29.9.08

WELCOME BY MR LLUĺS MARIA DE PUIG,

PRESIDENT OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY

TO MR JORGE SAMPAIO, UN HIGH REPRESENTATIVE
FOR THE ALLIANCE OF CIVILIZATIONS

(Strasbourg, Monday 29 September 2008, 12h00)

We now have the honour of hearing a statement by Mr Jorge Sampaio, United Nations High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations.

It is a pleasure for me to welcome an old friend of the Council of Europe. Mr Sampaio was appointed in 1979 as the first Portuguese member of the European Commission of Human Rights, a post he held for five years.

Next Mr Sampaio served as a parliamentarian for 10 years, as the Mayor of Lisbon for 6 years and as the President of the Republic of Portugal for another 10 years.

It was in that capacity that Mr Sampaio spoke before this Assembly on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Portugal’s accession to the Council of Europe, in September 1996.

Ever since Mr Huntington coined the term of “clash of civilisations” I have defended the need instead for a dialogue between civilisations. I therefore welcomed the launching of the Alliance of Civilisations by the Prime Minister of Spain and the Prime Minister of Turkey. Mr Erdogan already expressed their his views on it before this Assembly.

In the last few years our Assembly debated several aspects of intercultural dialogue. This is a theme which we consider of great importance.

A true dialogue between cultures must be based on understanding and on respect. However, the Council of Europe cannot accept practices which would go against the principles which it defends. As we used to say in the Committee on Culture, Science and Education, “when human rights are at stake there is no cultural exception”.

Mr Sampaio, you have the floor