Nihal Saad: Azerbaijan plays important role in promoting intercultural dialogue

Azerbaijan is an important partner of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations in promoting intercultural dialogue, as demonstrated by its hosting of the World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue, UN Alliance of Civilizations Director Nihal Saad said at a press conference dedicated to the 7th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue.

According to Report, she noted that the forum is marking its 15th anniversary this year. Saad stressed that amid growing global divisions, the need for intercultural dialogue has become even more pressing than it was 15 years ago.

One of the forum's events will be a plenary session titled "Interfaith Dialogue: A Roadmap to a Shared Future." Participants will discuss the role of religious communities in promoting peace, reconciliation and social cohesion, as well as efforts to combat religious intolerance.

Ahead of the forum, the UN Alliance of Civilizations organized an International Youth Forum in Guba. More than 100 young people from 44 countries, including Azerbaijan, took part.

"Participants discussed the challenges facing their communities and took part in activities aimed at fostering mutual respect, trust and unity. The programme also included a football match between representatives of different countries," she said.

Saad also announced that Baku will host the OneHumanity Concert: Our Oldest Future as part of the forum. Using artificial intelligence, the concert will recreate the likenesses of two prominent 20th-century musicians, Mstislav Rostropovich and Pablo Casals.

According to Saad, the concert aims to demonstrate the power of culture and the arts to bring people together, regardless of the boundaries that divide them.

She emphasized that the World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue remains an important international platform for fostering intercultural and interfaith cooperation, preventing conflicts and promoting peace.