Official relations between the OTS and the United Nations
Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) started with the signing of the MoU on 20 October 2016 in
Istanbul on the occasion of the international conference titled the “Role of Youth in
Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (P/CVE): Holistic Approaches From Education to
De-radicalization” in 20-21 October 2016 in Istanbul with a larger participation across the
world. The Conference, co-organized by the OTS and the UNAOC, aimed at raising awareness on
the role that youth can play in addressing violent extremism and radicalization and gathered
more than 300 young people and experts from 40 countries from Africa to Asia as well as
credible international organizations.
Upon further contacts between the Secretary General of theOTS and the High Representative
for the UNAOC and based on the decisions taken at the international conference jointly
organized in Istanbul in 2016, a Youth Dialogue Exchange Program was conducted in Istanbul
in December 2017 where the youth affiliated to the UNAOC and the OTS were brought together
to exchange views and experiences on the projects and activities they are conducting, as
well as to discuss issues relating to youth empowerment.
Within the framework of the official visit to New York on the occasion of the 73rd Session
of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), OTS Secretary General held a meeting with the
High Representative for the UNAOC on 27 September 2019 where both sides reassured their
readiness for the continuation of the official relations between the two organizations based
on the MoU signed in 2016. The Secretariat reaffirmed the continuation of its ongoing close
cooperation with the UNAOC on youth empowerment projects.
Upon the invitation of the Secretary General Al-Nasser, Secretary General Amreyev addressed
at the UNAOC Group of Friends Ministerial meeting dedicated to the title “Building Bridges:
Using Soft Power to Promote a Culture of Peace” held on 28 September 2019 in the UN General
Assembly. In his speech, he touched upon the general process of global dialogue among
civilizations, the role of UNAOC in inter-cultural and inter-faith dialogue, as well as
OTS’s ongoing cooperation with the UNAOC and its potential to promote the culture of peace
in its region. The Ministerial meeting, which was attended by 31 countries and 5
international organizations, has served as the first occasion where the OTS Secretary
General addressed at the UN Headquarters. Mr. Al-Nasser also praised the ongoing cooperation
between the two organizations.
Secretary General was invited to the 8th Global Forum of the UNAOC held in New York on 19-20
November 2018 dedicated to theme of Commit2Dialogue: Partnerships for Prevention and
Sustaining Peace.