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On Friday, September 10, 2004, in the Millennium Hotel near the UN plaza, Ministers of Culture and related areas from several nations gathered to address the growing chasm between people of different cultures and societies. The Ministers explored the WCO theme of harnessing the universal languages of arts and culture to create breakthroughs in peace and reconciliation. The Culture Ministers Forum hosted a discussion on the practical areas of ministerial collaboration needed to effectively and strategically engage the arts and culture in promoting mutual respect between cultures and consequently their coexistence in peace and harmony.
Unprecedented in nature, the Culture Ministers Forum aimed to empower Ministers of Culture to systematically strategize an international network for sustainable dialogue on this new approach to peacebuilding. Facilitated by Dr. William Vendley, Secretary General for the World Conference of Religions for Peace, the Culture Ministers Forum offered Ministers an opportunity to brainstorm potential arts-based and culture-based applications in an effort to bridge cultural chasms and encourage intercultural dialogue between nations, societies, and communities. Among the Ministers in attendance, were the Ministers of Culture from Bangladesh, Brazil, Mali, Mozambique and Rwanda and Senegal. |
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