Intercultural dialogue priority for OSCE, other organizations

STRASBOURG, 7 July 2008 - Promotion of intercultural dialogue and management of diversity is one of the main priorities of the OSCE, the United Nations, the Council of Europe and several other organizations, senior officials from the groups recalled today.

"Intercultural dialogue could help in formulating responses to current tasks," the groups said in a joint communique after an annual meeting bringing the three organizations and partners together. "Such dialogue needs a supportive political environment, aimed at greater social justice and characterized by a strong role for civil society."

Such meetings, held since 1993, provide a forum to bring about a co-ordinated international response to global and regional threats to human security.

Focusing on the work of the OSCE, the communique said its field operations and institutions promoted intercultural dialogue through education, awareness-raising, discussions and training sessions for civil society and coalition-building on specific topics.

Participants, including OSCE Secretary General Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, Council of Europe Secretary General Terry Davis and Sergei Ordzhonikidze, the Director-General of the UN Office at Geneva, also declared that they were determined to strengthen co-operation and co-ordination in the field of intercultural dialogue and discussed opportunities for joint action in this field.

The full text of the statement is available on this link: Joint Communiqué of the Council of Europe, the OSCE and the UN .