Foreword of the first edition

Dialogue among civilizations reflects a pressing need, dictated by the accelerating world mutations prevailing at this critical juncture of world history. It has become a strategic option, mandated by the major challenges confronting the international community, for it constitutes the noblest means of coexistence among nations and peoples, indeed the remedy to all factors of tension and conflict at the origin of international crises.

The Muslim world is credited for being the harbinger of calls to dialogue among civilizations. Building on the lofty values of the Islamic civilization, the Muslim world had embarked on the noble enterprise of spreading far and wide the culture of coexistence and cooperation at all levels. In so doing, the Muslim world sought to mount an international consensus conducive to solving the problems arising from the misunderstanding and mistrust that characterize relations among certain societies to the extent of undermining their stability and prejudicing their interests, thus precluding the rise of a humane order founded on the values of righteousness, justice, equality and mutual respect.

Against this background, H.E. Mr. Muhammad Khatemi, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, had made an appeal of paramount importance during the term of his chairmanship of the Eighth Islamic Summit Conference, in which he called upon the United Nations to adopt the issue of Dialogue among Civilizations. Such an outstanding initiative mirrors the strong will of the entire Muslim world, evidenced through the eagerness of the Member States of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, to take an active part with the international community in its efforts to lay a sturdy groundwork for dialogue among civilizations.

In this vein, the Organization of the Islamic Conference set out, in collaboration with the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), to contrive practical formulae for dialogue among civilizations, and to contribute to devising humanitarian principles to underpin such dialogue on civilizational and cultural bases in the light of the righteous Islamic teachings.

This white book includes a collection of documents related to dialogue among civilizations, such as resolutions, recommendations, appeals, and relevant procedural programmes, in addition to the draft international document on dialogue among civilizations, the OIC project on dialogue, and ISESCO's view of dialogue among civilizations, which describes its deep meanings, extensive concepts and humanitarian goals.

Designed as the annals of dialogue among civilizations, this book embodies the Muslim world's contribution to commemorating the International Year of Dialogue among Civilizations.

May Almighty Allah crown our efforts with success.