First Annual Forum of the Alliance of Civilizations

Mr President
Excellencies
Distinguished delegates

On behalf of the Norwegian delegation, I wish to express my sincere appreciation to the Government of Spain of hosting the first Annual Forum of the Alliance of Civilizations.

Let me start by drawing your attention to a tragic incident which reminds us of the importance of our discussions here today. A bomb exploded and shooting took place at Hotel Serena in Kabul in Afghanistan yesterday. The Norwegian Foreign Minister and his delegation together with Norwegian journalists were among those who were attacked. In addition to Afghan civilians one Norwegian journalist was killed and a Norwegian diplomat was seriously injured in this act of terrorism. Such brutal attacks on civilians can not be tolerated.

Mr President,
It is important to remember that it is not religions, culture or ethnicity that meets. It is people. It is not, therefore, religion or culture in itself that is the problem. It is extremism, intolerance, exclusion of others, discrimination and prejudices that we must stand up against.

Our right to freely choose our religion or belief is clearly stated in the UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Still the coexistence of diverse religions and cultures at times represents a challenge for societies and nations worldwide.

Many speak as if there is an ongoing conflict between what is named the “Muslim” and the “Western" world. We do not think there is such a conflict, nor do we think these are the right terms to use. The discourse has been polarized and too often dominated by extreme elements. This approach prevents us from engaging in fruitful discussions, making it more difficult to find middle ground. Constructive dialogues must necessarily involve people and communities from different segments of society.

Mr. President,
Norway shares the view of the EU Commission that fighting poverty and working for social and economic equality is essenial in the battle against extremism. Our dialogue must also include these important aspects.

Norway believes in the potential of interreligious and intercultural dialogue. Dialogue does not necessarily mean giving up on fundamental values and principles. It represents a possibility to seize the middle ground, and to challenge the dominance of the extremes.

For the same reason, Norway is initiating, supporting and encouraging dialogue projects in the Middleast and several other areas of conflict. Through these projects, we work closely with religious leaders in Norway and internationally. In this work it is essential to also include women.

The controversy with the cartoons of the prophet Mohammed thought as an important lesson. The debate turned quickly towards a dangerous situation of  "us and them" – we and the others.

At the height of the controversy, we discovered that an important channel of dialogue already existed in Norway. Two religious organisations – the Islamic Council and the Church Council of Ecumenical and International Relations - sat down together to address the issue. Their purpose was not to agree, since it makes little sense to seek to agree on the value of one faith versus another. But they could agree to respect and protect each others’ values. The dialogue had a considerable impact.

Today, we have established, in line with the Alliance of Civilizations Action Plan, a forum in our Ministry of Foreign Affairs where religious leaders, academics and diplomats meet to discuss important issues related to religion and foreign policy. It is a very valuable arena for dialogue.

Dialogue takes time. It takes time to build the necessary knowledge, trust and confidence to change our own perceptions and those of the other party. The time perspective is not always compatible with demand of national and international politics for quick and durable results. Thus, patience and commitment to dialogue are necessary.

Thank you, Mr. President