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(New York, 7 April 2009) – The second Forum of the United Nations Alliance of
Civilizations took place in Istanbul on 6-7 April 2009. The Forum sought to address tensions and
divides across cultures and religions, and to examine the broader challenges of good
governance of cultural diversity in an age of globalization. A powerful network of global
leaders, heads of international organizations, corporations, the media, civil society and
youth groups gathered at the Forum to forge partnerships to build interaction between diverse
communities and strengthen trust and reconciliation across cultures.
In UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's address, he emphasized the role of
business in this agenda, stating: "
Bridging divides helps keep the peace. It also gives the economy a boost by
making societies more stable for investors. That is why the Alliance is working with the United
Nations Global Compact to help corporations foster tolerance. Businesses know that, in today's
globalized world, they have to be able to compete in multicultural environments."
The UN Global Compact Office co-organized a working session at the Forum entitled “Doing
Business in a Multicultural World”, with over 60 participants from business, civil society and
academia, to examine the role of the private sector in promoting cross-cultural understanding.
Participants discussed the specific actions companies can take, both individually and collectively,
to make a contribution to fostering cross-cultural understanding and tolerance. Participants also
shared successful initiatives and lessons learned that can be useful to others, especially in
the context of the current economic crisis. The session helped to stimulate new ideas for
collaboration among all stakeholders in this area.
“Doing Business in a Multicultural World: Challenges and Opportunities”, a joint UN Alliance
of Civilizations-UN Global Compact publication, was also launched at the Forum. The publication
helps companies to address cross-cultural issues and explore how they can facilitate
intercultural understanding in ways that benefit both business and society.
The Alliance of Civilazations Forum was hosted by the government of Turkey and featured the participation of His Excellency Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Prime Minister of Turkey; His Excellency José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, President of Spain; President Jorge Sampaio, the UN Secretary-General’s High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations; and a host of other political leaders.
