Egypt and the United Nations Alliance of Civilisations (UNAOC) signed a memorandum of understanding on Friday to strengthen cultural and intellectual cooperation and promote tolerance, dialogue, and peaceful coexistence, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said.
The agreement was signed in New York on the sidelines of the high-level segment of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly by Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Miguel Ángel Moratinos, the UN under-secretary-general and high representative for the Alliance of Civilisations.
The memorandum provides for joint cultural and training programmes, greater dialogue between cultures and religions, and efforts to protect cultural diversity and combat hate speech, extremism, and racism.
It also aims to empower young people, women, and civil society, and to expand partnerships with national and international institutions and the private sector, the ministry said.
The agreement will place particular emphasis on using technology and artificial intelligence to support intercultural dialogue and promote peace and mutual understanding.
During a separate meeting with Moratinos, Abdelatty praised the alliance’s efforts to combat hate speech and foster dialogue between cultures and religions.
He stressed the importance of promoting tolerance while preserving cultural identity and diversity, and welcomed the UN General Assembly’s designation of 2027-2036 as the International Decade of Culture for Sustainable Development.
Abdelatty also underlined the importance of strengthening co-operation between the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and the alliance, particularly ahead of celebrations in 2027 marking 25 years since the library reopened.
He invited Moratinos to visit Egypt to launch activities under the memorandum, the ministry said.
