3rd World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue: “Sharing Culture for a Shared Security"

The 3rd World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue will take place in Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan, from 18 to 19 May 2015 on the theme: “Sharing Culture for a Shared Security", as part of the “Baku Process” initiated in 2008 by the Government of Azerbaijan. The Forum is organized in collaboration with UNESCO, the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, the World Tourism Organization, the Council of Europe (including the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe) and the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

This edition will contribute to the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development (21 May), and the 10th anniversary of the Convention of the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (2005).

In support of these celebrations, three plenary sessions will open the discussions on: “Sharing Culture for Shared Security: Cultural rights in the modern age”, “Countering Violent Extremism: the Role of Religious Leaders in Promoting Religious Pluralism and Advancing Shared Well-being” and “Shaping common global agenda: Role of International organizations in building trust and understanding between cultures”.

The Forum will also feature a Ministerial Conference on “Culture and sustainable development in the post-2015 development agenda”. An Academic Forum of UNESCO Chairs on intercultural and interreligious dialogue and a book launch of the UNESCO-Tudor Rose publication entitled "Agree to Differ" will be among important side events.

The outcomes of the Baku Forum will feed back into UNESCO’s work on intercultural dialogue and support the development of future strategic and programmatic action lines, including in the context of the UN Decade for the Rapprochement of Cultures (2013-2022).