Communiqué of Liechtenstein
On Dialogue among Civilizations and Cultures: Comprehension and Mutual Understanding

Based on the resolution of the United Nations General Assembly proclaiming 2001 the “Year for Dialogue among Civilizations”,

Pursuant to the resolutions of the Islamic Summit Conference and the Islamic Conferences of Foreign Ministers about the contribution of the Muslim World - through its specialized agencies and its governmental and non-governmental organizations – to the activities of that year, in order to bring into focus Islamic principles of tolerance and co-operation for the sake of humankind welfare, as well as the Islamic culture and civilization’s values of equity and justice and constructive communication with cultures and civilizations,

Based on the objectives of the Islamic, Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) which call for bringing cultures closer together and fostering peaceful co-existence between peoples, as part of pursuing its efforts in this direction,

Drawing inspiration from the principles and views expressed in previous symposia, communiqués and declarations on Dialogue among Civilizations, particularly the Berlin Communiqué 2000,

Aware as the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) is that the practical value of any theoretical message can only be achieved through accompanying it with implementation mechanisms that would cristalize the message’s noble objectives and ideals and translate them into plans and programmes with tangible dimensions and practical results,

The international symposium on “Dialogue among Civilizations and Cultures: Comprehension and Mutual Understanding” was convened in Liechtenstein on 23-24 October 2002, by the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) and the International Academy of Philosophy, under the high patronage of H.S.H. Hereditary Prince Alois von und zu Liechtenstein,

The participants in this Symposium,

Bearing in mind the above principles, objectives, meanings and considerations,

Taking into account the developments being witnessed by the world and fully aware of the challenges facing human civilizations today,

Fully conscious of their moral obligations, cultural responsibilities and intellectual commitments towards humanity at this particular stage of human history,

Call for and stress the following :

- Promote the principles of Dialogue among Civilizations and Cultures and consolidate the foundations of peaceful co-existence between peoples and nations given the fact that dialogue is the choice and approach of wisemen and an efficient means of settling disputes, resolving problems and ending crises that have plagued modern human communities,

- Stress the concept of human co-operation based on mutual respect to strengthen civilizational exchange and solidarity between nations within the respect for the cultural specificities and the political and social options of states and peoples in accordance with the principles of international law,

- Search for flexible and adequate formulas to link the objectives and theoretical contents of dialogue among civilizations with implementation mechanisms and practical means that would help achieve the human objectives of dialogue among civilizations, in compliance with the United Nations Charter and related international declarations, covenants and agreements,

- Work for conferring legality upon the dialogue among civilizations in order to make it into one of the foundations for international relations, not merely a cultural option with no commitment constraints for the international community,

- Urge world intellectual elites and cultural personalities to combine their efforts to deepen the concepts of dialogue among civilizations, broaden its participation and plead with different quarters to bring pressure to bear on decision-makers of the countries of the world, to pledge themselves to dialogue among civilizations and cultures instead of a clash or conflict among them that would shake the world stability and put world peace and security in jeopardy,

- Commend the efforts of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) to spread the principles of dialogue among civilizations and lay co-operation bridges between international and regional organizations and institutions of common interest,

- Thank the International Academy of Philosophy for hosting this symposium and providing full conditions of its success.