The Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilisations and the IJF prove, by means of this MoU, their mutual interest in fostering collaboration between UNAOC and the IJF.
UNAOC is an initiative of the United Nations, which aims to build bridges between societies, promote dialogue and understanding, forge collective political will to address growing divisions between societies and restore mutual respect between peoples of different cultures, traditions and religions, inspiring them to mobilise concrete measures to achieve these goals.
UNAOC and the IJF are determined to pursue joint efforts and cooperate towards the promotion and the implementation of initiatives. The IJF has been very active for many years in the field of education and development through all its activities, including, but not limited to, educational programmes such as Judo for Children, Judo for Peace, Judo for All, Gender Equity.
All future projects will follow the ‘ALLIANCE OF CIVILISATIONS’ motto, which is totally in line with the judo spirit: Jita-kyoei - mutual prosperity for self and others, as stated by the founder of judo, Jigoro Kano.
“In these troubled times, the Alliance is a unique and inclusive platform for member states, the private sector, youth, civil society and the media to exchange views and commit to dialogue and new partnerships. It is closely aligned with my own priorities and the vision that I have outlined in my prevention agenda,” said H.E. Mr. António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General, in November 2019, at the UN Headquarters, New York.
The United Nations Alliance of Civilisations (UNAOC) was established in 2005, as the political initiative of Mr. Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary-General and was co-sponsored by the governments of Spain and Turkey. A high level group of experts was formed by Mr. Annan to explore the roots of polarisation between societies and cultures today and to recommend a practical programme of action to address this issue. The report of the high level group provided analysis and put forward practical recommendations that form the basis for the implementation plan of the United Nations Alliance of Civilisations.
More information about the UN Alliance of Civilizations: https://www.unaoc.org/