United Nations Alliance of Civilizations facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids United Nations Alliance of Civilizations

Org type	United Nations entity (multilateral)
Status	Active
Headquarters	New York City

The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) is a special group within the United Nations. It works to bring people from different cultures and religions closer together. Its main goal is to stop extreme ideas and promote understanding around the world. UNAOC especially focuses on improving relations between Western and Islamic societies.

The idea for UNAOC came from the Prime Minister of Spain, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, in 2005. The Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, also supported the idea. On July 14, 2005, the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, officially started the Alliance of Civilizations.

In 2009, the United Nations General Assembly officially recognized UNAOC's work. They agreed that talking and working together across cultures and religions helps promote peace. In 2015, the General Assembly confirmed UNAOC's role as an important part of the United Nations system.

How UNAOC Works

Leadership and Team

The main leader of UNAOC is called the "High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations." This person helps guide the group and speaks for it. They work closely with the Secretary-General of the United Nations. The High Representative is a very important position, like an Under-Secretary-General.

In 2007, Jorge Sampaio, who used to be the President of Portugal, became the first High Representative. Later, Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser took over in 2013. Since January 2019, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, a former Minister from Spain, has been the High Representative. In 2023, Nihal Saad became the Director of UNAOC.

The UNAOC also has a team called the Secretariat. This team helps the High Representative and carries out the group's projects.

Where UNAOC is Located

UNAOC has its main office at the UN campus in New York City. In 2021, they opened a second office in Geneva, Switzerland, at the Palace of Nations.

Why UNAOC Started

UNAOC believes that people from different backgrounds sometimes misunderstand each other. This can lead to fear and tension, which extremists can use to cause trouble. Many leaders felt it was important to find common ground. They wanted to build respect and understanding between different groups of people. By doing this, they hoped to prevent violence and create a more peaceful world.

To achieve its goals, the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan created a special group. This "High-Level Group" had 20 important people from different areas. They included leaders, thinkers, religious figures, and media experts. They represented many different religions and cultures. This group met several times to discuss how to improve relations, especially between Western and Muslim societies.

In November 2006, the High-Level Group shared their final report. It gave ideas and solutions for how different societies could overcome misunderstandings. The report said that politics, not just religion, often causes divides.

The report also pointed out four main areas where UNAOC should focus its efforts. These areas are key to reducing tension and building bridges between communities. They are: Youth, Education, Media, and Migration.

In 2007, UNAOC released a plan to put these ideas into action. They decided to work with existing groups and start new projects in these four key areas.

UNAOC's Main Focus Areas

UNAOC works on several important topics to help people understand each other better.

Media

Media, like news and social media, greatly influences how people think. UNAOC helps people learn to understand information better. They also train journalists to report fairly and accurately. This helps bridge cultural differences.

Youth

Young people are powerful agents for change. They bring new ideas, energy, and passion. UNAOC helps young people around the world through education and training. They see youth as important partners in creating a better world.

Education

Education helps young people prepare for a world where everyone is connected. Learning about your own culture is important, but so is understanding others. Education, including art, music, and sports, can connect people. UNAOC's programs help people learn to think critically and respect different cultures.

Migration

Many people move from one country to another. This creates new challenges and opportunities. UNAOC's programs address different aspects of migration. Their goal is to create societies where everyone is included and respected.

Women as Peace Mediators

UNAOC also plans to focus on the role of women in making peace. They believe that including women and empowering them is very important for preventing conflicts.

UNAOC Projects and Activities

UNAOC runs many projects and initiatives to achieve its goals:

UNAOC Youth Solidarity Fund
UNAOC Fellowship Programme
UNAOC Young Peacebuilders
Intercultural Innovation Hub (IIH)
PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival
Sport for One Humanity initiative
News Generation Against Hate
Promoting the Role of Women as Peacemakers
EDIN: Empowering Dialogue and Interfaith Networks
Intercultural Leaders and Alumni Engagement
Youth Waging Peace
Digital Games for Peace
#SpreadNoHate Initiative
PEACEapp
Media and Information Literacy

UNAOC Global Forums

UNAOC holds regular "Global Forums" to bring together leaders, organizations, and people from all over the world. These forums are a chance to create partnerships and commit to actions that promote understanding.

UNAOC held its first Global Forum in Madrid, Spain, in 2008. Since then, they have held nine forums in different cities around the world.

9th Global Forum: Fez, Morocco (2022)

The 9th Global Forum took place in Fez, Morocco, from November 22-23, 2022. The theme was "Towards an Alliance of Peace: Living Together as One Humanity." Over 2,000 people from 136 countries attended. These included leaders, organizations, young people, and media.

8th Global Forum: New York (2018)

In 2018, the 8th Global Forum was held at the UN Headquarters in New York City. The theme was "#Commit2Dialogue: Partnerships for Prevention and Sustaining Peace."

7th Global Forum: Baku, Azerbaijan (2016)

Azerbaijan hosted the 7th Global Forum in Baku from April 25-27, 2016. The theme was "Living Together In Inclusive Societies: A Challenge and A Goal." The forum discussed how leaders, civil society, and businesses can help create inclusive societies and prevent violent extremism.

6th Global Forum: Bali, Indonesia (2014)

The 6th Global Forum was held in Bali, Indonesia, from August 29-30, 2014. Its theme was "Unity in Diversity: Celebrating diversity for common and shared values."

5th Global Forum: Vienna, Austria (2013)

The fifth Global Forum of UNAOC took place in Vienna, Austria, in 2013.

4th Global Forum: Doha, Qatar (2011)

The 4th Global Forum was held in Doha, Qatar, from December 11-13, 2011. More than 2,000 people attended. They worked together to find ways to improve relations between cultures and build lasting peace.

3rd Forum: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2010)

Leaders speaking at the 2010 Forum

From May 27-29, 2010, over 2,000 people gathered in Rio de Janeiro. The theme was "Bridging Cultures, Building Peace." They discussed important questions like:

How can we fight intolerance?
What skills do young people need for a multicultural world?
How does globalization affect people's identity?
How do economic differences impact relations between communities?
How can media help connect cultures?
How can we create societies that respect everyone?

At the end of the forum, new projects were announced. These included "Dialogue Cafés" to connect young people globally using video calls.

2nd Forum: Istanbul, Turkey (2009)

The second Forum was held in Istanbul, Turkey, on April 6-7, 2009.

Jorge Sampaio, the UN High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations, speaking at the 2009 Istanbul Forum

Nearly 2,000 people attended, including government leaders and experts. They worked to build trust and cooperation between different communities. The forum also launched new programs, like "Education about Religions and Beliefs." They also formed partnerships with several international groups.

1st Forum: Madrid, Spain (2008)

The first forum was held in Madrid, Spain, on January 15-16, 2008. Over 900 people from 78 countries attended.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (left), Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon (center), and Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero (right)

Spain hosted the event. Leaders, activists, and scholars came together to find ways to bridge divides between nations and cultures. They launched new projects and made commitments to improve relations worldwide.

Recognition

In 2007, UNAOC received the "Dialogue of Civilizations" award. This award was given by the Rumi Forum and Georgetown University. Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan accepted the award.