DIALOGUE AMONG CIVILIZATIONS (THE POSITIVE TOLERANCE OF VIEWS)

Behzad Shahandeh

Behzad Shahandeh is a senior lecurer and deputy of the
International Center for the Dialogue Among Civilizations in
Iran

The Proposal to name the year 2001 as the year for "Dialogue
among Civilizations" as proposed by President Seyed Mohammad Khatami in his
address at the 53^rd General Assembly of the United Nations in
November, 1998, was unanimously accepted.⁽¹⁾ The international
circles, the intellectuals and the public alike hailed the proposal and
epoch-making events in man's future life.

The world's populace in general have never readily heeded to
all the calls they have heard. But, it was however at above particular juncture
where the people responded positively to this invitation! The call on dialogue
among civilizations.

The reason for the above is that man had become conscious of
the fact that in the past all its miseries were rooted in misunderstanding
arising out of lack of genuine dialogue. Thus proposal could not be logically
opposed. Man was putting the second Millennium a abundant with wars and
conflicts behind, and needed a new start to usher peace and prosperity it has
longed for in hundred of years of bitter experience.