Statement by Mr Peter Stone, Adviser, the Permanent Mission of Australia to the United Nations General Assembly under Item 14 Global Agenda for Dialogue among Civilizations and Item 15 Culture of Peace on 18 October 2010.
(as delivered)
Mr President,
Australia is a highly multi-cultural society - home to 200 nationalities and more than 100 religions. Today, one in four Australians was born overseas. On top of that, almost as many have at least one parent who was born overseas. Interfaith and intercultural respect and cooperation have not always come easily. Australia has had to learn hard lessons about how prejudice and distrust can be overcome.
We would like to thank the Secretary-General for his reports “Intercultural, Interreligious and Intercivilizational Understanding” and “The International Decade for a Culture of Peace” introduced today.
We strongly support the Secretary-General in his efforts to promote interreligious and intercultural dialogue and understanding, particularly through the Alliance of Civilizations. We would like to thank the Secretary-General’s High Representative, Mr Jorge Sampaio, for his tireless efforts on behalf of the Alliance. We would also like to recognise Turkey and Spain for their work in co-chairing the Group of Friends.
Mr President,
Australia is encouraged by the work of the Alliance of Civilizations to promote dialogue that delivers change on the ground. We need to confront the threat of cultural and religious division with concrete action. The training of journalist undertaken by the Alliance is one excellent example of such concrete action.
The Alliance of Civilizations complements the regional interfaith initiatives underway in our own Asia-Pacific region, such as the Regional Interfaith Dialogue held in Perth in October last year, as well as the Parliament of the World’s Religions held in Melbourne last December.
Australia also provides extensive support to grassroots interfaith activities in two of our nearest neighbours – Indonesia and the Philippines – that focus on helping NGOs on the ground increase understanding between Christian and Muslim communities.
For example, since 2002, the Australian-Indonesia Institute’s Muslim Exchange Program has fostered contact between emerging leaders of the Muslim communities in Australia and Indonesia. The program now has a community of more than 130 young leaders working to build links with other religious and ethnic groups.
Creative and practical programs, that engage youth and harness education at the local level, can help us improve the dialogue between cultures and promote peace and understanding. Our role as Member States is to enable and encourage this dialogue.
And the United Nations can play an important role as well.
Thank you, Mr President.