Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is set to represent Türkiye at the 10th Global Forum of the U.N. Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) in Portugal on Tuesday, Turkish diplomatic sources said Sunday.
The forum is taking place with the theme of “United in Peace: Restoring Trust, Reshaping the Future” in the Portuguese city of Cascais on Nov. 25-27.
Dedicated to the 20th anniversary of establishing the Alliance of Civilizations, the forum will discuss concrete steps the international community must take to address challenges that threaten global peace and security, such as racism, discrimination, xenophobia and Islamophobia.
Türkiye has been a co-host with Spain since 2005. Fidan is expected to deliver an opening speech and emphasize the resurgence in polarization, discrimination and extremism 20 years after the alliance’s launch.
The top diplomat will stress the significance of urgent solutions to chronic problems in the Middle East, of a shared international attitude against Islamophobia, which manifests as attacks against Muslims, their holy book, the Quran, and mosques, and argue in favor of appointing a U.N. special envoy to combat Islamophobia.
Fidan will also address the Ministerial Group of Friends High-Level Meeting later.
UNAOC benefits from the political support of the Group of Friends, which is a community of countries and international organizations that actively promotes the Alliance’s objectives and work at the global, regional and local levels. The Group of Friends plays a vital role in UNAOC’s strategic planning and implementation processes.
Through a broad dialogue-based and consensus-building approach, the High Representative for UNAOC seeks the input, advice and support of members of the Group of Friends on all key aspects of UNAOC’s activities and its mandate.
The 10th UNAOC Global Forum is expected to conclude by adopting the Cascais Declaration.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, UNAOC High Representative Miguel Angel Moratinos, King Felipe VI of Spain, and delegates from other member states will be in attendance.
This year’s forum will also include a U.N. Global Conference on Safeguarding Religious Sites per a U.N. resolution adopted in 2021 condemning damage and destruction of religious sites and calling for measures focused on prevention, preparedness and response.
Birth of alliance
Türkiye has been providing political and financial support to the alliance since its launch to make the U.N. system the most active and effective initiative against increasing extremism, hate speech, xenophobia, discrimination, racism and Islamophobia.
Türkiye closely cooperates with the alliance to promote its more effective and visible role in the fight against Islamophobia. Most recently, an exclusive section was reserved for the fight against Islamophobia in the Alliance’s 2024-2026 Action Plan.
UNAOC was established in 2005 as the political initiative of Kofi Annan, former U.N. secretary-general, and co-sponsored by the governments of Türkiye and Spain.
The alliance identifies five priority areas for action: education, youth, migration, media and women as peace mediators. Its activities are fashioned around these areas for mediation, prevention of violent extremism, promoting cross-cultural dialogue, and combating religious intolerance, bigotry and other forms of discrimination.
UNAOC has 160 members, including 131 states and 29 international organizations.
The last Global Forum, hosted as the highest-level activity of the Alliance every two years by a member of the Group of Friends, took place in Morocco in 2022.