17 June 1992

Doc. 6632

1403-11/6/92-6-E

WRITTEN DECLARATION No. 219

concerning a colloquy to take place in Istanbul,

in 1992 entitled "Identity, Tolerance and Solidarity"

      The undersigned, members of the Assembly,

1.       Reaffirming that the aim of the Council of Europe is to achieve greater unity between its members for the purposes of safeguarding and realising the ideals and principles which are their common heritage;

2.       Believing that tolerance is a prior condition for better understanding and better co-operation among individuals and nations and represents a fundamental value of our common heritage;

3.       Disturbed however by the reappearance in a large number of countries of xenophobia, racism, anti-semitism and intolerance;

4.       Believing that the Council of Europe should do everything in its power to combat such phenomena;

5.       Remembering that while Europe has been fertile in fratricide wars, it has also been generous in mutual help and continues to be a refuge for all those deprived of human rights;

6.       Remembering also that in the field of ideas and culture it is the cradle of numerous civilisations;

7.       Realising that now that Europe is assuming its proper political dimension it is a matter of urgency to emphasise Europe's vocation of tolerance in order to defend its cultural heritage;

8.       Recalling that:

i.       for centuries, in several of the countries of present-day Europe, the co-existence of Christian, Greek, Jewish, Islamic and other cultures contributed to their flourishing and that of the societies of which they were part;

ii.       massive population movements caused by conflict and war were the occasion for the countries of Europe to show their solidarity and tolerance by receiving those who were compelled to flee, for example the Jews of Spain in 1492, who found refuge on Ottoman soil, so that five centuries of Judaeo-Islamic co-existence in Spain have been followed to this day on Ottoman and Turkish soil;

9.       Believing that it is urgent to engage in sustained actions with the aim of promoting and encouraging initiatives that will contribute to spreading tolerance as a basis of our multicultural civilisation;

10.       Agree, in this perspective:

i.       to encourage non-governmental organisations to participate in appropriate events;

ii.       to support and to take part in events with the same objectives and, in particular, to participate in a Colloquy "Identity, Tolerance and Solidarity" which will take place in Istanbul in 1992 in order to encourage tolerance;

11.       Express the wish that this colloquy should take place under the auspices of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe with the contributions of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the Committee of Ministers and European Communities and ask that those in charge of the organisation of the colloquy should request this patronage.

Signed:       GÜNER

      AKARCALI

      TANIK

      BÖHM

      KITTELMANN

      ZIERER

      BÜHLER

      MAASS

      MARTEN

      JUNGHANNS

      VOGEL

      STRIMITZER

      KOEHL

      JUNG

      BOHL

      DHAILLE

      COLLETTE

      DURAND

      CROZE

      WORMS

      DIMMER

      SEITLINGER

      __________

      Total : 22