Bali, Indonesia: The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon met with Ayad Ameen Madani, Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, in the margins of the Sixth Global Forum of the Alliance of Civilizations in Bali.
On Gaza, the Secretary-General underlined the need to address the root causes of the conflict. The Secretary-General and Ayad Ameen Madani also exchanged views on humanitarian relief and early recovery efforts for the people in Gaza.
They also discussed the situation in Myanmar, counter-terrorism efforts and the cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
“In Israel-Palestine, the Alliance works to join families from both sides who have lost loved ones in the conflict. By having a dialogue with each other, they challenge their leaders to do the same.
“We are all here to help the Alliance of Civilizations expand its valuable work of addressing the sources of conflict and planting new seeds of peace. I welcome its commitment to promoting interreligious and intercultural dialogue.
“These are essential tools to preventing and resolving conflicts. I count on your support for efforts by the Alliance and by the entire United Nations system.