Dr. K. L. Afrasiabi holds a PhD in political science from Boston University. He has done post-doctoral studies at Harvard University. He has recently completed a book on the Economic Cooperation Organization. His previous publications include: After Khomeini: New Directions in Iran''s Foreign Policy, articles on theology for the Harvard Theological Review and Hamdard Islamicus. Currently, he is a research scholar at the University of California, Berkeley.
Notwithstanding the UN''s adoption of Year 2001 as the Year of Dialogue Among Civilizations and the intellectual attention that this issue has received worldwide, this paper seeks to examine the politico-discursive significance of this UN initiative in the post-Cold War context of the world organization. The paper is divided into three sections. First, a brief history of the UN General Assembly''s activities with respect to the Dialogue Among Civilizations, i.e., the two resolutions, and the alignment of forces for and against the initiative, will be presented. Section two provides a detailed report, based on the author''s first-hand experience, on the concrete programs and plans of action pursued by the UN and the leadership in charge of Dialogue among Civilizations, Mr. Giandomenico Picco. The third section examines the likely impact and prospects of the UN initiative on Dialogue Among Civilizations, both with respect to the current efforts to reinvigorate the UN, and the Third World''s, and Muslim World''s, interests and aspirations vested in a genuine global dialogue. In conclusion, specific suggestions to strengthen the UN initiative and also enhance its effectiveness vis-a-vis the burning issues of today''s world, such as intolerance, hierarchy, economic injustice, and the like, will be presented.