The Republic of Bulgaria

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Alliance of Civilizations (AoC) is an initiative launched by the UN Secretary General in July 2005, upon a proposal by Spain and Turkey. This Initiative is regarded as a tool for addressing the increasing danger of the use of intercultural differences as a motivating factor for violence. Placed in the wider context of the UN activities, AoC is part of the international efforts for overcoming and averting threats to international peace and security.
Note on the UN Initiative Alliance of Civilizations

Support for AoC has been steadily increasing and currently the Group of Friends of the Initiative numbers over 100 countries and international organisations, among which the EC, the Council of Europe, LAS, OIC, the EU member-states, other Muslim counties, etc. Bulgaria joined the Group of Friends in March 2007. The UN Resolution on the Alliance of Civilizations, adopted within the 64th Session of the UN General Assembly in November 2009, came as an expression of the commitment of States to the goals of this Initiative.

The goals and priorities of the Initiative were defined by a High-level Group, comprised of 20 experts from the political and academic communities, civil society and the media. The report prepared by this Group, presented in November 2006, analyzed the causes of intercultural tension, while stating the need for the implementation of comprehensive strategies and political actions supporting dialogue among cultures.

In June 2007, the UNSG High Representative for AoC, Jorge Sampaio, presented an Action Plan for the Implementation of the Report of the High-level Group. That document formulated the concrete actions to be undertaken during the 2007-2009 period to implement the goals of AoC in four main areas: migration, media, youth and education. During that two-year term, the work of the AoC Initiative was conducted mostly in the following directions: providing assistance in the drafting and implementation of National Strategies for the attainment of the goals of the Initiative; organising Annual Forums of the Initiative: in Madrid (January 2008) and Istanbul (April 2009); activities pertinent to the realisation of projects in partnership with international governmental and non-governmental organisations; support for regional activities for attaining the goals of the Initiative; cooperation with local authorities in the context of the so-called ‘city diplomacy’.

In April 2009, Istanbul hosted the Second Annual Forum of the AoC Initiative, which announced the launch of several projects, to be realised in  the period leading up to the Third International Forum, scheduled to be held in Rio de Janeiro in May 2010: the AoC Scholarship Program; the Dialogue Café; the AoC Research Network, the AoC Youth Movement, etc.

At the end of June, 2009, Jorge Sampaio presented the Second Action Plan for the implementation of the goals of AoC, which stipulated the priorities for the next two-year period: development of national and regional strategies for intercultural dialogue; consolidation of political actions; implementation of projects launched during the Istanbul Forum; addressing organisational and financial matters; devising a more effective communications strategy; presenting the viewpoints of the Initiative at international forums.

In accordance with the priorities defined in the Action Plan, the development of regional strategies for the implementation of the AoC goals has emerged, in recent months, as the main sphere of activity of the Initiative. Such regional strategies are defined by High Representative Sampaio as a tool for focusing cooperation among states within the Initiative, and as an additional opportunity for promoting contacts and partnerships between non-governmental organisations, universities and academic communities.

The Regional Strategy for Intercultural Dialogue and Cooperation in South-Eastern Europe was the first regional document adopted within the framework of the Initiative. The Strategy identifies the following key areas of cooperation: education, youth, and partnership with the media. The document was endorsed by the Regional Ministerial Conference held in Sarajevo in December 2009.

In early 2010 there began the preparation of the Mediterranean Strategy within the AoC initiative, the original idea having been that it was to be adopted by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of that region in March of this year. On account of the need for some improvement in the wording of the Strategy, its endorsement was postponed initially for May of this year (within the framework of the Third Annual Forum of AoC), and subsequently, a proposal was made on behalf of High Representative Sampaio that the Mediterranean Strategy, together with the Action Plan for its implementation, be adopted in October of this year at a special Ministerial Conference, to be hosted in Malta.

Since the beginning of the current year, the Spanish Presidency of the EU has been trying to reinvigorate relations between the EU and AoC, including by supporting the preparation of a new biennial plan for EU-AoC cooperation. Consultations on the drafting of this document began in last January, during the second annual EU-AoC meeting. At the meeting a review was made of the first such agreement. While making a positive assessment of the agreement’s implementation, the Meeting stated that there was considerable room for improvement of its effectiveness.

The Spanish EU Presidency is making efforts to facilitate the dialogue among the Member States in order to formulate a common EU vision on the main aspects of the AoC activity: drafting of national and regional strategies, cooperation in the implementation of concrete projects, etc. To that end, an informal meeting of the national coordinators of the initiative for the EU countries was held last February. A ministerial meeting is also scheduled for next May to discuss EU-AoC cooperation and the preparation for the participation of the EU and its member States in the EoC Third Annual Forum (May 28-29) in Rio de Janeiro.

The Bulgarian position

The implementation of initiatives and projects in the framework of Bulgaria’s participation in AoC contributes to the preservation and consolidation of traditional values of the Bulgarian people, such as tolerance and mutual respect between members of different religious and cultural communities. At the same time, Bulgaria’s support for the EoC Initiative is a tool for publicising the country’s good practices that could serve as a useful example to other countries. Through its involvement in the initiative, Bulgaria contributes to an active, result-oriented regional cooperation on matters of intercultural dialogue.

The Alliance of Civilizations is an initiative of the UN Secretary General, launched in July 2005. The idea was proposed by Spainish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero at the 59th Session of the UN General Assembly in 2004, and supported by the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayip Erdogan. The launch of the Initiative was in concert with the Final Document of the 2005 Summit Meeting, the UN Global Agenda for Dialogue among Civilizations (2001), as well as with the UN Global Strategy Against Terrorism (2006), according to which the promotion of dialogue and understanding among civilizations is identified as one of the measures that constitute part of the fight against terrorism.

The Alliance of Civilizations Initiative has set itself the task of mustering collective political will and mobilising efforts, both at an institutional and grassroots level, to overcome prejudices and misconceptions among nations, cultures and religions.

AoC goals and priorities were defined by the High-level Group comprised of 20 eminent representatives of the political and academic communities, civil society, the media and international organisations appointed by the UN Secretary General. The Report of the High-level Group published in November 2006 stated that efforts were necessary to establish a model of relations between civilizations and cultures based on mutual recognition and respect.

The States and international organisations supporting the AoC goals are united in a Group of Friends of the Initiative. The list of participants includes the European Commission, the Arab League, the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the EU member-states, some Muslim states, etc. Bulgaria joined the Group of Friends in March 2007.

The Initiative is funded through voluntary contributions, the aim being to set up a Trust Fund under the UN Secretary General.

In June 2007, the appointed High Representative of the UN Secretary General for AoC, Jorge Sampaio, presented in New York an Action Plan (2007-2009) stating the goals and objectives of the Initiative for the coming two-year period and outlining four areas of activity: migration, media, youth and education.

At the end of June 2009, the Second Biennial Action Plan (2009-2011) of the AoC Initiative was presented. The document reviewed the implementation of projects announced thus far, while recommending an entire range of actions aimed at attaining the goals of the Initiative. Among the priorities laid down in the Action Plan are: drafting of national and regional strategies for intercultural dialogue; consolidation of political action; implementation of the projects announced at Istanbul; addressing organisational and financial issues; implementation of a more effective communication strategy; more active involvement in, and presenting the viewpoints of the Initiative at  international forums. Also among the key areas of activity identified in the document is cooperation with the Group of Friends and with the National AoC Coordinators. Due attention is also given to interaction with global networks supporting the Initiative, including universities, the private sector, media organisations, etc. An Advisory Team is envisioned to be set up under the High Representative. Goodwill ambassadors are also to be involved in popularising the Initiative.

With a view to implementing the goals and objectives of the First and Second Action Plan, the AoC Secretariat, acting in cooperation with governmental and non-governmental organisations, has launched a number of initiatives and projects that are still in the process of being realised. In the media field, these include an On-line Platform of Good Practices, a Rapid Media Reaction Mechanism and a Media Fund, whose main purpose is to finance media reports and documentaries on the coexistence of members of different ethnic groups and cultures, etc. Other projects are targeted at supporting the more active involvement of young people in the intercultural dialogue. The Global Initiative of Youth Employment aims at creating better conditions for young people to seek jobs and improve their vocational skills. The Youth Solidarity Fund provides grants for programmes managed by young people in the field of intercultural dialogue.

For the implementation of all of these projects AoC relies on cooperation with international governmental organisations while also seeking to involve the non-governmental sector. Such interaction is taking place on the basis of Memorandums of Understanding concluded with UNESCO, the Latin American States, the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, the International Organisation for Migration, OIC, the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, the Latin Union, etc. In 2008, the EU and AoC signed a joint Action Plan, in which the following areas of collaboration were outlined: promotion of human rights and political reforms; media and access to information; intercultural dialogue and cultural diversity; immigration and integration; prevention of social radicalisation.

There is a good level of collaboration between AoC and similar initiatives under UN auspices, such as the Tripartite Forum on Interfaith Cooperation for Peace; such collaboration is evidenced through the implementation of joint initiatives. A case in point is the project Charter for Compassion, aimed at involving religious leaders in various activities for promoting intercultural dialogue.

The Initiative’s activities are also targeted at the implementation of joint projects together with the administrations of major cities. The setting up of such partnerships fits within the framework of the co-called ‘city diplomacy’, seen as a tool for cooperation and exchange of good practices between metropolitan administrations with the aim of addressing common social, environmental and other issues.

A performance review of the implementation of projects and the launch of new initiatives is primarily the task of the annual AoC forums. These are the most significant events in the activities of the Initiative for the respective year, with representatives of states and international organisations, media corporations, civil and youth bodies, the corporate sector, etc., participating in them.

The Second AoC Annual Forum took place on April 6 -7 of this year. Participating in it were political leaders, heads of international and multilateral organisations, representatives of the private sector, the media, and youth organisations. Similarly to the First Annual Forum (Madrid, January 2008), this one, held  in Istanbul, announced some new initiatives to be implemented during the one-year period leading up to the Third Annual Forum, which was to be held in Rio de Janeiro: Dialogue Café, the AoC Scholarship Program, the AoC Research Network, the Plural+ Film Festival, etc.

Other events, in addition to these annual forums, that carry out a performance review while planning for future activities, are the ministerial meetings, meetings held at the level of permanent representatives to the UN, as well as meetings of the national coordinators for the Initiative. So far, the ministers of the participating countries of the Group of Friends of AoC have conducted five meetings, the latest of which (New York, September 2009) discussed a proposal for the adoption by the UN General Assembly of a resolution on AoC. Subsequently, that proposal was taken a step further by the co-sponsors of the initiative, Spain and Turkey. In October 2009, they circulated a draft UNGA resolution, which was then adopted by the General Assembly in November following a debate and the introduction of an amendment highlighting the role of UNESCO in the implementation of programs for promoting intercultural dialogue. 

The meetings of the National Coordinators for the Initiative are organised for the purpose of promoting the exchange and interaction between States and international organisations within the Group of Friends. The Third Meeting of National Coordinators for the AoC Initiative (Rabat, 11-13 November, 2009) discussed the priorities and concrete actions pertinent to the implementation of the Second Biennial Action Plan of the Initiative, while reporting on the results of the implementation of AoC projects. With a view to improve the work of the Initiative in the future, Switzerland made a proposal that seven thematic platforms be created, as follows: interfaith cooperation in the field of development and the humanitarian area; media literacy; immigrant integration practices and promoting social cohesion; training for religious leaders; youth; public/city diplomacy; the image of the other in history books.

The development of regional strategies for intercultural dialogue is a priority in the work of the High Representative, who aims in this manner to motivate a wide range of states and international organisations for involvement in the Initiative and thus give more concrete dimensions to AoC work in individual regions of the world. By the end of 2009, much of the attention was focused on the drafting of a Regional Strategy for Intercultural Dialogue and Cooperation in South-East Europe – a document outlining the areas of regional cooperation in the implementation of the AoC goals. The Regional Strategy was endorsed by the Regional Ministerial Meeting of AoC (Sarajevo, December 2009).

AoC also collaborates with a number of international organisations on projects in the Mediterranean Region, among which the Mediterranean Media Mechanism (jointly implemented with the EC), as well as the group of projects aimed at addressing the negative impact of military hostilities in Gaza, ‘Restoring Trust, Building Bridges’ (jointly with the Union for the Mediterranean, the Anna Lindt Foundation, the Council of Europe, LAS, OIC, the Interparliamentary Union, and UNESCO). One can safely expect that during the current year, much of the efforts will be directed towards the preparation of a Mediterranean Regional Strategy for Intercultural Dialogue. It is in this context that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s proposal made in Alexandria (March 2010), to organe a regional conference to endorse a Euro-Mediterranean Strategy within the AoC Initiative, should be regarded. The document is envisioned to be developed at expert level, within the framework of meetings of senior officials, and then endorsed by the official representatives of the participating states in the Union of the Mediterranean and the Group of Friends of AoC who participated in the Alexandria Forum.

Bulgaria’s participation in the Alliance of Civilizations Initiative

Bulgaria regards international efforts to promote intercultural dialogue as part of the activities aimed at strengthening the capacity of the UN for conflict prevention. Proceeding from this premise, Bulgaria has voiced its support for the goals of the AoC Initiative, as well as other related initiatives under UN auspices: the Dialogue of Civilizations, the Trilateral Forum of Interfaith Cooperation for Peace, etc.

In March 2007, Bulgaria joined the Group of Friends of AoC, and has since been represented at high or summit level at the ministerial meetings and annual forums of the Initiative. The Bulgarian delegation to the Second Annual AoC Forum was headed by President Georgi Parvanov, while at the ministerial meetings organised within the general debate of the annual GA sessions, the country has been represented by a cabinet minister or a deputy-minister.

Participating in the latest Ministerial Meeting of the Group of Friends of the Alliance of Civilizations (September 2009) was Deputy Minister M. Lyutzkanov. In his statement at the Meeting, he expressed Bulgaria’s support for the Initiative and stressed the country’s role in pursuit of the AoC goals in the region. The Deputy Minister also noted the realisation of a series of national and regional projects in fields such as the media, youth, education and migration.

Bulgaria maintains regular political dialogue with High Representative Sampaio, which includes:
September 2007: Meeting of the Minister of Foreign Affairs with High Representative Sampaio;
May 2008: Meeting of the Prime Minister with High Representative Sampaio;
May 2008: Visit of the High Representative to Bulgaria;
October 2008: Meeting of Mrs. Irina Bokova, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Bulgaria to UNESCO, with High Representative Sampaio; 
September 2009: Meeting of the Minister of Foreign Affairs with High Representative Sampaio.

Bulgaria also voiced its support for the efforts of High Representative Sampaio aimed at promoting cooperation between AoC and regional organisations. In 2008 Bulgaria proposed partnership between the Regional Cooperation Council and AoC in areas of mutual interest. The opportunities for such collaboration were discussed at the Summit Meeting of the South-East Europe Cooperation Process held at Pomorie in May 2008, in which J. Sampaio took part at the invitation of the Bulgarian Chairmanship-in-Office. In September 2008, also from Bulgaria came a proposal to establish cooperation between BSEC and AoC.

At the Meetings of the National AoC Coordinators held in Paris (2008) and Istanbul (2009) Bulgaria announced, respectively, its first and second national plans for participation in the Initiative, drawn up and pursued in cooperation with government agencies and non-governmental organisations, universities, etc. Between October 2007 and November 2008, Mr. Kamen Velichkov was the acting AoC National Coordinator for Bulgaria. In December 2008, Ambassador Ivan Piperkov was appointed National Coordinator; he remains in that position to this day.

In 2008, a number of projects and initiatives were realised that had been included in the First National Action Plan for Bulgaria’s participation in AoC. The main event for the year was the hosting of the International Conference on ‘The Alliance of Civilizations and the Responsibility of the Media’ (Sofia, April 2008), organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in conjunction with UNDP Bulgaria and the Interethnic Initiative for Human Rights Foundation. Bulgarian government institutions, universities and NGOs, officials from the foreign ministries of Spain and Turkey, journalists from national and foreign media, members of the academic communities of Bulgaria, Spain and Kazakhstan participated in the conference. High Representative Jorge Sampaio delivered a special address to the participants in the Conference, in which he underscored the importance of the media in the drive to overcome stereotyping and historically accumulated negative images.

In 2008, within the framework of its participation in AoC, Bulgaria implemented projects in the area of education, in cooperation with Bulgarian, Spanish, Romanian and other universities. Members of local authorities likewise participated in forums related to the Initiative. The mayors of Kardjali, Ihtiman, Veliko Tarnovo, and Assenovgrad took part in the First International Conference on City Diplomacy (the Hague, June 2008).

On the basis of the results of the first stage of its participation in AoC, Bulgaria prepared and adopted a Second National Plan for its participation in the UN-sponsored Initiative. One of the goals of that Plan is to promote already existing partnerships in the framework of the Initiative with government institutions and non-governmental organisations, as well as the gradual involvement of new partners. The main events that took place in 2009 in fulfilment of the said National Plan were two Round Tables on matters of the coexistence of Christians and Muslims, organised by the National Council for Cooperation on Ethnic and Demographic Issues, as well as the International Scientific Conference on ‘Communications and Civilizations’, organised by the St. Kliment Ohridsky University of Sofia. Also underway are different projects with other partners, such as the Centre for the Study of Religious Faiths, the Interethnic Initiative for Human Rights Foundation, the Union of Bulgarian Journalists, etc.

Bulgaria presented projects and programs in the fields of education, youth and the media at the Third International Meeting of National AoC Coordinators (November 2009).

Bulgaria supports regional cooperation aimed at attaining the goals of AoC. Proceeding from this premise, this country participated in the drafting of the Regional Strategy for Intercultural Dialogue and Cooperation in SEE, endorsed by the Ministerial Conference in Sarajevo in December 2009. At the Sarajevo Forum, the participating states agreed that in 2010 they would start the preparation of an Action Plan for the implementation of the adopted Strategy.

The process of drafting the Action Plan began in January 2010 with a meeting of the National Coordinators and is continuing to this day. A leading role in the process is played by the Secretariat of the Alliance of Civilizations, which encourages representatives of civil society to play a more active part in the different activities within the framework of the Initiative (the so-called ‘bottom-up approach’). As a result of the application of this approach, the first draft for the Action Plan features 32 projects proposed by civil organisations and media in South-Eastern Europe. In three of those, Bulgarian organisations are to play a leading role.

Bulgaria supports the initiative to develop a Mediterranean Strategy for Intercultural Dialogue in the framework of the Alliance of Civilizations Initiative.