Ban in Istanbul for Alliance of Civilizations meeting

Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday arrived in Istanbul to attend the Partners Forum for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations. The forum will take place on Thursday. Speaking to reporters at Istanbul's Ataturk International Airport, Ban said that he was highly pleased to see Turkey hosting the forum and other initiatives for Somalia. The Turkish government makes crucial contributions to the solution of today's problems and future problems, Ban stressed. Turkey is one of the countries that seriously contributes to the concept of alliance of civilizations. Turkey makes important contributions to the UN as far as migrants are concerned, Ban stated. I find Turkey's contributions to Somalia as noteworthy. The people of Somalia are thankful to Turkey for the roads, schools and hospitals you have constructed, Ban underlined. The first Partners Forum for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations will bring together governments, intergovernmental organizations as well as business foundations and individuals who have shown a strong commitment in realizing the vision of a world free from intercultural conflicts. Forum opening will be made by Prime Minister Erdogan, and 65 world leaders will attend the forum including Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili. During the forum, partners will be able to discuss the result achieved by the Alliance and will address a number of issues including the long-term resource needs, the immediate requirements for 2012 and 2013, and the current UNAOC priorities for action, including the new projects related to the outcomes of the previous global forums. The Alliance of Civilizations is an initiative proposed by Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero at the 59th General Assembly of the United Nations in 2005. It was co-sponsored by Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan. The initiative seeks to galvanize international action against extremism through the forging of international, intercultural and interreligious dialogue and cooperation. The Alliance places a particular emphasis on defusing tensions between the Western and Islamic worlds.