"All too often, the United Nations must deal with fires after they break out. Through the Alliance of Civilizations, we can stamp out the sparks before they catch," he said at the opening of the second UNAOC Forum yesterday. İstanbul's Çırağan Palace is serving as the venue of the two-day meeting, scheduled to end today.
Ban added that this approach is critical "because no amount of blue helmets, cease-fires or human rights monitors can bring lasting peace without a genuine spirit of cooperation across communities. We urgently need the alliance."
Stressing that economic and financial turmoil are tearing at the fabric of societies, he said there are too many jobless people who are "hungry and angry" and looking for scapegoats.
"They blame the other, the other community, the other group, the other religion," Ban said. "Unfair blame leads to unjust punishment. Even a child could be murdered with the excuse that it would only grow up to be 'one of them'."
Ban said the UNAOC is working with the UN Global Compact to foster tolerance as businesses realize that they have to be able to compete in multicultural environments. "You are here to meet and talk. More than that, you are signing new agreements, launching new networks, funding worthy projects. This is partnership in action," he said.
In his welcoming remarks, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan emphasized that no country can achieve happiness if it isolates itself from the rest. "We have suffered enough because we ignored the problems of others," he said. "To achieve desired outcomes and surpass problems, we have to have consistent policies. We should not leave problems to future generations." Also stressing dialogue, Erdoğan said, "Sincere attempts build sincere bridges between hearts."
The prime minister said the İstanbul forum follows the success of the inaugural gathering, held in Madrid in January 2008 upon the initiative of Spain and Turkey. He added that UNAOC membership has increased to 100, with Cape Verde becoming the latest member.
Erdoğan concluded his remarks by citing Islamic scholar Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi, who said, "Come, come, whoever you are."
 Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and several other world leaders pose for a group photo during the second Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations in İstanbul yesterday. |
Zapatero: Rasmussen will be excellent NATO head
Spanish President José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, the co-founder of the UNAOC with Prime Minister Erdoğan, told the international audience that the newly named chief of NATO, former Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, will be an "excellent" secretary-general.
"NATO is a political organization as much as it is a military one that can gain friends and enemies. I know Rasmussen will be an excellent secretary-general and I want to say that the Alliance of Civilizations is at NATO's service," Zapatero said.
Right after his NATO remarks, Zapatero spoke about the situation in Afghanistan. "We want Afghanistan to stand on its own feet and reconcile the civilian population by eradicating radical inclinations. We want to offer them every possible opportunity to live in peace and development." He added that the European Union and the United States have strengthened their collective commitments in favor of democracy.
Zapatero also underlined US President Barack Obama's message given in Prague in which Obama said he hopes for a world free of nuclear weapons. He said achieving this goal may take time, but that "we must work consistently and tirelessly."
Taking the stage at the opening of the forum, Portuguese President Jorge Sampaio, the high representative for the UNAOC, said the alliance will work to bring about concrete action. "The Alliance of Civilizations will bring results not tomorrow but right now. Let us say, God willing."
Heads of state, international organizations, ministers at UNAOC
The UNAOC Forum is being attended by leaders from Bulgaria, Denmark, Slovenia, Finland and Spain. Azerbaijani President İlham Aliyev was invited, but did not show up. There are also more than 30 foreign ministers attending the forum, including those from Afghanistan, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Estonia, Britain, Sweden, Malta, Romania, Tunisia, Jordan and Greece. Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian was also expected to join the UNAOC forum.
Also present at the forum are the head of the Arab League, Amr Moussa; the president of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu; and secretary-general of the Council of Europe, Terry Davis.
Officials said a number of high-profile initiatives will be presented, including Euro-Mediterranean projects aimed at restoring trust and rebuilding bridges in the region in the wake of the Gaza crisis.
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