Azerbaijan, Baku, April 7 / Trend, V. Zhavoronkova /
The World Forum on Intercultural dialogue is of great importance not only for the region, but also for the whole world, the International Black Sea University Rector, Professor Giuli Alasania believes.
She said the forum is well-organized.
"Such meetings are always very useful and necessary for the modern world. It is necessary for people to communicate more and learn more about each other. As there cannot be peace without a dialogue, and we all need peace," Alasania told journalists in Baku.
The World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue has today started in Baku. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev is attending the Forum. The Forum is dedicated to intercultural dialogue and cultural diversity to achieve peace and development.
The Forum was opened with the session "Towards a world without borders". Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and Senior Adviser to the UN Alliance of Civilizations Jean-Christophe Bas head the session.
The next session will focus on "More meaningful dialogue: Culture, Arts and Heritage" and will be chaired by Azerbaijani Culture and Tourism Minister Abulfaz Garayev and Director of Culture, Cultural and Natural Heritage of the Council of Europe Robert Palmer.
First Lady of Azerbaijan, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, UNESCO and ISESCO goodwill ambassador, MP Mehriban Aliyeva and Director of the UNESCO Division of Cultural Policies and Intercultural Dialogue Katerina Stenou will chair the third session - "The role of women in intercultural dialogue".
Based on the global agenda on the Dialogue among Civilizations, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly (November 2001), the UNESCO Convention on Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (2005), the Islamic Declaration on Cultural Diversity, which was adopted by ISESCO in 2004, Declaration and Action Plan of the Third Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe member states, the Council of Europe White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue (May 2008), the Baku Declaration for the Promotion of Intercultural Dialogue Government of Azerbaijan proposed to host the World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue. The Forum is to be held on 7-9 April, 2011, in Baku and hosted by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, as declared by the President at the 65th Session of the United Nations General Assembly September 23, 2010, in New York.
The World forum is supported by UNESCO, the UN Alliance of Civilizations, the Council of Europe, the North-South Center of the Council of Europe, ISESCO and Euronews.