September 11th and its consequences

Crossing the Divide:
Dialogue among Civilizations.

From left to right: Giandomenico Picco, Hans Küng, Javad Zarif, Kofi Annan, Kamal Aboulmagd, Nadine Gordimer, Sergey Kapitza

Seyyed Mohammad Khatami, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran in his address to the United Nations General Assembly on 21 September, 1998

“I would like to propose, in the name of the Islamic Republic of Iran, that the United Nations, as a first step, designate the year 2001 as the "Year of Dialogue Among Civilizations, " with the earnest hope that through such a dialogue, the realization of universal justice and liberty may be initiated.
Among the worthiest achievements of this century is the acceptance of the necessity and significance of dialogue and rejection of force, promotion of understanding in cultural, economic and political fields, and strengthening of the foundations of liberty, justice and human rights.

Establishment and enhancement of civility, whether at national or international level, is contingent upon dialogue among societies and civilizations representing various views, inclinations and approaches. If humanity at the threshold of the new century and millennium devotes all efforts to institutionalize dialogue, replacing hostility and confrontation with discourse and understanding, it would leave an invaluable legacy for the benefit of the future generations.”