OHRID, Aug 29 (Hina) - Tolerance, ecumenism, and human rights are crucial for the establishment of "genuine" and "continued" dialogue among civilisations, Croatian President Stjepan Mesic said in Macedonia's Ohrid on Friday at a
two-day UNESCO forum on dialogue among civilisations.
OHRID, Aug 29 (Hina) - Tolerance, ecumenism, and human rights are
crucial for the establishment of "genuine" and "continued"
dialogue among civilisations, Croatian President Stjepan Mesic
said in Macedonia's Ohrid on Friday at a two-day UNESCO forum on
dialogue among civilisations. #L#
Mesic called for eliminating every form of intolerance and
discrimination grounded in cultural and civilisational
differences.
He highlighted the importance of ecumenism, "which helps people of
different world views get to know and understand each other".
Mesic said the right to life, self-determination, cultural
identity, minorities' rights, to participate in decision-making
within communities, to a different opinion, religious freedom and
personal dignity were human rights the protection of which was
especially important in Europe's southeast, a region, he added,
where in the past and in recent wars religious, cultural and
civilisational differences served as instruments to commit
aggression.
Mesic said he was pleased the draft of Europe's new constitution
stated that Europe wished to remain a continent open to cultural
dialogue. He added that the "destiny and success" of new Europe and
the European Union would also depend on how it integrated the
countries and nations which for a long time were regarded as its
"suburbs".
The Ohrid forum was opened by Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski
and UNESCO Secretary-General Koichiro Matsuura.
Ethnic tensions are still present in the Balkans, as evidenced by
the latest incidents in Macedonia, Matsuura said, pointing out that
the stability of the whole continent depended on the stability of
its southeast.
Speaking of ways to reach peace in the region, Matsuura mentioned
independent media, freedom of press and speech, strengthening
education as the strongest lever in the promotion of tolerance and
understanding, cooperation in science, and joint efforts in the
preservation of the region's cultural and natural resources, of
which 54 are on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Matsuura announced he would put for adoption at UNESCO's general
conference in a few weeks' time a statement on the deliberate
destruction of cultural heritage. He hopes a unanimous adoption
will lead to a lasting, binding solution, notably for peoples in
Southeast Europe.
In light of the latest ethnic incidents in Macedonia, Foreign
Minister Ilinka Mitreva said her government would resolutely
counter every attempt, either criminal or political, to
destabilise the country.
(hina) ha