WORLD
‘Diversity is a form of wealth, not a factor of division,’ UNESCO chief says ahead of International Day for Tolerance
Baku, November 17, AZERTAC
“At a time when extremism and fanaticism are too often unleashed, when “the venom of hatred” continues to poison a part of humanity, “tolerance has never been more vital a virtue”, Audrey Azoulay, the Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said in her message on the International Day for Tolerance, according to the UN official website.
“Tolerance is more than standing idly by or remaining insensitive to differences between men and women, cultures and beliefs”, she said, but instead a “state of mind, an awareness and a requirement.”
Ms. Azoulay stressed that tolerance is “to realize that cultural diversity is a form of wealth, not a factor of division”.
“Tolerance means respect, acceptance and appreciation of the rich diversity of our cultures and unique ways of being human. It is at the core of the UN values,” Audrey Azoulay noted.
“It is to perceive that each culture, beyond immediate or apparent differences, is a constituent part of universality and speaks the common language of humanity,” she emphasized.
In conclusion, Ms. Azoulay invited everyone to share UNESCO’s message of tolerance and peace.
In 1996, the UN General Assembly invited Member States to observe the Day each year on 16 November to, among other things, foster mutual understanding among cultures and peoples.