Baku:The 7th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue commenced in Baku, Azerbaijan, focusing on the theme “Dialogue for a Shared Future Building Bridges in a Fractured World.” The forum, which runs through October 29, gathers leaders from international organizations to address global challenges and discuss strategies for fostering a shared future.
According to Qatar News Agency, the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) is co-organizing the event in partnership with Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Culture, the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and UN Tourism. The forum emphasizes the importance of intercultural dialogue as a crucial element for peace and mutual understanding in today’s divided world.
During the opening session, ICESCO’s Director-General, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, highlighted the organization’s dedication to the Baku Process and its vision of dialogue as essential for peace and a leadership responsibility. He underscored the urgency of prioritizing intercultural dialogue amid global conflicts that threaten the world economy, peace, and prosperity.
Dr. AlMalik introduced several initiatives led by ICESCO to promote peace, including the Peace 360° initiative, civilizational diplomacy, and the ICESCO Young Ambassadors for Peace network, which comprises nearly 300 young leaders from over 80 countries. He also pointed out ICESCO’s strategic collaboration with Azerbaijan, involving projects like rehabilitating schools in Syria, supporting girls’ education in Burkina Faso and Niger, and establishing the ICESCO-Azerbaijan Natavan Heritage Excellence Award with the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.
Dr. AlMalik stressed the need for greater investment in community-based prevention efforts and emphasized the importance of supporting youth-led projects and enhancing teachers’ abilities to counter extremist ideologies. He proposed launching a one-year pilot project in three member states and called for sustained support for education and heritage in conflict-affected societies. These efforts, he stated, are vital to addressing the root causes of extremism and reinforcing social resilience, highlighting the significance of prevention as equally critical as crisis response.