OIC’s Views on Dialogue Among Civilizations
Foreword:
Dialogue among
civilizations which was suggested by the Iranian President
Seyyed Mohammad Khatami and accepted by the United Nations drew
the attention of many countries, particularly the Islamic
states. During their meetings, the Organization of Islamic
Conference (OIC) member states discussed various aspects to
enrich this idea. Following is the full text of Tehran
declaration on dialogue among civilization as widely welcomed by
the participants.
Muslim countries’
representatives participating in the Organization of Islamic
Conference (OIC), in their meeting convened in April, 1999 in
Tehran while stressing on OIC’s previous statements and
resolutions, especially paragraphs related to the Tehran statement
and referring to the 8th OIC summit meeting along with U.N.’s
General Assembly’s Resolution, which has declared the year 2001 as
the United Nations year of dialogue among civilizations, confirmed
their Islamic solidarity with the Islamic Republic of Iran.
By the cognition of Islamic
teachings and pure Islamic values on dignity, equality, civility,
peace, justice for man and with the application of Islamic
fundamentals like “performing good deeds and prohibiting evil” in
identifying the differences between human beings, recognizing
various scientific and scholarly resources, promoting mutual
dialogue, mutual respect for fellow human beings, encouraging
dialogue and discussions in the context of courtesy and based on
reasoning and rationality, with reaffirmation of the commitment of
their governments in upgrading dialogue and understanding among
cultures and civilizations aimed at reaching a world community in
order to lay the foundation of a new world order based on common
moral values for the new third millennium, with deep appreciation
for President Mohammad Khatami, Secretary-General of the 8th
summit for declaring 2001 as the year of dialogue among
civilizations welcomed by the United Nations as proposed by the
Iranian president, also the Islamic meeting of dialogue among
civilizations as the first step toward the coordination of OIC
efforts to effect dialogue with the contemporary civilizations.
With appreciation of efforts undertaken by the Organization of
Islamic Conference (OIC) secretary general in promoting dialogue
among civilizations and expressing satisfaction over the revision
of his report on the following subjects:
1. Decision on the following
guidelines as ratified for performing dialogue among
civilizations;
2. Requesting the
secretary-general of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC)
to submit this statement for approval to the secretary-general of
the 8th Summit as well as 28th foreign ministerial summit for
appropriate decision-making.
A – General principles of
dialogue among civilizations
1. Respect for the dignity
and equality of all human beings without considering any
discrimination and equality for large and small nations alike.
2. Acceptance of the
diversity of cultures in its true sense as lasting qualification
for the human society as an outstanding asset for progress and
welfare for human being.
3. Mutual respect for
cultural values and views of different civilizations and the
rights of all member states to preserve their cultural heritage
and values and prohibiting any offense to moral, religious or
cultural values, their sanctities and sacred places.
4. To recognize various
resources of man’s knowledge regardless of time and place and the
need for employment and enrichment of every civilization in a
genuine process.
5. Rejecting any attempt to
impose cultural domination as well as the employment of doctrines
and efforts which create clashes among civilizations.
6. Investigating all common
aspects of dialogue in various civilizations or between different
civilizations in order to cope with any global challenges.
7. Acceptance of the spirit
of cooperation and examining means for better understanding as an
appropriate tool to enhance common values towards the removal of
global challenges.
8. Commitment of all tribes
and nations to participate in decision-makings at national and
international levels and the process of distribution of values
without any discrimination.
9. Reliance on the
principles of justice, equality, peace and solidarity and also
fundamental principles of international rights and the United
Nations Charters.
B – Backgrounds of
Dialogue Among Civilizations
1. Response to the desire
expressed by human beings for faith and morality.
2. Further increase in
mutual understanding and recognition of different civilizations.
3. Cooperation and
enrichment in various aspects of man’s effort and achievements in
science, technology, culture, society, politics, economy, security
…
4. Enhancing the culture of
civility and respect in coping with different civilizations.
5. Cooperation on preventing
world threats such as destabilizing peace, security and social
welfare including erosion of environment, conflicts, armament,
narcotic drugs, terrorism…
6. Confidence-building and
mutual respect at regional and international levels.
7. Upgrading and
preservation of human rights and promoting the rights of
minorities and immigrants in safeguarding their cultural identity
and observing their values and beliefs.
8. Upgrading and
preservation of women’s rights and status and preserving the
family establishment and providing support for the vulnerable
stratum of human society including children, youth and the
elderly.
C – Participants in the
dialogue
1. Representatives of
contemporary civilizations should have the capability to
participate in the course of dialogue and enrich mutual
understanding.
2. Cultural figures,
thinkers, scientists, economists and artists are the main forces
for activating and continuation of dialogue.
3. Governments and their
representatives should play the role of forerunners in
encouragement of dialogue among civilizations.
4. The representatives of a
civil society, in order to promote the culture of dialogue among
different world communities, should play a pivotal role and they
should actively participate in the dialogue.
5. International
organizations, particularly the United Nations, in an appropriate
framework, pave the way for further promotion of activating and
continuation of dialogues.
6. The Organization of
Islamic Conference (OIC) should employ new initiatives to provide
facilities in the Islamic World at a global level.
D – Upgrading the culture
of dialogue among civilizations
1. Commitment and
responsibility of governments and civil communities, member states
non-governmental organizations inside and outside the World of
Islam, cultural and training organs and also the secretary of the
Organization of Islamic Conference and affiliated institutions or
their subsidiary organizations to upgrading the moderate cultural
dialogue as a new pattern in international relations which should
be applied both in the World of Islam and throughout the world.
2. Inauguration of
pre-planned meetings for encouraging dialogue and demonstrating
the mutual understanding and acceptance among contemporary
civilizations.
3. To produce cultural
products individually or communally of items such as books,
articles, documentary films and audio-visual products to display
the real message of Islam and depict numerous historical examples
of the Islamic and other civilizations.
4. Urging the civil society
and non-governmental organizations to provide cultural and
training programs in order to support understanding among
civilizations.
5. Compiling pre-planned
programs for the promotion and upgrading of mutual understanding
and acceptance of cultures and different civilizations in text
books including teaching in various languages.
6. Promotion of studies and
cultural exchanges among states in institutes of higher education.
7. Employment of the most
advanced technology through audio-visual instruments including the
mass media in order to propagate the message of dialogues
throughout the world.
8. Employment of the tourism
industry as a tool for historical and cultural understanding among
civilizations.
9. Conduct studies on
exploring ways and means towards the strengthening of
understanding among different cultures.
E – Application of
dialogue among civilizations in the case of sensitive and
crisis-ridden situation prevailing in international relations
1. The determination of
prominent international affairs pundits on the formation of a new
world order based on dialogue and mutual respect to replace
old-fashioned methods of competition of restoring to force and
seeking own interest through narrow-minded policies.
2. Not embarking on war and
threat or resorting to force in international relations except in
the case of defensive measures.
3. Global commitment on
resolving conflicts peacefully according to principles of justice
and international law.
4. The urgent need to
respect justice and authority of law in international relations
and rejecting double standards and discriminatory policies.
5. Recognizing the rights of
nations under the domination of foreigners or under occupation to
determine their destiny.
6. Withdrawal of Zionist
forces from occupied lands in Palestine, Syria and Lebanon
according to the resolutions issued by the Security Council and
General Assembly of the United Nations and international law,
particularly of occupied Qods, and enable Palestinians to
establish their government with Qods as its capital – which from
the historical viewpoint is the example of civility,
participation, understanding and the cradle of dialogue, and thus
once again for this holy city to regain its historical status.
7. Commitment to a world
free from weapons of mass destruction through the world’s
community participation in destroying these weapons and
prohibiting such armaments without any discrimination among
countries.
8. Efforts should be made
towards the removal of all sorts of global terrorist threats in
all its forms, organized crimes and illicit drug trafficking
through serious cooperation without any discrimination.
9. Employment of all
fundamental principles for achieving equality, transparency (in
action) and active participation in all democratic organizations
throughout the world.
F – Organization of
Islamic Conference member states to participate in the United
Nations programs for the implementation of dialogue among
civilizations
1. Organization of Islamic
Conference to take the initiative from other contemporary
civilizations to join this organization for identifying common
spiritual and moral values in order to lay the foundation of a new
world order which is basically based on dialogue, participation
and mutual enrichment.
2. The draft statement of
global dialogue among civilizations, includes common spiritual and
moral values which would be mentioned in the present document.
This draft, after negotiations with other countries and
international organizations, will be submitted to the 56th General
Assembly of the United Nations on the occasion of the year of
dialogue among civilizations to be ratified by the world body.
3. This statement includes a
ten-year program which would be institutionalized and implemented
during this period at national, regional and world levels, and for
dialogue among civilizations to lay down the new world order
according to the provisions of this document.
4. Member countries and the
secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Conference should
embark on efforts to follow initiatives addressed in Section D and
attempts carried out according to paragraph 3, Resolution number
53,22 of the General Assembly of the United Nations and report to
the secretary-general.
5. This document is to be
sent to the United Nations, other international organizations and
regional countries in order to be distributed among member states.
G – Methods, solutions,
structures and financial resources for supplying dialogue
1. The Organization of
Islamic Conference in pursuit of promoting of culture of dialogue
and the participation of other contemporary civilizations will be
inspired by the rules of Islam, including the above-mentioned
subjects as its guidelines.
2. The member states are
urged to establish permanent national committees so as to promote
dialogue.
3. The secretary-general of
the Organization of Islamic Conference will determine a certain
location for the secretariat in order to follow up dialogue among
civilizations actively.
4. The Organization of
Islamic Conference is also to utilizes the potential facilities in
national organizations of member states which are cooperating with
the idea of dialogue among civilizations thus through regular
consultation and coordination of activities of member states
obstacles will be removed.
5. A top group of
governmental experts, by conducting discussions with the
secretary-general of the 8th Summit of OIC member states will take
place to review the documents mentioned above with the close
relationship of permanent representatives of the Organization of
Islamic Conference in New York.
6. The Organization of
Islamic Conference will follow up its duties on dialogue among
civilizations through transparency for the participation of all
member states.
