News

On 27-28 February in Vienna, Lithuania’s Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Neris Germanas attended the 5th UN Alliance of Civilizations Global Forum, entitled “Responsible Leadership in Diversity and Dialogue”.

At the Alliance of Civilizations Group of Friends Meeting, Germanas delivered a speech, which emphasized Lithuania’s role in promoting media freedom and dialogue with the Mediterranean countries during the period of Lithuania’s Chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. In his speech, the Vice-Minister stressed that Lithuania supported activities in the four main fields of action of the UN Alliance of Civilizations – education, youth, media and migration.

The Forum focused on the promotion of responsible leadership in a context of religious pluralism, media pluralism, migration and integration. The Forum also discussed the Alliance’s regional perspectives, reviewed its existing regional strategies, and searched for new opportunities for intercultural cooperation in the Danube Region, South Caucasus and Central Asia.

Participants shared their insights, experiences, and specific proposals for developing intercultural dialogue. Particular emphasis was placed on the role of education in promoting religious pluralism, dialogue and tolerance.

A plenary session and various working seminars were held at the UN Alliance of Civilizations Global Forum. The Forum was attended by heads of state and other officials, representatives of international and regional organizations, private sector, civil society, young people, artists, also representatives of donor agencies and foundations.

The Alliance of Civilizations aims to improve understanding and cooperative relations among nations and peoples across cultures and religions. It carries out its goals of bridging cultures and countering polarization and extremism through a range of projects, prioritising relations between Western and predominantly Muslim societies. The four main fields of action of the Alliance are: youth, education, migration and media. The Alliance of Civilizations continuously brings the importance of promoting interfaith dialogue to the attention of Governments and communities.

The Vice-Minister also held meetings with Foreign Minister of Bangladesh Dipu Moni, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sudan Ali Ahmed Karti, Director of the Department of International Organizations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Paraguay Julio Peralta, and representatives of other countries. They discussed cooperation in international and regional organizations, Germanas presented goals of Lithuania’s upcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union and Lithuania’s bid for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council.

Lithuania has been member of the Alliance of Civilizations since 2006.