BY ANSAR M BHATTI

BAKU, MAY 04 (DNA) -The 5th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue held under the motto “Building dialogue into action against discrimination, inequality and violent conflict” has ended in Baku.

Addressing the closing ceremony, Executive Director of the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations at Coventry University, UK, Professor Michael Hardy thanked the Government of Azerbaijan for the excellent organization of the Forum.

He highlighted the importance of the event. Michael Hardy said that three main plenary sessions on the themes of “Managing diversity: multi-level and multi-sectoral collaboration”, “Youth4Peace: Building a CounterNarrative to Violent Extremism” and “Migration, displacement and human security” were held on the sidelines of the Forum.

Azerbaijan`s Minister of Culture Abulfas Garayev thanked all participants and partners. He noted that important topics were discussed during the 2-day Forum.

Then High Representative of the UN Alliance of Civilizations Miguel Ángel Moratinos, Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences at UNESCO Nada Al-Nashif, ISESCO Director General Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri and UNWTO Executive Director Manuel Butler Halter commended the Government of Azerbaijan and President Ilham Aliyev for the excellent organization of the event.

The 5th World Forum examined the critical role of Intercultural Dialogue as an actionable strategy for building human solidarity and helping localities counter the violence and discrimination in diverse communities.

Moreover, the 2nd High Level Panel of the Heads of International Organizations  and the Ministerial Panel  was held within the Forum in order to build synergy and partnership among political, economic, financial, military, humanitarian and social organizations along with other stakeholders to elaborate a common roadmap for assisting public, private and third sector organizations in building inclusive and sustainable societies through promoting intercultural dialogue and human dignity.

Launched in 2008, the Baku Process has for 10 years worked to create a positive platform for an open and respectful exchange of views between individuals and groups with different ethnic, cultural, religious and linguistic backgrounds, living on different continents, on the basis of mutual understanding and respect.=DNA