The past century was marked by terror, suffering, war and violence. Two devastating world wars, regional conflicts, the cold war and escalation of terrorism and unrestrained violence at the end of the century and their continuation in the current one, are sufficient to make any wise man contemplate and look for ways and means out of this tragic situation. The dominant insecurity of our interdependent world is a common anxiety of all humankind.

In today’s world, there needs to be security for all or it exists for no one. Insecurity is a result of violence derived from the arrogance of the mighty on the one hand and the humiliation of the oppressed on the other. This in turn leads to discrimination, injustice and the utter loss of hope in the effectiveness of reason and justness in governing relations between countries.

The act of dialogue among cultures and civilizations faces multiple theoretical and practical questions. Fundamental questions regarding civilization and culture, and the intellectual and scientific preoccupations in this regard should not be underestimated. I would like, however, to emphasize that the main objective for this initiative of dialogue among cultures and civilizations is in fact to initiate a new paradigm in international relations and those among human beings in our contemporary world. This necessity will be clearer when we compare it with the other paradigms which currently form the basis of international relations. It is through a fundamental and structural critique of these paradigms that the raison d’être for this new paradigm is identified.

We cannot invite people and governments to the paradigm of dialogue of cultures and civilizations without learning lessons from history, without thoroughly investigating the reasons behind major world disasters in the twentieth century and their continuation in the current one, and without passing judgment on the existing dominant paradigm which is based on a dialogue of power and glorification of might.

Dialogue among civilizations, viewed from an ethical perspective, is in fact an invitation to discard what might be termed the power oriented will, in favour of a love oriented one. In this case, the result of dialogue will be empathy and compassion. And the interlocutors will primarily be thinkers, leaders, artists and all benevolent intellectuals who are the true representatives of their respective cultures and civilizations.

Relying on shared principles, objectives, and threats in order to find shared solutions is a major step towards changing the existing situation and isolating the extremists who, by sanctifying violence and force, have spoilt the world for all its inhabitants regardless of their culture or civilization.

It is through dialogue that the victory of smile over sword, compassion over hate, and justice over discrimination and injustice can be celebrated. The readiness of the rational world for dialogue has raised hopes for the dawn of a noble life. We march along this path heartened by the divine promise that “is not the dawn near?”