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 53rd 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.