Speech of Koichiro Matsuura, Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural organization (UNESCO)  

Mr. President,
Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is an honour and a pleasure to be with you today, on the occasion of the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, which is being held for the second time in Astana, the dynamic young capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan. It is particularly appropriate that participants from across the globe have gathered here, in the recently inaugurated Palace of Peace and Accord, to promote dialogue among religions in the name of world peace.

I wish to begin by congratulating President Nazarbayev for launching this important initiative, and for offering such a warm welcome to all participants. I would also like to pay tribute to his efforts to consolidate a dialogue among Kazakhstan's religious communities. In doing so he has created a model for peaceful coexistence, and a bold reminder to the world that people of different faiths can live together in harmony.

Let me welcome and thank all those religious leaders, who have come from near and far, to join us here today. Let me also say, how pleased I am to see gathered here scientists, statesmen and other distinguished public figures as well.

Such widespread support for this Congress gives testimony to the deep felt need within the international community to counter the current upsurge in religious intolerance and extremism, and build a platform for inter-religious dialogue and peace.

UNESCO is greatly honoured to be associated with this event, which resonates strongly with the Organization's objectives and activities across the world, and in particular here in Central Asia. This region has provided the setting for several important inter-religious encounters in recent years.

In 2000, for example, I had the honour to participate in the Congress on Inter-religious Dialogue held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. This landmark meeting led to the establishment of "UNESCO Chairs on Inter-religious Dialogue for Intercultural Understanding" in nearly all Central Asian countries. The work of these Chairs represents a solid contribution towards building inter-religious understanding, nurturing respect for the region's cultural and religious diversity, and helping to prevent the spread of religious extremism.

Your Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Through its distinctive geographical, political and historical context, Kazakhstan provides an ideal location for the present Congress. The country is situated along the legendary Silk Road, where myriad cultures and religions have interacted for centuries. This history of fertile intermingling is a reminder that no spiritual tradition has evolved in isolation. The world's religions have all developed through processes of dialogue and exchange - processes that have proved immensely enriching, as the experience in Kazakhstan shows.

Today, the citizens of Kazakhstan - representing almost all of the world's religions - enjoy a uniquely rich and open spiritual life. This is a particularly noteworthy accomplishment in a region where religion has sometimes been instrumentalized for partisan ends, or simply disregarded. It is indeed deeply encouraging to see how Kazakhstan is now working with its Central Asian neighbours to build a peaceful future, where every religion and culture is free to affirm its identity within a spirit of mutual tolerance and respect.

During the First Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in September 2003, representatives of the world's major monotheist faiths recognized inter-religious dialogue to be one of the most effective instruments for ensuring peace and security. In the Cong­ress's final Declaration, the 18 religious delegations pledged to fight against "extremism, terrorism and other forms of violence which have nothing to do with genuine understanding of religion" and declared that the "diversity of religious beliefs and practices should not lead to mutual suspicion, discrimination and humiliation but to mutual acceptance and harmony, demonstrating characteristics of each religion and culture".

In the current global context, the international community must be reminded of this essential message, and endeavour to promote dialogue as a means of transcending cultural and religious differences. The world's decision-makers need to work hand-in-hand with religious leaders to reaffirm their rejection of the fatalistic theory of the "clash of civilizations" and to redirect attention towards the values that constitute our shared humanity: justice, tolerance, and respect for the other.

In this regard, the work of the Alliance of Civilizations - initiated by the Secretary General of the United Nations and supported by UNESCO - provides a strong example of the way forward. In particular, it highlights the need to transform our shared commitment to dialogue into concrete actions. UNESCO is specifically engaged in developing practical initiatives in the areas of education, culture and mass media. I look forward to hearing your recommendations on how we can enhance the effectiveness of our work in these fields.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Leaders gathered here today represent the great diversity of the world's religious traditions. They also demonstrate - in their commitment to mutual understanding and respect - the foundations of our common humanity. The task before us all, over the coming two days, is to identify concrete strategies for strengthening such unity in diversity.

This will entail measures to promote the respect of religious freedom and the rights of minorities. It also requires efforts to develop mutual understanding and respect for different religious beliefs. Freedom and respect are two fundamental principles on which we cannot compromise. They alone provide the basis for effective dialogue and, through dialogue, for building peace and security.

The Congress Såå this, also enables us to explore the ways and means of reducing the negative aspects to some attitudes, especially those that may incite intolerance, hatred or violence. We have the responsibility to counter the perversion of religious beliefs towards sectarianism and fanaticism, and to reaffirm the eminently ethical message of religions - of charity, equality, solidarity and peace.

This Congress, furthermore, offers an opportunity to address the relation of religions to larger development processes. On the one hand, this entails recognizing the role that poverty and social injustice may play in the emergence of extremism. On the other hand, it means highlighting the important contribution religious communities can make to achieving sustainable development. Through their social presence and moral authority, as well as the accumulated wisdom they embody, religious groups possess an immense capacity to advance human development.

Distinguished participants,

I would like to assure you that UNESCO will not only closely follow the debates and recommendations of this Congress, but will also take them into consideration as it develops its own programs devoted to promoting dialogue. The partnership of religious leaders is highly valued by the Organization, and this Congress furnishes an excellent opportunity to strengthen our cooperation still further.

I wish you success in your deliberations.

Thank you.