The Intercultural Innovation Award
2019 Awards Ceremony
Tuesday 10 December | Madrid, Spain
Statement By
The High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations
His Excellency Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos
Today, civil society is evolving in dynamic and impactful ways and grassroots-level innovations hold the key to global challenges. The ten organizations that we are awarding tonight demonstrate just that.
Excellencies,
Distinguished Guests,
Dear awardees,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is an honor to be here today to celebrate the sixth edition of the Intercultural Innovation Award. This is the very first time I participate in the ceremony as the High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, and I am particularly pleased that it is taking place in my hometown, Madrid.
Cultural diversity has long been a contentious issue in too many parts of the world. It has increasingly been perceived as a threat rather than an opportunity.
Our shared vision of peace and harmony is being threatened by growing divisions between communities, the rise of violent extremism, the polarization of attitudes and perceptions, and frequent manifestations of intolerance, xenophobia, and racism.
Today more than ever, coalition is needed. “Convivencia”: the notion of “living together” as a sacred duty and attitude of peaceful coexistence. We are gathered here tonight to prove that convivencia works. Each of us – UNAOC, the BMW Group, and civil society organizations – within our own mandates and priorities, have committed to a culture of peace.
The Intercultural Innovation Award is the result of a unique public-private partnership between UNAOC and the BMW Group. Over the years, the Intercultural Innovation Award has shown that this model of collaboration between the UN and the private sector creates deeper impact.
In this light, I would like to salute Mr. Bill McAndrews at the BMW Group for his vision and leadership.
Mr. McAndrews: I thank you and your excellent team for your commitment to advancing our shared humanistic values and contributing to a culture of peace and mutual understanding.
I also commend the work of my staff at UNAOC for their tireless work on this initiative.
Since 2011, the Intercultural Innovation Award has supported more than fifty organizations from over thirty countries to scale up their projects and encourage intercultural dialogue. The selected organizations have expanded their operations to over one hundred countries, impacting over two million beneficiaries.
Today, civil society is evolving in dynamic and impactful ways and grassroots-level innovations hold the key to global challenges. The ten organizations that we are awarding tonight demonstrate just that.
I would like to congratulate this year’s ten awarded projects from Canada, El Salvador, Germany, Indonesia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Spain, Sri Lanka, Uganda, and the United States. We are proud and honored to support them in their endeavors.
The selected projects touch on multiple global challenges and priorities, including the fight against violent extremism, hate speech and xenophobia; youth and women empowerment; social inclusion, and interfaith dialogue.
All these issues are within the mandate of UNAOC, which for almost fifteen years has served as a soft-power tool of the UN Secretary-General for conflict prevention and conflict resolution. UNAOC serves as a coalition to advance mutual respect for cultures, traditions and religious beliefs, and a platform to bridge divides and overcome prejudice, misconceptions, misperceptions, and polarization.
The Intercultural Innovation Award Ceremony is a building block in a constructive process, which encourages civilians to advocate further for what they believe. I am grateful to be a part of this ever-growing change. To many more!
Thank you.