Secretary-General: Rebuilding trust is essential task

Your Excellency Professor Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, President of the Portuguese Republic, 

I wish to thank your Excellency and the government of Portugal (represented by the Minister of State and Foreign Affairs) for your hospitality and for hosting this Alliance of Civilizations Global Forum.  

At the risk of being somewhat partial, I would like to commend the decision to hold this Forum in my country and in the beautiful city of Cascais.

Portugal understands well the value of bringing together different cultures and civilizations.

I welcome the presence of His Majesty King Philip VI of Spain and his commitment to the Alliance of Civilizations. Following the devastating floods in the region of Valencia, I wish to convey to His Majesty – on behalf of the United Nations, on my own behalf and, I am sure, on behalf of all those here today – our deep solidarity with the Spanish people and, in particular, with the victims of this tragedy.

I also welcome the presence of your Excellency President of the Republic of Cabo Verde, José Maria Neves. With its rich history, identity, culture and diaspora, Cabo Verde brings a very important perspective to today’s discussions and shared objectives.

I thank the governments of Spain and Türkiye, and the Group of Friends of the Alliance, for their continued support and commitment, as well as High Representative Miguel Moratinos for leading this initiative.

On this occasion, I also pay tribute to the memory of Jorge Sampaio - a friend, a statesman, a bridge builder and a fighter for social justice. The commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Alliance and today’s Forum stand as a testament to the legacy of Jorge Sampaio – a result of his hard work as the first High Representative of the Alliance of Civilizations.

I welcome all the states that are represented here today. But in addition to policy and decision-makers, I also note the participation of members of civil society, youth groups, religious leaders and various other actors. Your commitment, dedication and joint work are crucial.

These are very difficult times.

Unfortunately, in every corner of the world, we see the social fabric under serious strain. 

We see cynical strategies to sow divisions and widen fault lines in societies.

We see a groundswell of xenophobia, racism and intolerance -- with social media being exploited as a powerful weapon.

And everywhere, tensions are mounting. 

Human rights are under attack.

The climate crisis keeps worsening.

Sectarianism – of all kinds – is proliferating. 

And conflicts and wars are fueling and accentuating each of these threats.

In these times, we need peace. Above all, peace!

Peace in Ukraine – a just peace in line with the UN Charter, international law and General Assembly resolutions.

Peace in Gaza -- with an immediate cease-fire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, the effective and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid, and the beginning of an irreversible process towards a two-State solution.

Peace in Lebanon -- with an immediate cessation of hostilities, and the full implementation of Security Council resolutions.

Peace in Sudan -- with all parties silencing their guns and committing to a path towards sustainable peace.

Everywhere, we must uphold the values of the UN Charter and International Law, including the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence of all States.

The absence of peace is leading to an erosion of trust.

In the multilateral system, in societies, and in one another.  

Rebuilding trust is our essential task. 

And this makes the work of the Alliance of Civilizations more important than ever. 

I see four crucial areas where we must expand our efforts -- in communities, online, across cultures and institutions.

First, we need to build communities of trust and belonging. 

These are the foundation of more peaceful, just and resilient societies, based on human rights and dignity for all. 

Building trust and cohesion cannot be done by governments or institutions alone. 

We need voices and action across all levels, including grassroots organisations, marginalised communities, local authorities and religious groups.  

The role of religious leaders is especially crucial.

We need meaningful participation of women in decision-making, including in leadership positions.   

And we need to spotlight the vital voices of young people. 

I commend you for pioneering initiatives on strengthening the role of women as peacemakers. 

And I welcome the many alumni of your youth programs here today -- including from the Youth Solidarity Fund and the Intercultural Innovation Hub. 

Second, we must reign in hate speech and disinformation spreading online.  

Hate-filled frenzies are perpetuating stereotypes and misconceptions.

Misinformation and outright lies are fueling repulsive antisemitism, anti-Muslim bigotry and attacks on minority Christian communities, among others.  

These are old tactics with a new medium.

Unchecked digital platforms and Artificial Intelligence have endowed hate speech with a speed and reach unseen before.

The worst impulses of humanity are given a megaphone, and many times they lead to violence.  

With the proliferation of deepfakes, the impossible and the unverified become credible in an instant. 

But we do have constructive ways to address these and other challenges. 

For example, through the United Nations Global Principles for Information Integrity which have put forward recommendations for a more humane information ecosystem. 

Countries also adopted a major new initiative -- the Global Digital Compact -- which is aimed at fostering a safe and secure digital space that respects and protects human rights. 

I also welcome the Alliance’s “Plural Plus” joint initiative with the International Organization for Migration. 

Through the initiative, young media and filmmakers explore the topic of migration and social inclusion, and provide a counter narrative to the negative portrayal of migrants and refugees. 

But the buck does not stop with these efforts.

Big tech companies, advertisers, and media outlets must take responsibility for their role. 

The Global Digital Compact also emphasizes the importance of supporting cultural diversity in the digital space.  

That leads me to the third area – working harder to fully embrace the role of culture and cultural diversity to advance all our goals.

Societies today are multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural. 

This diversity is a richness and our greatest strength, not a threat. 

Respecting and representing all cultures builds trust in society.

And at a time of spreading hatred and intolerance, we must not only defend diversity but we must invest in it. 

Harnessed effectively, cultural diversity can be a powerhouse of ideas and innovation. 

Fourth, rebuilding trust calls for institutions that are more representative.  

More representative institutions mean more effective institutions. 

Yet today, multilateral peace and security tools, and the global financial architecture, are products of a bygone era. 

The Security Council is outdated and frequently paralysed. 

Meanwhile the International Financial Architecture does not reflect today’s economy and has become inadequate and unfair.  

We need to keep working to strengthen global governance – and that is precisely the central tenet of the Pact for the Future -- adopted by consensus at the United Nations in September. 

It calls for decisive steps towards updating and reforming international cooperation to make it more networked, fair and inclusive. 

The Pact also reinforces the call of the Alliance for inclusive, just societies rooted in human rights, respect for religious communities, and intercultural dialogue. 

In these turbulent times, too many people are convinced that differences must define us. 

But the most powerful force of all is the recognition that we are more united by our common fate than divided by our distinct identities. 

That is the essence of the United Nations – and the raison d’être of the Alliance of Civilizations. 

Let’s stand together with our shared faith in humanity. 

One planet. 

One human family. 

Rich in diversity.

Equal in dignity and rights. 

And united in solidarity.

I thank all of you for your leadership and commitment.

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