OSCE presents Alliance of Civilizations report to UN Secretary-General

UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK, 26 June 2006 - The two top officials from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe handed UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan a report today to help his initiative to overcome the clash of cultures.

Last December, OSCE foreign ministers asked the Organization's Secretary General, Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, to compile a contribution to the UN's "Alliance of Civilizations" initiative that would outline the OSCE's work in this area and propose ways it could contribute further.

The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht, and the OSCE Secretary General met the UN Secretary-General at the world body's New York headquarters. The UN chief announced the initiative last year because of his growing concern about polarization and tensions between different cultures.

"This is a very practical contribution," Minister De Gucht told the UN Secretary-General. "It clearly depicts the OSCE instruments already in use and outlines a series of targeted activities that fit the priority areas already identified."

The 36-page contribution notes the OSCE brings together 56 nations that span three continents and encompass the major world religions and cultures. The OSCE works actively in many countries to promote tolerance and reduce tensions.

"In many respects the OSCE already is an Alliance of Civilizations in action," said the OSCE Secretary General.

The report spells out ways in which the OSCE could contribute to the UN Secretary-General's initiative and suggests how it could be broadened beyond the four chosen areas of education, media, youth and migration to be even more effective. Particularly, the report notes promoting human rights and democratic institutions as well as empowering women both contribute significantly to building cross-cultural understanding.

"I would note in particular this emphasis on democracy and human rights as antidotes to extremism, violence and intolerance, as well as the emphasis on the role of women," the Chairman-in-Office said.