RIYADH: ARAB NEWS
Monday 27 May 2013

The vision of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah for a world living in peace and harmony will be outlined at a major international conference this week.

Dr. Abdullah Al-Jasir, Ministry of Culture and Information undersecretary for media affairs, will present a paper on the king’s views at the Second World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue (WFID2) to be held Wednesday through Saturday, in Baku, Azerbaijan. The event is entitled “Living Together in a Multicultural World.”

Al-Jasir’s paper will outline the King’s goals including the establishment of a national center for dialogue and other initiatives.

It will include the recommendations of the International Islamic Conference for Dialogue held in Makkah in 2008.
The paper will also address the recommendations of the World Madrid Forum for Dialogue generated from the followers of religions and cultures around the world.

It will focus on the international partnership, which saw Saudi Arabia, Austria and Spain establish the King Abdullah International Center for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID) in Vienna.

Representatives from governments, international agencies, business and civil society will attend WFID2.

They will focus on building a peaceful world together, the particular challenges of multicultural societies and the responsibilities of citizens around the world.

Ministers from Syria, Mozambique and Tunisia will also participate in the forum initiated by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

Previously held in the Azerbaijani capital, the forum will highlight intercultural dialogue as one of the most pressing challenges in the world.

The main partners of the forum are the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), UN Alliance of Civilizations, UN World Tourism Organization, Council of Europe and the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO).

The program of the upcoming forum includes several sessions and side events prepared and led by partner organizations. These include the Intercultural Innovation Award ceremony for Central Asia, Black Sea and Mediterranean regions, and workshops on intercultural dialogue throughout history.