Building on efforts in the UNESCO General Conference of October 2011, the United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed the Decade 2013-2022 as the International Decade for the Rapprochement of Cultures, with UNESCO as the lead Agency.
The Decade is part of a strong momentum created by the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the Children of the World (2001-2010) which called for peace and non-violence at every level of society.The 2006 UNESCO General Conference in its resolution on Promotion of dialogue among peoples had called for
“the development of a universal global consciousness”
Based on dialogue and cooperation in a climate of trust and mutual understanding and for a
“new humanism for the twenty-first century”.
The year 2010 had been designated as the International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures “to promote universal respect for, and observation and protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms.”
Cultures encompass not only the arts and humanities but also different ways of living together, value systems and traditions.It is true today that, to an unprecedented degree, people are meeting together in congresses, conferences and universities all over the globe.
However, in themselves, such meetings are not dialogue and do not necessarily lead to rapprochement of cultures.
There is a need to reach a deeper level. Reaching such deeper levels takes patience, tolerance, the ability to take a longer-range view, and creativity.
For any UN-sponsored Year or Decade to have a real impact, there must be wide initiatives and actions by civil society: non-governmental organizations (NGOs), academic institutions and the media.As Citizens of the World have been in the lead in efforts to create a new humanism for the twenty-first century.
They welcome this 2013-2022 Decade and will play their part to highlight the creative efforts of individuals who have helped to create bridges of understanding among cultures.
H.G. Wells and Human Rights.
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Alexandre Marc: Con-federalism, Cultural Renewal and Trans-frontier Cooperation
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Henry Usborne. World Citizen Activist.
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Giuseppe Antonio Borgese: Common Cause.
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Maurice Béjart: Starting Off the Year with a Dance
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Jacques Maritain: World Citizen Philosopher.
Featured Image: Jacques Maritain, French philosopher and writer. By Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. By René Wadlow. Jacques Maritain (18 November 1882 -23 April 1973); was a…
Albert Camus : Stoic Humanist and World Citizen.
Featured Image: Albert Camus, Nobel prize winner. By Photograph by United Press International, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. By Rene Wadlow. Albert Camus (7 Nov 1913- 4 Jan 1960) would…
Velimir Khlebnikov: The Futurian and World Citizen.
Featured Image: V. Khlebnikov by N.Kulbin (1913, Akhmatova’s museum).jpg By seefilename, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. (November 9, 1885 – June 28, 1922). By René Wadlow. Let Planet Earth be…
Richard St. Barbe Baker: The Life of the Forests
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Leo Tolstoy: The Law of Love.
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