CITY FOR THE CULTURES OF PEACE

A MESSAGE -- A MISSION

The political vision of an open and peaceful plural society can only be realized if it is inscribed in the consciousness of the present and future. For the preconditions of peace, including the receptivity to other cultures, mutual respect, and humaneness are not givens, but the outcome of both personal work and a collective effort to build bridges between heterogeneous cultures.

Federations, multi-ethnic countries, and plural communities from Europe to the Americas, from Asia to Africa, not only need efficient laws but the unrestricted support of their citizens in order to resolve political, social, ethnic, religious, and cultural conflicts. Among the plural communities searching for new models of people's peaceful coexistence is the European Union. Visionary European writers, artists, philosophers, economists, emperors, kings, and statesmen had developed blueprints of a peaceful, united Europe in order to respond to the violence and wars that overshadowed their time. It took centuries to turn these dreams into a political, legal, and economic reality. Europeans may still take decades to develop an awareness of their common cultural bond, while continuing to protect difference, diversity, and freedom.

The City for the Cultures of Peace intends to build bridges between heterogeneous cultures. One of its main objectives is to create an innovative framework in which the interaction of different disciplines ranging from the natural sciences to the humanities, arts, and music can play a substantial part in the studying, making, and safeguarding of peace. It is not only the effort and work of the individual, but also the interaction of different disciplines that can inscribe the idea of humaneness, respect, and mutual recognition into people's minds and hearts. Therefore, the basis of this City for the Cultures of Peace is an international network of scientists and scholars from many different disciplines, artists, musicians, and other professionals who wish to make an innovative contribution to peace by developing new solutions to key conflicts and concerns in contemporary societies. In light of numerous wars and conflicts, their endeavors, along with the work of many other associations devoted to peace, resemble drops of cold water on glowing hot stones. Yet every single drop counts, for many drops make a rain. And rain can make a difference. The City for the Cultures of Peace will keep its gates wide open in order to allow all people to participate in its activities. The results of the work will be disseminated to a broad public. The French term Cité denotes a city, a community, and a center of intellectual activity open to the public. The City for the Cultures of Peace is a Cité in the French sense of the term. The Cité for the Cultures of Peace intends to be City without walls.

President of the 
International Organization

Presentation by A. Colin, © 2002-2003 Prof. Dr. AMY COLIN; City for the Cultures of Peace, © 2002-2003, International Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies, Inc. (Delaware/Washington DC, USA). All Rights Reserved.