The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) welcomes your initiative to convene this high level dialogue. We have taken an active part in previous debates on issues relating to the culture of peace, the broadening of understanding, and building respect for diversity. In our view there is a real and clear need for this debate, and for action at national and local levels.
We have previously informed the General Assembly and other UN bodies of our actions in this field. One such occasion was our participation, through our Deputy Secretary General, in the Hearings conducted in July 2006 regarding the High Level Group for the Alliance of Civilisations.
The Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, which guide the action of our staff and millions of volunteers throughout the world, clearly set out the impartiality, neutrality, and humanity of our approach. They also set out the universality of our Movement, across countries and communities.
Our work aims at ensuring that the people of our planet are joined in a common endeavour to work for peace in an environment free from discrimination of any kind. This formed the basis of the Pledge on Non-Discrimination and Respect for Diversity delivered by the IFRC in 2003 at the 28th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent.
In this field, priorities come from the most basic of human needs. Vulnerability is the key, and we do not accept that legal definitions should ever be allowed to be impediments to meeting those needs.
The IFRC, and its worldwide network of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, make no distinction based on religious or other difference.
We, together with our colleagues in the International Committee of the Red Cross invest a great deal of energy in disseminating the Red Cross/Red Crescent Fundamental Principles. In particular, we underline how the Principle of Impartiality ensures that our work is based entirely on people's needs and not on religious affiliation, ethnic groupings, class, or other distinction.
President, We are well aware that in recent years there has been a sharp growth in rhetoric -- and in some cases action -- based on fundamentalist beliefs. In some communities we have also seen misunderstandings about the nature of our humanitarian work and our motives.
Concerned by these trends, the IFRC recently hosted a "specialist think-tank" bringing together representatives of National Societies in different parts of the world, the International Committee of the Red Cross, as well as several high-level experts in religious dialogue with experience in the concrete issues to which I have just referred.
The think tank sought to analyse the impact of changing religious manifestations on social and political contexts and its implications for impartial humanitarian organisations such as our own. The think tank also sought to consider how the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement can, in today's environment, better reach its goal to alleviate human suffering and ensure respect for diversity and non-discrimination.
The experience of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent is very rich, and the discussion at our recent think tank was equally rich. In consideration of time constraints, let me share with you 4 key points:
1. Firstly, organisations and their programmes have to be inclusive and representative of all members of the community.
It is essential that organisations committed to objectives surrounding inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue, including Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, are themselves composed of the different groups whose dialogue they are fostering. In many communities Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers and youth activities provide the forum for people from different walks of life, different religious or cultural backgrounds to come together to deliver assistance and services to those who need help.
The volunteer base of the Red Cross and Red Crescent spans all quarters of the communities from which they are drawn, and in some countries provides a unique capacity to reach out with sensitivity to the populations at risk in this sense.
This summer, the "Atlantis" Youth Camp, co-organised by the Centre for the Cooperation in the Mediterranean (Barcelona) and the Syrian Red Crescent, brought together youth volunteers from 16 countries, representing different cultures and religions (Christian, Orthodox and Muslim), to foster understanding on issues of common concern and to explore ways of working together.
2. Secondly, dialogue needs to be accompanied by action. We speak a lot -- as we are doing again today at the United Nations -- about dialogue. And dialogue is clearly important. Our experience is, however, much more action-oriented.
We know, for example, that to be effective, a disaster preparedness or health programme must take into consideration attitudes that enable the whole community to participate and benefit. Sometimes the attitudes which have to be addressed derive from religious traditions, and in these situations it becomes imperative to work closely with community and religious leaders committed to addressing vulnerabilities without discrimination.
We also know that dialogue can enable our action. Our experience shows, for example, that addressing HIV in some communities must be accompanied by a dialogue with religious leaders and institutions, which can help reach-out to the whole community at risk. The same is true of effective disaster preparedness and response. It is not possible to reduce the risk of any disaster-prone community unless the whole community is part of the programme, without any discrimination of any kind.
3. Thirdly, there is need for high level engagement with government. Our view is that government, including local government, has a central role to play. By working with committed community-based partners, including Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, governments can better engage local communities and initiate a process, at the local level, to bring together key actors capable of building mutual respect.
Partnership is essential. We know, and the think-tank underlined the point, that we need to establish stronger links to religious leaders, especially now as we see a revival of activist philosophy in many religious spheres. We also know that we must undertake a dialogue with influential local personalities, including the media, to emphasise the value of working together in harmony for mutual benefit.
4. The fourth and last key point I will make is that existing guidelines are adequate - it is not a matter of setting new rules. There are already many useful instruments in place to guide humanitarian action in this regard, and improved implementation of the already agreed guidelines would be a valuable action by itself.
In our case, the Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and Non-Governmental Organisations in Disaster Relief sets important standards in this area. This is a commendable tool for governments as well.
President, We will remain closely connected to this debate. We believe that the Red Cross Red Crescent and its Fundamental Principles offer a way ahead for other concerned organisations, and we would like to work with you to this end.
An early opportunity to assess the way partnerships can be built in this area will be the 30th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, to be held in Geneva from 26-29 November. There, under the slogan "Together for Humanity", governments and National Societies and observer delegations will look at ways in which they can build or enhance partnerships for humanitarian action.
They will have an opportunity to address this question directly under several subject headings, such as social or economic development, humanitarian affairs, violence or migration.
President, This United Nations initiative is important. We are pleased to see that the Secretary-General has recently appointed former President Sampaio of Portugal as his High Representative with the Alliance of Civilizations. We look forward to working closely with him and all others on these issues, and with the Special Rapporteur appointed by the High Commissioner for Human Rights on inter-religious dialogue.
You can count on the continued commitment of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, joining with you to tackle these crucial issues.