaration and more than 20 international partnerships. It's also the spirit of the Abuja Declaration in Nigeria, where Muslim and Christian leaders came together to strengthen social peace, empower young people, and stand against hate speech. This same spirit led Muslim World League to work with our Jewish partners to combat Islamophobia and to combat anti-Semitism. And this commitment to human dignity also guides our position on Palestine. We cannot speak about peace without addressing the grave humanitarian situation in Gaza. The suffering of civilians demand urgent international action to protect lives, ensure humanitarian access, and achieve an immediate ceasefire. We reaffirm our support for the right of the Palestinian people and for a just and lasting peace. based on international law and the two-state solution. Ladies and gentlemen, our world does not need more reason for division. It needs more bridges of understanding and the courage to listen and the wisdom to respect our differences. This is why we deeply value our partnership with the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, which we just signed two days ago, and we are going to work immediately to implement this partnership soon in November in Spain. Together, we can move from dialogue to action, from understanding cooperation, and from hope for peace to building peace. Thank you, and peace be upon you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Abdulhamid Mohammed Al-Sherif, Assistant Secretary General for Corporate Communication, Muslim World League. Thank you for very important, inspiring statement. As you said, we have signed just a few days ago a very important MOU between the two organizations. We were proud and very honored to be participating in your initiative for artificial intelligence for everyone. It was a great success. And now we are heading to another meeting that we are going to co-organize together to commemorate 900 years of the birth of a grand Arab Islamic thinker, as we call in Spanish, Averroes. But we have going to go working together for the near future. So now I give the floor to Mr. Abdellah Benbelkoud, Director General of Economic Diplomacy and Cultural Promotion of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation of Moroccan Abroad. You have the floor.

Distinguished High Representative, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of Mr. Borrell, Minister of Foreign Affairs, I would like to make the following remarks. It is a great pleasure to take part in this high-level meeting, which year after year provides a privileged platform for dialogue in support of the objectives of our alliance. The Kingdom of Morocco commends the work carried out by the alliance and the leadership of His Excellency, Mr. Moratinos, as well as his steadfast commitment to peace and to intercultural and interreligious dialogue. Morocco recognizes the unique role of the Alliance in bringing together government, international organization, civil society, youth, women, and religious actors around shared commitments to dialogue, mutual understanding, and peaceful coexistence. This commitment is fully in line with the vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, who in his message to the Ninth Alliance Global Forum, held in Fes in November 2022, called for renewed momentum in dialogue in the face of global crisis and identity-based tensions. Deeply rooted in its history and identity, this vision places dialogue coexistence, and respect for others at the heart of peace and stability. It also guides the Kingdom's international action with a strong emphasis on preventive diplomacy, addressing the root causes of crisis, and strengthening the nexus between peace, security, and development. Building on the messages that Morocco conveyed here on 17 September on the occasion of the Global Conference on Countering Hate Speech, Morocco believes that the Alliance's next plan of action should enable us to take decisive steps forward in translating dialogue into concrete action. In this regard, we wish to reaffirm four priorities for action. First, strengthening the Alliance's contribution to preventive.

Diplomacy.

Drawing on its experience and networks, the Alliance can contribute more to the early detection of tensions and alert other UN conflict prevention mechanisms. Second, promoting information resilience and digital preventive diplomacy. Disinformation, hate speech, and information manipulation can exacerbate divisions and fuel crisis. Third, promoting also the role of youth. Youth should not be regarded solely as consumer of our programs, but as an active developer of alternative narratives and contents. The African and Euro-Mediterranean Youth Summit held in Rabat in January 2026 provided a concrete illustration of this approach. Fourth, strengthening the effective participation of women through meaningful contribution in decision-making, mediation, peacekeeping and peacebuilding processes. Finally, Morocco reiterates its full readiness to contribute actively to the Alliance's future roadmap and renews its full support for the High Representative, Mr. Moratinos. Thank you very much.

You very much, Excellency, Mr. Abdellah Ben Belkhouk, Director General of Economic Diplomacy and Cultural Promotion, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, Moroccan Abroad. Thank you for your presence, your message on behalf of Minister Burita. And you know, we have been working together all the time, and principally after the Global Forum in Fes, where His Majesty King Mohammed VI give us a very strong message in order to guide the work and activities of the Alliance of Civilizations. Thank you for being with us. Now, I give the floor to Mrs. Sebastiana Barros, Director General for Multilateral Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Timor-Leste. You have the floor.

Mr. High Representative, Excellencies, distinguished delegates. Timor-Leste thanks the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations for convening this meeting and for its work. In a world where prejudice and mistrust can spread quickly, the Alliance helps people of different culture, religion and belief to find common ground. We value its support for young people and community initiative, which bring the work of mutual understanding into everyday life. Timor-Leste experience has taught us that peace and reconciliation require patience. Trust grows when people are heard, differences are addressed with dignity, and communities take part in shaping their future. Women, young people, local leaders, and faith community each have a role. Our own journey has shown the importance of making space for different voices. This is why we encourage the alliance to continue supporting initiatives, shape and lead locally. Young people need opportunities to meet across differences, challenge harmful stereotypes and engage responsibly online. They should be partners in designing these efforts. Support for local organizations can help ideas take root and endure beyond individuals' events. The same approach matters in responding to religious intolerance and other forms of discrimination. Protecting places of worship and upholding the dignity and human rights of every person are essential. So too is sustained engagement among communities before mistrust deepens into division. Dialogue is strongest when it's accompanied by efforts to promote inclusion and address the concerns people face. As the alliance looks towards 2027, we encourage it to continue reaching smaller countries and community with limited resources. Peaceful coexistence cannot be sustained by statement alone. It's depend on trust. built patiently with the meaningful participation of those too often left out of the conversation. Timor-Leste stands ready to support the Alliance's work to advance mutual respect and peaceful coexistence. I thank you.

Thank you very much. This is Sebastiao Barros, Director General for Multilateral Affairs, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Timor-Leste. It's very important, your contribution, and your president is very much engaged from the beginning, and we really thank you for being with us and supporting our work. I have to tell the member state that still the list is a bit long. We have 12 speakers, so you can try to limit yourself if it's possible. I will not cut you, but I will ask you to try to speak two, three minutes. And like that, everybody can go to have happy hour later on. Thank you. So I give now the floor to Professor Dr. Mahmut Errol Kilic, Ambassador, Director General of Research Center for Islamic History, Art, and Culture, IRCICA. You have the floor.

Your Excellency, High Representative, His Excellency Moritinos, I would like to thank you for the insightful information on the Alliance activities, building cultural bridges across societies. These programs have formed a worldwide network of activities with significance far beyond their immediate sectors. as observed from the viewpoint of IRCICA, the cultural subsidiary of the OIC, and from the other angles, such as my board membership in the religion forum of G20, the intercultural action space operated by our organizations had to bridge the gap between the statecraft and human values, serving as a vital pillar of multilateral governance. Reinforcing the concept of the multilateral cooperation is a pressing need in today's world. Active conflicts and systematic injustices continue to afflict populations, while the artificial intelligence race creates further uncertainty for the future. The grim picture is compounded by the inability to solve and frequent indifference of international community. The intercultural sphere of international relations served by our organizations provides a suitable framework to meet this challenge. Its themes are grounded in the core human values derived from humanities, religious, moral, spiritual, and practical shared experiences. These core values have also inspired the founding principles of international organizations. As a soft power that quality that quietly shapes global relations through topics loaded with those universal principles. The intercultural action space can help to straighten global conscience and responsibility towards building the collective future. To this aim, ISICA, for its part, produces thematic contents for scholarly conferences, art festivals, heritage preservation, and other programs that can promote mutual learning and counter extremism like Islamophobia. Or conferences held in different countries in the context of UN Alliance of Civilization global forums have explored the shaded histories of the global communities, emphasizing periods of multi-faith coexistence. With this spirit, EISCAS gives importance to collaboration with the Alliance of Civilizations in these similar areas of interest. I wish success to the meeting and thank you for your attention.

Thank you very much, Dr. Mahmud Errol Kirlic, Ambassador, Director General for the Research Center for Islamic History, Art and Culture, FIRC. You have been always a permanent presence here in our ministerial meeting, and we thank you, and thank you for sharing with us your very important activities you are doing in favor of cultural understanding and mutual respect. Now I give the floor to Mr. Abdul Wadud Akanda, Director, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh. You have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We thank the governments of Spain and Turkey, Group of Friends of the Alliance, and High Representative His Excellency Mr. Miguel Moratinos for their leadership in advancing the work of UNAOC. Today, we gather at a time when the moral compass of our world trembles. conflicts surge, humanitarian crises deepen, and climate change scars the planet. Shadows of xenophobia, intolerance, and Islamophobia stretch across continents. Misinformation and deepfakes threaten peace and corrode humanity. Against this backdrop, Bangladesh takes pride in standing among the group of friends of the alliance committed to intercultural and interfaith dialogue, tolerance, and mutual respect. Today, we are among the largest contributors to UN peacekeeping and champions of the Women, Peace and Security agenda. We have opened our arms to over 1.2 million Rohingyas who have endured ethnic and religious persecution in Myanmar. Our annual Culture of Peace resolution reflects our conviction that peace rests not merely on absence of conflict, but on justice, compassion, and human dignity. Mr. Chair, the Alliance is a beacon of dialogue, where differences converge into understanding, mistrust yields to empathy, and diversity becomes shared strength. Yet, much remains to be done. We must empower youth, foster intergenerational dialogue, and place young people at the heart of efforts across civilizations, cultures, and beliefs. We must invest in inclusive education that nurtures peace, tolerance, and cohesion. We must expand cultural exchanges, arts, sports, and responsible media to build empathy and trust. We must promote regional cooperation to advance the alliance's objectives and social cohesion. We must uphold justice and ensure accountability for victims of forced displacement caused by ethnic discrimination. We must confront climate change through resilient development to protect communities. Finally, we must reject incitement to hatred across media and digital platforms, and stand against violence, intolerance, and discrimination in all their forms. Mr. Chair, the mission of the Alliance has never been more urgent. Let us promote values that illuminate the path of understanding and celebrate our shared humanity. I thank you.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh, for your presence here, your contribution. for Bangladesh, a continued support to the lines of civilization. Now I give the floor to Mr. Kirill Lokvinov, Director of Department of International Organization, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. Mr. Kirill Lokvinov, you have the floor.

Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to convey our sincere appreciations for the UN AOC valuable efforts to foster dialogue mutual understanding and cooperation among peoples and cultures.

Our country has supported the Alliance for over 20 years since its very foundation, and we particularly

welcome the recent visit of Mr. Maratinos to the Russian Federation, during which he participated in the Kazan Forum.

At this very time, the 12th

International United Cultures Forum is taking place in St. Petersburg, providing another important platform for dialogue among civilizations.

Dear colleagues, today the architecture of international relations is undergoing profound transformations with a clear

trend toward a multipolar world order and the emergence of new centers of political and economic influence

across the Global South.

At the same time, the formation of a more equitable international system remains a complex process. The key reason for these challenges, among others, is

the reluctance of some former colonial powers to relinquish their privileged positions and influence over global decision-making processes. Discrimination, intolerance, and xenophobia continue to persist and, in some cases, acquire new forms. These concerns are manifested in different parts of Europe.

In Ukraine, we are witnessing attempts to rewrite historical memory, including the growing public reputation

of the legacy of nationalist movements and Nazi henchmen.

At the same time, the erosion of the status of the Russian language is continuing and

persecution of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church. In the Baltic countries, discriminatory language and citizenship policies are being used to marginalize the Russian-speaking community and restrict their ability to participate fully in public and social life.

Some of these issues have already been addressed by the International Court of Justice

in the case between Ukraine and the Russian Federation, and we intend to use all the existing international legal framework

to hold these perpetrators accountable and ensure justice. The Alliance of Civilizations should remain an objective platform free from double standards and selective approaches. We stand ready to deepen our cooperation and provide not only political but also real contributions, including financial support,

and we also urge states to do the same.

Establishing stronger, more systematic feedback could be beneficial, where the Group of Friends would act not merely as an outside observer, but a full-fledged partner at every step the Alliance takes.

Thank you for your attention.

Thank you very much, Mr. Kilov, Director of the Department of International Organizations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. Thank you for your presence, your contribution today. And I have to commend the way you organized our visit to your country, not only Kazan, also to Moscow, and how beneficial it was for us to have the opportunity to meet with a large representative of Islamic representative in Russia Federation. I really appreciate the political and diplomatic support and financial support of Russia Federation. I commit myself to continue to work strongly with your country. So thank you very much. So now I give the floor to Excellency Mr. Antonio de Almeida Ribeiro, Ambassador, Acting Secretary General of International Dialogue Center, CAISID. Antonio de Almeida, you have the floor.

Thank you very much, Excellency, and the Secretary General, Miguel Angel Moratinos, Excellencies, distinguished delegates. It's a pleasure to join you today on behalf of the International Dialogue Center, CAISID. We meet at a time when trust is under severe pressure. Wars and protected conflicts continue to affect communities across regions, while polarization, hate speech, and intolerance are deepening divisions within our societies. At the same time, the international community is being called upon to strengthen prevention and to restore confidence in multilateral cooperation. In this context, we strongly welcome the emphasis that UNAOC is placing on preventive diplomacy, dialogue, and the building of peaceful and inclusive societies. At CAISID, we see interreligious and intercultural dialogue as an integral part of this prevention agenda. Religious leaders and faith communities are present in communities before, during, and after crisis. They are the first ones to suffer consequences of these actions, but they are also among the first to support their communities. They can help build trust across divides, counter narratives of hatred, and support reconciliation when formal political channels alone may not be sufficient. CAI Seed was founded on a powerful idea that states and religious leaders need to be at the same table as partners to prevent the misuse of religion for violence and oppression and to promote peace. The center's unique dual governance structure uniting member states, namely the Republic of Austria, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom of Spain, and the Holy See as founding observer, with senior religious authorities across faiths and traditions, is itself a diplomatic innovation. And as we know, diplomacy alone cannot reach every community. This is also why we particularly value our long-standing cooperation with UNAOC. From work with religious leaders and young peacebuilders to our joint efforts to promote dialogue and counter intolerance, our organizations share the strong belief that prevention must be rooted in communities and supported by inclusive partnerships. Recent UN AUC initiatives, including the, and I quote, "a call for peace, the end of wars, and respect for the international law," unquote, have demonstrated the value of bringing together political leaders, faith actors, women, youth, and civil society around a common commitment to peace. We have to continue to dialogue, to engage about peace. We need to continue to remind the world that peace is an option. KCI was pleased to be part of this broader conversation and to continue to be part of it. As UNAOC looks towards 2027, we encourage continued investment in approaches that connect political commitment with practical action on the ground, particularly through local dialogue, through moments and programs that allow the meaningful participation of women and young people and the engagement of religious and community leaders. CAI Seed stands ready to continue working with UNOEC and its partners in this effort. With our programs across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Arab region, and Latin America, we are committed to supporting dialogue processes that bring together governments, faith actors, and civil society, and contribute to more peaceful and cohesive societies. At a time when the international community is seeking to restore trust, and strengthen the effectiveness of multilateral action, we believe that dialogue is one of the means through which prevention and diplomacy become possible. We look forward to deepening our cooperation with UNIOC in the period ahead. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much. Mr. Antonio de Almeida Ribeiro, Ambassador, Acting Secretary General of International Dialogue Center, KAISEID. You know how much we really appreciate and commend the relationship between KAISEID and UNOC. We've been working together. We will appreciate the support you give to the initiative, call for peace and the war and respect international law. And we will continue to work together in the next future. Thank you very much. Now I give the floor to the Honorable Patricia Torczynski, Permanent Observer, Head of the New York Office of the Inter-Parliamentarian Union, IPU. You have the floor.

Thank you. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, the need for intercultural, inter-civilization dialogue is especially pressing at this time of heightened global conflict and geopolitical tension, which affect people and communities all around the world, driving insecurity. Social cohesion is being threatened by misinformation, xenophobia, racism, and identity-based hatred. We are living in a trust deficit in our neighbors, in the political establishment, and in the future. The IPU was founded in 1889 through the efforts of MPs who believed that dialogue was essential to building and maintaining peace, and we continue to hold that value today. The IPU believes that moments of crisis can be opportunities for transformation if we choose to take them. We appreciate the UNAOC and its tireless efforts bringing people together and demonstrating that what unites us is much stronger than what divides us. In December, the IPU was pleased to attend the 11th UNAOC Global Forum in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, hearing from peacebuilders, especially women and young people, from around the world about their efforts to foster peaceful societies. We congratulate the UNAOC, the Kingdom of Oman, and other partners on the Muscat Plan of Action for traditional and indigenous actors in countering hate speech and preventing atrocity crimes through peace mediation. At the IPU, we continue to work with parliamentarians and other stakeholders to build more peaceful and inclusive societies through dialogue, diplomacy, and cooperation. We recognize the key function of parliaments in upholding international law and in ensuring accountability, and we acknowledge the profound responsibility of parliamentarians to the people who elected them. We continue to support national parliaments in becoming more inclusive, effective, and transparent to better deliver for the people. And we look forward to continuing our friendship and cooperation with you, Mr. Martinos, and your team, with the UNAOC for a more peaceful, just, and inclusive world for current and future generations. Thank you.

Thank you, Patricia. Thank you for the permanent observer at our New York office. Thank you for the permanent cooperation. I know you have a new Secretary General, and we are eager to meet her and to continue to work together here from New York and going to Geneva. So thank you very much. So now I give the floor to Mrs. Indar Sawitri, Director for Human Rights and Multilateral Affairs, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia. You have the floor.

Thank you very much, Excellency. Mr. Chair, it is an honor for me to address this forum on behalf of the Republic of Indonesia. We extend our appreciation to the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations for its leadership in fostering global dialogue and addressing the urgent challenge of Islamophobia. In an era of rising global uncertainty, growing intolerance, discrimination, and anti-Muslim hatred, pose severe threats to global peace, social cohesion and human dignity. And partnering states must confront these realities directly. For instance, as acknowledged during the 2025 Indonesia European Union interfaith dialogue, addressing Islamophobia requires learning from concrete, actionable practices. Excellencies, Mr. Chair. Indonesia stands firm in its conviction that extremism has no place in this world. Misinterpretation, the weaponization of identity politics, and digital proliferation of hate speech only fuel polarization and prejudice against Muslim communities. as home to the world's largest Muslim population. Indonesia's lived experience is guided by the principle of, Islam as blessings for all creation, and our national motto,, or unity in diversity. Today, we are internationally recognized as an exporter model of interfaith dialogues, utilizing its success in religious harmony as a core tool of soft power and public diplomacy. We continue to demonstrate that Islamic values, democracy, and pluralism thrive together through institutionalized grassroots mechanisms like the Interreligious Harmony Forum and major organizations like Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah. Moving beyond mere roundtable discussions, interfaith dialogue must serve as a community-level preventive mechanism. Indonesia actively systematically packages its national experiences into replicable preventive diplomacy tools, and these includes mobilizing religious leaders for counter extremism and deradicalization, empowering women religious leaders, and driving youth-led interfaith initiatives. Excellencies, to effectively counter Islamophobia and other form of intolerance, Indonesia urge UN AOC and international community to continue strengthening global frameworks by coordinating international legislation as well as policies to actively counter anti-Muslim hatred and religious discrimination, shift from high-level talks to community-level platforms and prevention by replicating successful national practices and leveraging youth-led peace initiatives, Partnering with digital platforms to regulate harmful content, counter hate speech and advance media literacy, and engage youth, women leaders and faith-based groups to build tailored narratives that foster interfaith literacy and mutual respect. Indonesia remains fully committed to working with the international community to transform dialogue into capacity building, dismantle prejudice, protect all religious communities, and build a peaceful, inclusive world. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much, Mrs. Indar Sabitri, Director for Human Rights, Minister of Foreign Affairs from Indonesia. Thank you for your commitment, your presence. The role of Indonesia is fundamental, and even more in the combat of Islamophobia. You are the most populated Muslim country, and I commit myself to visit your country as a, you know, UN special envoy. I've been visiting some of the key countries about Islam and Muslim community, and what you are working on this issue is very important, very inspiring. So thank you very much for being with us. So now, I give the floor to Mrs. Kate Ferron, Director of OSCE Conflict Prevention Center. and Deputy Head of OSCE Secretariat. You have the floor.

Under-Secretary General Moratinos, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, it's an honor to join you here to mark the 21st anniversary of this important initiative. The OSCE, too, recently marked an important anniversary. Last year marked 50 years since Cold War rivals came together in Helsinki in recognition of the fact that their competition risked tipping the entire world into catastrophe. They chose dialogue over division. That commitment has remained central ever since. The values that lie at the heart of the Alliance of Civilizations, tolerance, mutual respect, commitment to interfaith dialogue, were central to the creation of the Conference for Security and Cooperation in Europe. I thank you, Under-Secretary-General Moratinos, for the enormous personal contribution you have made to the Alliance of Civilizations. As Spanish Foreign Minister 21 years ago, you were indeed a founding father. The Alliance, just like my organization, the OSC, is founded on the understanding that all societies are interdependent on matters of security in all of its dimensions. We are equally committed to overcoming prejudice, misperception and polarization, which threaten international peace and stability. The Alliance's five pillars, education, youth, migration, media and women as peacemakers are also central to the work of the OSC. They are how we strengthen social cohesion and prevent conflict before it escalates. As we survey our security environment today, these themes are more important than ever. We face huge security challenges, and in the face of these, let us always remember that there can be no selective application of rules or exceptions. These only erode the foundation of our collective security, namely international law. We must stand against aggression everywhere it is perpetrated. We must stand against genocide and war crimes in every context. We must combat impunity before it takes root. This is the best tribute that we can make to the founding ideals of both the Alliance of Civilizations and the OSCE. I thank you.

Thank you very much. Ms. Kate Frenen, Director of OAC, Conflict Prevention Center, the head of OAC Secretariat. You know, I've been president of OAC during one year. I'm very proud of your organization. So I encourage you to continue. And what you share with us is very important to maintain. So thank you very much. So now, Kadeem. Cultural Permanent Mission of Iraq to the United Nations. You have the floor.

Thank you, Excellency.

My delegation expresses its firm belief of the crucial importance of drawing upon ancient civilizations and their vast human heritage as an intellectual resource and a key driver in shaping the optimal international strategy to achieve the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals in all their dimensions. Global dialogue and cultural exchange ensure that no one is left behind. They serve as a foundation for drawing a roadmap for all nations gathered here today. We meet out of a shared moral responsibility towards achieving these goals and accelerating progress to lay the foundations for a world where all enjoy justice, quality and sustainable prosperity, while simultaneously preserving ancient cultural heritage to secure the right of present and future generations to live in dignity. The resorting to violence in resolving international disputes continues to pose a grave threat to peoples and their civilizations, particularly the war in the Middle East. This threat is both intellectual, through the spread of extremist ideology that jeopardize humanity, equality, and progress, and physical, through the destruction of heritage sites and the looting of the heritage. Countering these threats intellectually requires strengthening a human and civilization dialogue. among nations to eliminate bias that hinder the needed harmony. At the same time, practical measures must be enhanced to repatriate looted heritage to their country of origin. Hence, we call upon to establish an institutional framework to combat illicit artifact trafficking and protect heritage sites from destruction. My delegation commends the dedicated efforts of Mr. Miguel Martines, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations, and we fully support his work in fulfilling his mandate. This alliance with the UN 80 reform initiatives necessary to enhance momentum. Iraq remains committed to support the alliance, particularly regarding preventive diplomacy efforts which offer a vital mechanism to bridge intellectual, religious, and cultural divides. And enhancing such positive spurs through other high-level gathering will be conducted in the Republic of Iraq soon. For instance, the ministerial meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which will be held in Baghdad later this year.

Thank you, Excellency.

Thank you very much. Mr. Saad Abbas Khadem Khadem, Counselor, Permanent Mission of Iraq to the United Nations, for your present statement. We will be very, very anxious to go to Baghdad to participate in the ministerial meeting of the OIC and to continue the excellent cooperation with your country. Now we have the I give the floor to Mrs. Tamara Bujovic, Counselor, Permanent Mission of Serbia.

To the United Nations. You have the floor.

Pardon. Now? Okay. Now, I'll continue in English. Dear Mr. Moratinos, Excellencies, Good evening. I'm honored to have the opportunity to participate in today's meeting as part of the broad family of the group of friends of the Alliance. More than 20 years ago, the prime ministers of Spain and Turkey launched the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations as an initiative aimed at fostering international action against extremism through intercultural and interreligious dialogue and cooperation. In today's circumstances, marked by wars and armed conflicts, this spirit is needed more than ever and should be given greater space to contribute to positive change. Over the past few days, we have had the opportunity to hear from heads of state and government, as well as senior United Nations officials, their reflections on possible directions for the future of our world. In many areas, the world has made remarkable progress. Technological advances and artificial intelligence are opening new and previously unimaginable opportunities. Yet, without communication, the fundamental means through we come to know and understand one another, and without a genuine willingness to understand each other, we will remain in the dark. The Republic of Serbia, as a multi-ethnic and multi-confessional country, remains committed to advancing the objectives of the Alliance by promoting and strengthening a spirit of tolerance and respect for cultural and religious diversity. We firmly believe that understanding among cultures and religions, as well as overcoming prejudice, extremism, and differences in the interpretation of social values, are essential principles that should guide our actions. Allow me once again to express Serbia's support for the activities of the Alliance and our readiness to cooperate in strengthening peace, stability, and progress, while fostering tolerance and understanding among different cultures and religions. I thank you. Muchas gracias.

So thank you very much, Mrs. Tamara Bujovic, Counselor, Permanent Mission of Serbia to the United Nations, and thank you to Serbia to continue permanently with us, working with the Alliance and working together to create this atmosphere, environment of peace and understanding. So now, last but not least, the last speaker is Ms. Sun Zixi, First Secretary, Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations. So you have China have the last word. So I hope you use it well. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Excellency.

Please allow me to read the statement on behalf of the Ambassador Sun Lei.

Your Excellency, Under-Secretary-General Martineau, dear colleagues.

We thank Mr. Monasterios and UNESCO for its ongoing leadership and.

Remarkable contributions to promoting understanding and reconciliation among cultures and religions. Dialogue among civilizations, as mentioned, history has placed on our generation. We must keep faith and make tireless efforts in this direction. Let me share with you three reflections. First, equality and mutual respect create favorable conditions for peaceful coexistence. Every civilization is rooted in its own history. None is superior to another, and efforts to mold another civilization in one's own image will sow further division. This is the thinking behind China's Global Civilization Initiative, a call to embrace diversity of civilizations.

Let us approach other civilizations and countries as equals and with mutual respect.

And open a door to lasting peace and stability. Second, openness and inclusiveness create a larger space for shared prosperity. Civilizations prosper through openness and inclusiveness, not isolation or exclusion. It is in the spirit that China proposed designating the International Day for Dialogue Among Civilizations.

We believe dialogue can break down barriers, dispel misunderstanding, and bring new vitality to cooperation and development. Third, exchanges and mutual learning create stronger momentum for human progress.

Humanity's greatest advances have emerged when different civilizations enriched and inspired each other. That same power of exchanges remains alive today. We call for strengthening people-to-people exchanges in order to inspire greater progress worldwide.

Dear colleagues, the UNAOC Group of Friends is a force for stability and justice. We need to make good use of this platform and further strengthen it. China is committed to implementing the Global Civilizations Initiative, further strengthen and joining hands with the UN AOC in successfully holding the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations, and is actively considering hosting the 2028 UN AOC Global Forum to draw inspiration from dialogue in order to tackle global challenges. Humanity has only one Earth and only one shared future. We are confident that through dialogue, global civilizations can diffuse tensions, build trust, and contribute positively to.

Shaping a shared destination for the human race.

I thank you.

So thank you to the representative of China, Mr. Sun CC, First Secretary. Government Mission of China to United Nations. Thank you for your statement on behalf of your ambassador. And thank you for China and for your President Xi Jinping. And I say that the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations welcomed the initiative of President Xi Jinping of the Global Civilization Initiative. And we are working together with your mission and your country and your your ministry with enhancing the Daru Arman civilization, particularly every year during the International Day of the Daru Arman civilization. I really take very positively your offer to host the Global Forum of the Alliance on 2028. And I have, you know, we have, as I said in my introductory remark, we have to wait for the new Secretary General hopefully soon, in order that we could really finalize the procedural matter. So with this intervention, you come to the final closing of this ministerial meeting of Alliance, of Group of Friends of Alliance of Civilizations. I want to thank all the participants, but I want to thank again also the UN staff the Special Event Unit, PCS, and security, because they stay with us till now. So thank you. Thank you very much. I give an applause to them. I'm not going to make a new conclusion, but let me very briefly, because it's late, well, thank to the one who are still in the room. I know it is late after ministerial meeting, many hours. I think everybody engaged to support the Alliance of Civilizations, the work of the Alliance, the necessity of the Alliance, the plan of action, the activities, different aspects of different delegates make the reference to what they consider could contribute better. But even if there is no majority of member states now, but it will be taken to record. My call to all of you is that we have demonstrated today that the Group of Friends, composed by 160 countries or members, out of that, 40 speakers took the floor today. It's very strong. And today, you know, UN system So that means that the majority of the UN system, of UN member states, want to reinforce and to enhance the role of the United Nations as a light of civilization. We are preparing, of course, this conclusion of this ministerial meeting will be a very good platform for the next Secretary General in order that he or she can receive this call of the majority of the UN members that the alliance is alive, that the alliance is needed, that the alliance have to be reinforced, that the alliance have to continue. And I hope that all together we continue this itinerary. So thank you very much, and I hope we will see soon, I don't know when, in terms of the global forum or ministerial meeting, But thank you again for being with us today in this last day of the ministerial week of the UNGA 81. And happy hour. Thank you very much. Thank you.