Jorge Sampaio

Draft Press Release

South East European countries put intercultural cooperation first

NEW YORK, December 10th 2010 – In a unique demonstration of commitment at the highest level to promote further good neighbourly relations and to enhance regional cooperation aimed at strengthening bridges between people and communities by promoting intercultural dialogue, countries of South Eastern Europe will come together under the banner of the UN Alliance of Civilizations to agree on a Regional Strategy on Intercultural Dialogue. Ministers of Foreign Affairs from thirteen countries in the region, along with representatives of Spain, Turkey, Switzerland, Sweden (as EU Presidency) and Brazil (that will host the next annual Forum), will meet on Monday, December 14th, in Sarajevo, to agree on a framework to implement a range of concrete actions in the field of education, media and youth aimed at fostering intercultural understanding in the region.
This event will bring together a unique combination of partners: Governments, International Organizations (among them UNESCO, the International Organization for Migration, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Council of Europe, the Regional Cooperation Council and the European Union) and a wide range of civil society organizations will be working hand in hand, developing a comprehensive approach to building inclusive societies, based on democratic governance of cultural diversity.
The Sarajevo meeting will set the tone for enhanced regional cooperation focusing on the key areas of work of the UN Alliance of Civilizations, in particular youth, education and media. The joint strategy that will emerge from the meeting will focus on the need to increase education opportunities, providing youth people with the skills and knowledge they need to navigate an increasingly intercultural world. It will draw on the ideas and energy of young people, empowering them to develop their own cross-cultural initiatives. This joint strategy will also build on the strength of media and the power it has to shape attitudes and increase people-to-people communication through online networks. Finally, it will address the challenges of migration and will strengthen the role of women in creating opportunities for cross-cultural cooperation.
The Sarajevo meeting will also be an opportunity for countries in the region to strengthen their commitment to developing National Plans for Intercultural Dialogue, increase regional exchanges on good practices in promoting intercultural understanding, and promote the participation of a broad range of partners to enhance regional cooperation, including local governments, cities, civil society organizations, the corporate sector, universities, faith-based organizations, youth and the media.
Ahead of the Sarajevo Meeting, the High Representative for the UN Alliance of Civilizations, President Jorge Sampaio, said: “This Regional Strategy is a step forward in achieving the Alliance’s goals. Let’s now work to finalize the Plan of Action and make things move on the ground”

Note to Editors
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations was established in 2005 at the initiative of Spain and Turkey, under the aegis of the United Nations. It seeks to build trust and understanding across cultures and communities worldwide. Working with its global network of government partners, the Alliance promotes policies and initiatives aimed at improving relations between diverse cultural groups. It also works at grassroots level, promoting innovative projects in education, youth, media and migration in order to build trust, reconciliation and mutual respect among diverse communities.

Programme of the Conference 
Photo opportunity and press conference: 14th December, at 12hoo at the Building of the Parliamentary of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hall for press conference (2nd floor)
To attend the Conference, please register: tp.obactennull@snitramailerua
For media enquiries, please contact Ms Florence Laufer at 001-917-238-1419

FIRST ALLIANCE OF CIVILIZATIONS’ SOUTH EAST EUROPEAN CONFERENCE

PROGRAMME

Sarajevo, 14 December 2009

Building of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Great Hall

PROGRAMME

Monday
14 December 2009

08:30 – Arrival of the participants. Registration

Venue: The Building of the Parliamentary Assembly of
Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Great Hall

09:00 – Opening session of the Conference
Speakers:
(5 minutes each)
– Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr. Željko Komšić
– Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr. Sven Alkalaj
– Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Spain, Mr. Miguel Moratinos
– Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey, Mr. Ahmet Davutoglu
– Speaker of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr. Milorad Živković,
– UN High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations, Mr Jorge Sampaio

09:30 – 09:35 – Video on the Alliance of Civilizations

09:40 – 10:40 – Plenary Session – “Unlocking diversity to strengthening intercultural dialogue and cooperation in South-Eastern Europe”

“A positive impulse to intercultural exchange is vital to encourage cross-fertilization from which innovation can proliferate. It will require new outlooks, skills and aptitudes from politicians, professionals and ordinary people. The most important of these are cultural literacy and cultural competence” – Phil Wood and Charles Landry, The Intercultural City

Chair : H.E. Minister Sven Alkalaj
Key-note introductory remarks by Mrs Irina Bokova, Director General of UNESCO followed by a debate
Moderator: Ms. Radmila Sekerinska, Member of Parliament, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Panellists: Mr Hido Biscevic (Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council),
Prof. Dr. Joseph Mifsud, president of the Euro-Mediterranean University (EMUNI), Mrs Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni (Coordinator for Intercultural Dialogue for the Council of Europe), Ambassador José Lindgren Alves (representative of Brazil), Ambassador Stefan Lehne (Austrian diplomat).

10:40 – 11:00 Coffee break
11: 00 – 12:15 Presentation of the Sarajevo Declaration and the Alliance of Civilizations’ Regional Strategy for Southeast Europe followed by Ministerial Statements by Protocol order (5 minutes each – all Ministers in the podium).
Chair: President Jorge Sampaio, United Nations High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations
12:15 – Closing of the first part of the Conference
Family Photo

12:15 – 12:45 Press Conference (MFA of B&H, High Representative of AoC,

Venue: Hall for press conference
(second floor)

12:45 – 14:30 Official lunch, hosted by H.E. Sven Alkalaj, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Invited: Ministers/Heads of delegations
Venue: The Building of the Parliamentary Assembly (ground floor)

For the other members of delegations and participants of the Conference a buffet lunch will be provided
Venue: The Building of the Parliamentary Assembly (ground floor)

Afternoon session:

The afternoon working sessions are intended to held informed debates on practical ideas and possible projects to be included in the framework of the future Plan of Action for 2010-2012 implementing the Regional Strategy adopted and presented in the morning

14:30 – 16:00 –Action Network Workshops (sign up required)

ACTION NETWORK WORKSHOPS
Action Networks are small targeted sessions intended for participants who want a deeper discussion on a specific topic and who want to identify like-minded partners within that topic area; these sessions also provide partnership-building opportunities for participants with shared interests and offer approaches for best practices.

14:30 – 15h30 – Two simultaneous workshops:

Workshop 1 – Education on cultural diversity – Teaching history

Venue: Room 1 (first floor)

“What is the relationship between education, historical memories of violence, and the formation of cultural and national identity? What can and should history education try to achieve in deeply damaged societies to foster development in young people and transformation of attitudes? How can the teaching of history help transitional societies become more democratic?” (Elizabeth Cole and Judy Barsalou, “Unite and Divide? The challenges of Teaching History)”

Kick-off: Mr Jean-Pierre Titz (Council of Europe, History Teaching Division)
Respondents –Nr Nenad Sebek (CDRSEE, Center for Democracy and Reconciliation in Southeast Europe), Ms Joke van der Leew-Roord (EUROCLIO), Dr. Georg. Stöber (Georg Eckert Institute, tbc), Mr. Mladen Dragesevic (Regional Cooperation Council), Lejla Mazlic. (Human Rights House Sarajevo), Katerina Stenou (UNESCO).
The audience will then have an opportunity to ask questions, make comments and/or put forward ideas for new projects to be developed and implemented in the region in 2010-2012

Workshop 2 – Engaging youth in change

Venue: Room 2 (first floor)

“Kindergartens, schools, youth clubs and youth activities in general are key sites for intercultural learning and dialogue. For this to be true, children and young people should be given the opportunity to meet and engage with their peers from diverse backgrounds, with a view to communicate and to develop joint activities. The more integrated these sites are, the more effective they are in terms of intercultural learning.” (Council of Europe, White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue )

Kick-off: Mrs Regina Boucault (IOM, tbc)
Respondents: Ms Jelena Spasovic (Advisory Council of Youth, Council of Europe), Mr Jasmin Jaraseciv (PRONI Center for Youth Development), Mrs Irina Vassileva (Vifralie Programme), Ambassador Elshad Iskandarov (ICYF-DC), Mrs Zagorba Aksentijevic (GRUPA 484), Ms Linda King (UNESCO).
The audience will then have an opportunity to ask questions, make comments and/or put forward ideas for new projects to be developed and implemented in the region in 2010-2012

15h30 – 16h30 – Workshop 3 – New tools for building local intercultural citizenship

Venue: Room 3 (first floor)

“There is an urgent need to invest in cultural diversity and dialogue. Integrating cultural diversity into a wide range of public policies – including those somewhat remote from the cultural field proper – can help renew the international community’s approaches to two key objectives: development and peace building and conflict prevention” (UNESCO World Report, Investing in Cultural Diversity and Intercultural Dialogue)

Kick off: Mrs Katerina Stenou (UNESCO)

Respondents: Mrs Sanela Fezic (JU Gimnazija Vaso Pelagic BRCKO), Sara Piteira (Executive Director of Dialogue Café), Mrs Galina Shtarbeva (Re inventing the Balkans), Mrs Lucica Humenuc (Romania Independent Society of Human Rights), Dr Calin Rus (Intercultural Centre), Juan Carlos Antunez (Civil consultant EUFOR ).
The audience will then have an opportunity to ask questions, make comments and/or put forward ideas for new projects to be developed and implemented in the region in 2010-2012

16:30- 17:00 – Coffee break

17:00 – 17:15 – Wrap up session by Mr. Jean-Christophe Bas (Senior Advisor, Strategic Development and Partnerships, Alliance of Civilizations’ Secretariat) – sharing outcomes from workshops and announcing partnership-building opportunities for participants with shared interests (

17:15 – Closing of the Conference by President Sampaio

17:30 – Adjourn

WITH SPECIAL FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF: