The Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) addressed the Meeting of the ‘Group of Friends’ at the 6th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, held in Bali, Indonesia on 29 August 2014. PAM, a member of the Group, was represented by Ambassador Peter Schatzer, Permanent Observer to the UN and other International Organisations in Vienna.
In his intervention at the UNAoC General Discussion, Amb. Schatzer, highlighted the fact that both the United Nations Alliance and PAM are platforms where society at large can be reassured that a better present and future is possible.
With reference to the current situation in the Middle-East, namely Syria and Iraq, Amb. Schatzer said that this represents a critical challenge for the world and for the peaceful coexistence of people. “We must unify our efforts to fight intolerance and violence. In addition to the necessary military deterrent to defy armed extremisms in those countries, we must mobilize all the legal instruments in our possession to promote lasting peace, security, mutual respect, shared prosperity and education. This is for us a key objective for the Alliance of Civilizations and its partners”, Amb. Schatzer added.
The PAM representative concluded his remarks by underscoring the role of MPs as agents of change, to identify the challenges facing their constituents, and in addressing them. Furthermore, collective efforts and political will are now needed more than ever in combating threats facing the Mediterranean – threats that are multiplying and spreading at an unprecedented scale. For PAM, the function of the UN in addressing these issues is vital.
Earlier the UN Secretary-General, H.E. Ban Ki-moon, in his final remarks at the Opening Sessions, expressed his vision for the future in the following terms: “ Let us make and renew our resolve to strengthen the Alliance of Civilization so it can do its job of resisting the forces of dehumanization and brutality – and strengthening the power of our common humanity. And let us work together on the basis of our principles of the United Nations Charter and the Alliance of Civilizations with this power. Let us work together to make this world better where everybody can live with human dignity”.