The 6th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue themed "Dialogue for Peace and Global Security" kicked off on Wednesday in Baku, Azerbaijan.
The three-day forum is organized by the government of Azerbaijan, in partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco), the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), the World Tourism Organization (WTO), and the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), and brings together 700 distinguished guests representing more than 100 countries, along with senior government officials.
The forum aims to contribute to strengthening global peace and security through constructive dialogue. The forum will feature 4 plenary sessions and 12 panel discussions on topics such as education, youth, climate change, artificial intelligence, protection of cultural heritage, illegal migration, and other areas.
In his opening speech at the forum, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said: "Azerbaijan has been a crossroads of cultures for centuries. Our geographical location, positioned between East and West, has paved the way for this tendency." "We are strongly committed to multilateralism and have promoted the values of multilateralism during our four-year chairmanship in the Non-Aligned Movement from 2019 until the beginning of this year."
He emphasized that during Azerbaijan's presidency of the Non-Aligned Movement, important steps were taken for its institutional formation, recalling the establishment of the Non-Aligned Movement's parliamentary network, the youth organization, and the women's platform at the initiative of Azerbaijan. He said: "I am sure that the institutional development of the Non-Aligned Movement will continue in the future."
He added that the intercultural dialogue within Azerbaijan has always been very positive. He pointed out that multiculturalism is not just a concept for the citizens of Azerbaijan, but rather a way of life.
The World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue, which is an integral part of the "Baku Process" on intercultural dialogue initiated by President Ilham Aliyev in 2008, was first held in Baku in 2011, and subsequently organized in 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2019. The number of countries and organizations participating in the Forum has significantly increased over the past period.
