International Day of Peace 2012: Kazakhstan joins in UNESCO debate

Building peace is a particular responsibility of UNESCO, which is mandated by its Constitution to build the "defenses of peace in the minds of men".

In the context of the Rio+20 Conference held in June 2012, the theme chosen for this year's observance of the International Day of Peace was: "Sustainable Peace for a Sustainable Future", the Kazakh MFA's press service said.
UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the President of the 67th session of the UN General Assembly and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Vuk Jeremic were among the opening speakers at Friday's debate. Participants included renowned peace activists from the arts, culture and humanities, such as Elie Wiesel, founder of the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity and Nobel Literature Laureate Wole Soyinka.

The debate addressed a wide range of questions relating to the development of sustainable peace. A central idea which emerged was that, in today's globalized, turbulent international environment, even greater account must be taken of the close links between cultural diversity, dialogue, development, security and peace. One of the most crucial challenges is to rethink these five interdependent notions and develop inform new approaches in all domains.
In this context, there was discussion of Kazakhstan's proposal for an "International Decade for the Rapprochement of Cultures (2013-2022)", which was adopted during the 36th UNESCO General Conference in November 2011.

Kazakhstan's location at the crossroads of civilizations, cultures and religions gives it a particular affinity with the concept of cultural rapprochement. Since declaring independence almost 21 years ago, Kazakhstan has maintained a harmonious and progressive relationship between the 130+ ethnic groups within its borders. A fundamental principle of the state is that multicultural diversity is one of its strongest assets.

As well as respecting multicultural diversity, the concept of the rapprochement of cultures makes an important contribution to a culture of peace, by counteracting the theory of an inevitable collision of civilizations and promoting peaceful and fruitful cooperation between different cultures, religions and traditions.

The proposed International Decade for the Rapprochement of Culture 2012-2013 follows the positive international response to the 2010 UN/UNESCO "International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures". The main objective of the Decade is to establish the rapprochement of cultures as a fundamental human value around the world.

A group of Kazakhstani children joined in the celebration of the International Day of Peace through an art event in the UN building, which also currently displays the artwork of finalists in the UNESCO project: "Children paint the world: Central Asia". Another display narrates the history of the project through 11 albums, with the 2010 album devoted to the "International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures".