Outline

In his groundbreaking statement before the fifty-third session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on 21 September 1998(!), President Mohammed Khatami of Iran made the following compelling appeal to the world community:

" 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."

In response, the General Assembly on 4 November 1998 proclaimed the year 2001 as the United Nations Year of Dialogue among Civilizations. The assembly recognized "the diverse civilizational achievements of mankind, crystallizing cultural pluralism and creative diversity." "Crossing the Divide", was the most appropriate title of the publication, prepared by a Group of twenty Eminent Persons, chaired by Giandomenico Picco, the personal representative of secretary-general Kofi Annan for the United Nations Year of Dialogue among Civilizations.

Much has happened since President Khatami's speech and the decision of the UNGA, in particular on 9/11 and thereafter. All these events only underlined how important and timely the initiative in fact had been. Many people believe that the cornerstones of civilizations are their respective religious traditions. Considering the wars and conflicts in many parts of the world that have taken place since the late 1970s, we may be persuaded that differences in religion and the ways in which these religions have helped structure differing civilizations, are factors that have greatly contributed to the wars and conflicts not just in the long past, but still in recent years.

"Crossing the Divide", whatever that divide seems to be, is the first step in learning how to manage and appreciate diversity. It is a quality new generations may find indispensable. Indeed, the study of religion and the relations between religions and civilizations, may contribute importantly to the development of a culture of understanding through dialogue. Crucial for the sincerity and the quality of such dialogue, however, is full admission of the equality of nations and peoples. Whoever engages in dialogue with another party, must respect and accept that party as an equal partner. Dialogue is not competitive for it is not about winning, but about understanding and having respect for the other. In dialogue, therefore, speaking is less important than listening.

Wars originate primarily from competition among nations, often neighbours. Without competition, without the drive to prevail, wars would not emerge and unfold. Conflicts also originate from the inability of people, of communities, to negotiate and settle their disagreements by peaceful means. The recourse to force and violence can seem the only way to settle a dispute. Such a recourse appears even more an option, when people in dispute have only a fantasized idea of each other. Wars, indeed, are largely the outcome of fears, prejudices and misunderstandings; all pathologies that essentially relate to ignorance of the other and which knowledge can help to cure. More in-depth knowledge of religions, of the beliefs and values of people would be a major step forward to a culture of understanding through dialogue.

HANS VAN GINKEL is Rector of the United Nations University, Tokyo, since September 1997. Until then he was Rector of Utrecht University in the Netherlands (1986-1997), where he was Professor of Social Geography for many years. From 2000-2004 he served as President of the International Association of Universities (IAU, Paris). He is Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT, Bangkok), Member of the Academia Europaea, and Honorary Fellow of the Institute for Aerospace Survey and Earth Sciences (1986-1997). He received honorary degrees from Universitatea Babes-Bolyai, Cluj, Romania (1997), and the State University of California, Sacramento (2003).
Prof. Van Ginkel's research interests are in the fields of urban and regional development, population, housing studies, science policy, internationalization and university management. He has published widely in these areas, and has contributed extensively to the work of various international educational organizations.