"Humans are being dealt with here. Differences will always exist when people from different societies come together," John. W. Ashe said in an interview with Antara during the Sixth Global Forum of United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), in BNDCC, Bali.
Being different does not refer to being illicit, Ashe said, although the worlds trend has begun to show emergence of new conflicts, such as in Syria and Iraq, and reemergence of the old conflicts, such as between Palestine and Israel, which have often been triggered because of difference in views.
"Society cannot be monolithic, consisting of people from a single religion, culture, and ethnicity," Ashe pointed out.
Despite the differences, people should find the key element that unites them as a common family, he said.
At the opening session of the forum, UNAOC High Representative Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser stated that the crises in some Middle East, Asian, and African countries have clearly demonstrated that societies were grappling with identity-based tension.
"At the same time, we observe that identity is being used to divide people rather than unite them toward a common purpose," Al-Nasser said.
Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa, meanwhile, noted that by accepting, embracing, and celebrating diversity, people can promote mutual tolerance and respect for each other.
"Diversity is a source of strength and not of weakness," he stated at the forum that is focusing on the overarching theme "Unity in Diversity" and reaffirming the importance of common and shared values as a unifying factor in a multi-divergent world.
Minister Natalegawa also highlighted that the challenges in addressing unity in diversity were the willingness to respect the voices, votes, and aspirations of the people, including that of the minority.
The Sixth Global Forum of UNAOC was opened on Friday by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, UN Secretary General Ban-Ki moon, Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa, and High Representative of UNAOC Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser.
President Yudhoyono at the forum underlined that human race had been paying the cost of intolerance for a very long time.
"One would believe that after more than 180 million deaths and so much hunger, disease, and pain endured because of armed conflicts in the 20th century, humans will renounce war forever. We, however, have not escaped its grip," Yudhoyono said to around 106 representatives and 1,300 participants from various countries at the forum held from August 29-30.
UNAOC activities have been fashioned around four areas--Education, Youth, Migration, and Media--which have been aimed at playing a critical role in helping to reduce cross-cultural tensions and building bridges between communities.***1***
(T.A059/INE/f001)
Reporter: Aditya E.S. Wicaksono
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2014
