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| UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon addressing 5th Global Forum in Vienna [PHOTO: UNifeed] |
Vienna, Austria: Leaders from around the world, including President Heinz
Fischer of Austria, the Emir of Qatar Shaikh Hamad Al Thani, Prime Minister
Erdogan of Turkey, Foreign Minister Margallo of Spain and Foreign Minister
Salehi of Iran met gathered in Vienna
today (27 February) for the 5th Global UN Alliance of Civilizations Forum.
In his address to the Forum, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
said that when discriminatory attitudes were left unchallenged, "racists
feel empowered" and called on world and local leaders "to speak the
language of tolerance and respect, not division and defamation."
"In too many places anti-Muslim sentiment has become
commonplace. Migrants from all backgrounds are vilified instead of embraced.
When such attitudes are left unchallenged, racists feel empowered. From the
world stage to local communities leaders need to speak the language of
tolerance and respect not division and defamation," Ban Ki-moon said while
addressing the summit.
High-level conversations are scheduled to take to address
current global issues such as Syria, Mali, Palestine, and the future of
sustainable development.
The Forum is taking place from 27 to 28 February 2013, and
has brought together more than 2000 people from around the world to Vienna,
including youth, civil society representatives, religious leaders, business
leaders, and others.