DIALOGUE AMONG CIVILIZATIONS: A PRACTICAL OUTLOOK (IRAN AS THE CASE STUDY)

Seyed Masoud Mousavi Shafaee

Mr. Mousavi Shafaee is Director for International Affairs,
at the the International Center for Dialogue Amongst Civilizations in
Tehran. He holds an MA in International Relations from Tehran University. He
is the author of Globalization: A Critical Point of View, Politics and
Economy of Korea and many more
papers.

It is now two years since the General Assembly of the United
Nations unanimously agreed to name the year 2001 as the Year for dialogue among
civilizations. The bulk of the activities to promote and strengthen the idea and
concept of dialogue among civilizations have had two distinct features. Firstly,
the activities have had theoretical and philosophical connotations, more than
being operational. Secondly, the emphasis has been on its international
dimensions. The present article while seeing the above as positive, is of the
belief that the idea will cater for more positive results if and when such an
idea positively influence the society and furnish people's participation in such
endeavour and enter into people's "Daily Life". It also must at its initial
stage be accepted and become the inner part of the system, thereby affecting the
international scene. With the above in mind it is necessary for Iran to draw up
a strategy. The present article has dwelled upon some of the features of such
strategy.