World Forum on intercultural dialogue. Baku 7-9 April 2011

The World Forum on intercultural dialogue took place in Baku (Azerbaijan): “Intercultural knowledge and cultural diversity to achieve peace and development”. The Forum was organised by the Azeri government with the support of UNESCO, UN Alliance of Civilisations, Council of Europe and ISESCO (Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation).

The aim of the Forum is to face the challenge of intercultural dialogue with its conceptual, political, practical and governance profiles as well as to identify strategies and best practices to promote dialogue in different contexts.

In preparation for the Forum, two documents were published: a concept note (World Forum Concept Note) and a research paper on intercultural dialogue (World Forum Information Paper). The latter, in particular, states that (p. 26) “ although the concept [of intercultural dialogue] has a solid normative basis and a clear political utility, it has not yet sufficient “scientific substance”. It exists, indeed, only an academic volume on intercultural dialogue”, and it quotes in footnote the volume “Intercultural Dialogue and Citizenship: Translating Values into Actions-A Common Project for Europeans and their Partners” by Léonce Bekemans, Maria Karasinska-Fendler, Marco Mascia, Antonio Papisca, Constantine Stephanou and Peter G Xuereb, (Venice, Marsilio, 2007).

Last update

13/4/2011