“Dialogue is a lifeline for understanding and respect. It lays the foundation for cooperation and joint action… We must share solutions, experiences and dreams, as a single community bound together by human rights and fundamental freedom.”

(UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova)

The Euro-Arab Dialogue project was launched in 2001 in Geneva as a framework for inter-regional cooperation among National Commissions to promote the values of ‘learning to live together’.  More than a decade on,  the situation in the Arab world and beyond has meant that improved cultural understanding and international cooperation is more important than ever.

The MBI Al Jaber Foundation joined forces with UNESCO to revitalise and relaunch the project with a series of conferences and technical workshops. High-level international conferences alternate with workshops of technical experts, so that dialogue goes hand in hand with the creation of practical resources.

Following a technical meeting in Rabat in 2010 which looked at practical steps forward, an International Conference of National Commissions for UNESCO ‘Euro-Arab Dialogue: Contribution to a New Humanism’ was held in Vienna, Austria in 2012. More than 200 representatives from 67 nations took part, among them Heads of State, Ministers and Diplomats.  Over two days, delegates reviewed the work of the past 10 years – and moreover explored how to build upon it.  The result was consensus on a clear action plan, targeting ways of developing and enhancing Euro-Arab ties in education, culture, science and communication.