Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
The Collective Voice of The Muslim World
Date: 29/05/2010
Berlin – Germany (May 26, 2010) The relationship between globalization, culture and international relations over the next two decades. Distinguished Participants, Ladies and Gentlemen, At the outset, I would like to offer my sincere felicitations to you for organizing this Symposium on Cultural Diplomacy on a sustained basis. It has indeed evolved into a carnival of cultures and an important event on the international calendar in the area of international relations with particular reference to cultural diplomacy. I have instructed my representative for ensuring effective participation with substantive contributions by the OIC and look forward to sustaining this relationship with the ICD. This year, the Symposium will address a broad theme on the relationship between culture, international relations and globalization over the next two decades. The agenda is rich and diversified with topics covering important and wide ranging issues of political, economic and social import including globalization and interdependence, human rights and terrorism and cultural diplomacy and soft power. I am confident that the synthesis of perspectives and ideas on these important matters would contribute towards evolving a consensus with a view to facing the challenges faced in the arena of cultural diplomacy. In view of the paucity of time, I would briefly share OIC’s perspective on some of these important issues. Ladies and Gentlemen, I understand that analysing the role of international organizations in building intergovernmental consensus and promoting intercultural understanding at the grass root level has been identified as one of the objectives of the symposium. Let me, in this context, start by placing on record that the Organization of Islamic Conference is a political organization, found primarily to address a political situation and has, over the last four decades, evolved into the second largest international organization after the United Nations geared towards safeguarding political, economic, social and cultural interests of Member States in a globalized world. OIC believes in according primacy to multilateralism towards bridging divergent views and finding political solutions to the whole range of challenges faced by modern human existence. Propelled by a vision of ‘moderation and modernization’ elaborated by the leadership in the Third Extraordinary Summit held in Makkah Al Mukkaramah in 2005, the Organization is in the process of implementing a major reform and restructuring exercise in terms of the Ten Year Programme of Action. The OIC General Secretariat supported by the subsidiary, specialized and affiliated institutions in the OIC system remain committed to addressing the pressing concerns of the Member States in the political, economic, social, educational, scientific and cultural spheres in a time-bound framework in terms of the targets set by the Programme. Steady progress is particularly being made in the domain of culture. It includes the adoption of OIC Plan of Action for Advancement of Women (OPAAW), the establishment of an Independent Permanent Commission on Human Rights as well as a set up on family affairs. This is based on the common aspiration of Member States to project the true image of Islam i.e a progressive religion that transcends the confines of time and space. I am pleased to inform the participants of this symposium that OIC is on the verge of establishing an Independent Permanent Commission on Human Rights. The establishment of an OIC Independent Permanent Commission on Human Rights must be viewed as a landmark event and a most positive development in the four decade long history of the Organization. The vision and the mandate for establishment of the Commission was provided by the leadership in the Ten-Year Programme of Action. At the next available Summit, this vision was accorded a statutory status in the new OIC Charter, unanimously approved and entered into force in March 2008. We have been taking swift action in a time-bound framework. It is expected that this Commission of independent experts would constitute an important pillar of the ongoing process of reform at the OIC with a view to transforming the Organisation into a body that could effectively cope with the existing and emerging challenges faced by the Muslim world. The establishment of the Commission must be appreciated as a reflection of the collective will on the part of OIC Member States, particularly at the level of the leadership, to engage constructively and substantively within the Organization on wide ranging issues pertaining to human rights. We intend to adopt an incremental approach with a view to sustaining, through this Commission, a steady pace in terms of entrenching a culture of human rights in the Member States. Distinguished Participants, The interdependence and interconnectivity in today’s world - termed as globalization – is a fact of life. It has, for the past two decades, been trumpeted as an ideology brimming with promise. However, the results, for the most part, have belied expectations of the ideologues. It has, thus far, pursued an asymmetrical trajectory that could not raise all boats. It is an irreversible phenomenon as indicated by a series of events like the global financial crisis and the ongoing debt crisis that have unravelled in quick succession with the ensuing political, economic and social implications. The effect of the contagion in each case bears testimony to the notion of a global village. At the same time it highlights the deep-seated imbalances particularly in the international political, financial and trading systems that need to be urgently addressed in the interest of charting out a fairer and predictable course for the future. From an economic stand point, we have received frequent reminders and attention notices towards the fact that ‘poverty anywhere is a threat to prosperity everywhere’ and it is about time that we addressed the situation accordingly. The international organizational infrastructure is of utmost importance in this regard and must be governed in a democratic and consensual fashion. OIC believes that this can be best accomplished by sharing resources and evolving an inclusive approach aimed at an equitable distribution of the fruits of globalization. We have taken some important initiatives to that end by launching a poverty alleviation fund , a programme for development in Africa, concluding a preferential trade agreement among Member States and joining hands with other international organizations in the areas of health and humanitarian assistance. We intend to continue to promote international cooperation in this regard. Ladies and Gentlemen, The successful convening of this symposium in this beautiful and historic city reminds us of the momentous fall of the Berlin Wall. It did put an end to a cold war but ushered in a new era characterized by mythological assertions with regard to an impending clash of civilizations. Generated in response to a perceived end of history, it was indeed a fictional rendition, reformulation of the west versus the rest and a myopic view of a fixed civilization that ignored the interdependence, interconnectivity and interaction in a globalized world as well as the pluralistic nature of most of the nation states. With particular reference to Islam, it created a symbolism and a distraction based on a misperception of the existence of a world in which all Muslims are the same. Most disturbing and disruptive in terms of global politics was the fact that this contrived reality made way for Islamophobia a contemporary manifestation of racism that forms a major concern of the OIC. Distortion of Islam geared towards denigrating and dehumanizing Muslims insults the deep seated religious feelings and violates their fundamental rights and dignity thus threatening the multicultural fabric of the societies. The most disturbing misperception is Islam being associated with terrorism. Nothing could have been further from truth. Islam is religion that implies peace by its very nomenclature. Such stereotyping leads to discrimination and violence defying justification on both political as well as economic grounds. It poses grave and multidimensional challenges to global as well as regional peace, security and stability. Let me reiterate that OIC rejects terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. The situation merits a concerted effort on the part of the international community to evolve norms that would underwrite, promote and protect interfaith and inter-communal understanding, respect and harmony. Distinguished Participants, I would like to take this opportunity to recall that OIC was the first international Organization to call for a dialogue among civilizations as early as the year 1998. OIC reiterates its call as well as willingness for a constructive and result oriented engagement. We believe in engagement at all levels that would not be restricted to diplomats or the political elite but involve all stakeholders including media, academia and the civil society. Moving beyond event based calls for dialogue to a sustained and structured engagement, that accommodates all perspectives, constitutes an absolute imperative towards meeting the daunting challenges faced by our globalized world. The importance of combating Islamophobia as well as intolerance and discrimination against Muslims must not be discounted in that context. I would submit a two-fold approach to confront Islamophobia for your consideration and deliberation during this Symposium-dispelling common misperceptions that feed prejudices on the one hand and addressing discrimination on the other. In conclusion, let me say that cultural diplomacy is integral to the maintenance and preservation of global peace and security. To be effective, the concept needs to be accorded a more focussed attention by the international community. It also needs to be acknowledged that respect for cultural diversity constitutes the starting point of cultural diplomacy. It cannot be left to diplomats and politicians for its success. It requires the active participation and contribution of all segments of society. Through the march of civilization, human existence has been enriched and made meaningful by the diversity of traditions and sharing of experiences. There is no option but to embrace diversity and promote multiculturism towards ensuring peace, prosperity and stability in this globalized world. This is something that should prominently on the global agenda over the next two decades. I wish you success in all the panels and sessions during the Symposium.
