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Dialogue in Baku, which drew widespread participation from

600 representatives of 115 countries on all continents.

The 2nd World Forum has used its convening power to

create space for effective and meaningful dialogue on cultural

diversity and intercultural cooperation. By working within the

existing global context, the forum has positioned itself along-

side its partners, each of whom is responding to the challenges

and opportunities that cultural diversity brings to communi-

ties and for social cohesion.

The forum brought together significant local, national and

global stakeholders. It combined plenary discussions on the

overarching theme of the Forum – Living together peacefully

in a diverse world – with sector-specific workshops promot-

ing agendas of the partner organizations

and side events

prepared and led by partner organizations.

Side events at the

forum included the first summit of the Alumni Network of the

UNAOC Fellowship; the UNAOC ‘Do one thing for diversity

and inclusion’ campaign and the UNESCO ‘Writing Peace’

exhibition among others.

The ‘Living together peacefully in a diverse world’ compe-

tition prizes, as a joint project of Azerbaijan and UNAOC,

were also awarded during the forum, to outstanding projects

run by not-for-profit organizations in Arab and Central Asian

countries that have proven positive results and are protecting

and enhancing cultural diversity.

For the first time the Conference of Ministers responsible

for both fields – culture and tourism– was held in the frame-

work of the 2nd World Forum.

International cultural events were held, including a pres-

entation of films about world nations’ ethnic and traditional

music in the National Seaside Park, a multicultural music

exchange composition, the ‘Colors of life’ exhibition by

German artist Inga Smith and a performance of ‘Dance in

Yanardagh, by Japan Butoh artists Ko Murobushi.

A ballet, ‘Gobustan shadows’, was developed on the occasion

of the 2nd World Forum as a special open-air show against

the backdrop of the Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape,

which was inscribed in the UNESCO List of World Cultural

Heritage in 2007. This piece of art reflects the building-up of a

human collective able not only to learn about nature and make

better living conditions, but also to transcend the utilitarian

needs for warmth and food through creativity and memory.

Under the patronage of President Ilham Aliyev in coop-

eration with UNESCO, UNAOC, UNWTO, the Council of

Europe (including the North-South Centre of the Council of

Europe) and ISESCO, the 3rd World Forum on Intercultural

Dialogue will be held in Baku on 18-19 May 2015.

The 3rd World Forum will have a major theme of culture

and sustainable development in the post-2015 development

agenda, and will focus primarily on projects and programmes

dedicated to the World Day for Cultural Diversity, Dialogue

and Development (21 May) declared by the United Nations

General Assembly, as well as the role of faith, religions, migra-

tion, sport, education and business in building trust and

cooperation among cultures and civilizations.

The theme of the 3rd World Forum reflects the significance

of global security in 2015 and the global attention placed

on the security of vulnerable people at a time of significant

human insecurity.

Several other international events have also been organ-

ized in Azerbaijan in line with the Baku Process, such as the

conference on the role of women in cross-cultural dialogue in

2008, the World Religious Leaders Summit in 2010 and the

Annual Baku International Humanitarian Forum. The Baku

International Multiculturalism Centre was recently estab-

lished in the country.

Even with these many initiatives we have not yet fully

achieved this goal in the world. Religious and ethnic conflicts,

wars and growing trends of misunderstanding, racism and

intolerance in different parts of the world prevail. Terrorism,

separatism and conflicts further deepen these trends. For that

reason, the advancement of intercultural and interreligious

dialogue has become one of the key foreign policy areas in

recent years and an important aspect of our cooperation with

international organizations and governments. Such dialogue

goes hand-in-hand with other strategies to resolve difficulties

without recourse to war and violence

Azerbaijan has joined the UNESCO Convention on the

Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural

Expressions and actively participates in all UNESCO projects

and programmes dedicated to intercultural dialogue and cultural

exchanges, particularly the Action Plan for the International

Decade for the Rapprochement of Cultures (2013–2022), and

the work of the Organization around the Great Silk Road.

The Baku Process has made a noteworthy contribution

to contemporary challenges of living together peacefully by

stressing the importance of intercultural dialogue. The Baku

Process creates opportunity for global conversations between

state and non-state actors and stresses the importance, above

all, of practical actions and collaborations. The theme of the

2015 Forum, ‘Sharing culture for shared security’, highlights

the essence of Azerbaijan’s contribution – understanding

difference so that global security can become achievable.

Azerbaijan is a special and unique place where different cultures and

civilizations meet

Image: Min. of Culture & Tourism, Azerbaijan

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