Annual

Intercultural dialogue and the UN Alliance
of Civilisations
A quite distinctive component of peacebuilding and
conflict prevention and transformation has been the
Centre’s world-leading role in the promotion of cultural
relations and dialogue between and within cultures.
Our staff act as expert technical assistants to both
the United Nations Alliance of Civilisations and to the
Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan, who has
assumed a global responsibility for the promotion of
intercultural dialogue through the ‘Baku Process’ in
partnership with UNESCO, the Council of Europe
and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. CTPSR
is now included as a core member of the task force
for intercultural dialogue with these partners reflecting
the respect with which the Centre is held for its
competence and capability in this critical area.
During a recent visit to our Centre, Nasser Abdulaziz
al-Nasser, High Representative for the United Nations
Alliance of Civilisations, appointed by Secretary-
General Ban Ki-moon, observed Coventry and
the Centre to be “beacons for dialogue between
communities of difference”.
“I see here in this beautiful city a diverse community,
living in harmony. Because of the work of this special
Centre, the University, the Cathedral and national and
local government are working together in the area of
mediation, reconciliation and forgiveness. This is a great
job and if we saw more of this work around the world, I
believe that we would have a better world.”
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