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STORY: RIYADH / ALLIANCE OF CIVILIZATIONS GLOBAL FORUM
TRT: 04:18
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ARABIC / ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 14 DECEMBER 2025, RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA
1. Various shots, UNOAC Global Forum venue
2. Various shots, arrivals, Secretary-General, family photo
3. Med shot, plenary room
4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Prince / Minister for Foreign Affairs, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia:
“The world has witnessed during the past 20 years the increasing influence of religiously and nationally extremist movements and the spread of hate speech, Islamophobia, discrimination, the rise of conflicts and violence that were justified by religious or ethnic factors. These negative phenomena shouldn’t be a source of frustration for the powers calling for peace, dialogue and tolerance, but serve as an impetus to review the national and international initiatives to promote the values of dialogue, communication, and coexistence among civilizations.”
5. Wide shot, plenary room
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“No more 7th of Octobers. No more Gazas destroyed. No more El-Fashers starved. No more communities massacred, expelled, or scapegoated. It’s time to end the vicious cycle of death and destruction. And that’s why the world must follow your example and reclaim the values that unite us.”
7. Med shot, plenary room
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“This Forum sets an example, by fostering constructive dialogue among religious leaders from diverse traditions. Exchanges like this remind us how faith can be a powerful force for harmony in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.”
9. Wide shot, plenary room
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“Twenty years ago, we launched an initiative to help show that humanity – in all its diversity – could talk, listen, and build together. Today, that vision is more urgent, than ever. Bringing it to life requires the timeless tools of dialogue and diplomacy. This work is often quiet, painstaking, and imperfect – but it is how ceasefires are brokered, how access to humanitarian relief is secured, and how the seeds of reconciliation are planted. Dialogue and diplomacy are not naïve. They are necessary.”
11. Wide shot, plenary room
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Miguel Ángel Moratinos, Under-Secretary-General, Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia, United Nations / High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNOAC):
“How is it possible that, in the twenty-first century, we are still unable to live together in peace and with full respect for fellow citizens who profess a different faith?”
13. Wide shot, plenary room
14. SOUNDBITE (English) Miguel Ángel Moratinos, Under-Secretary-General, Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia, United Nations / High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNOAC):
“Let us leave Riyadh with a renewed conviction: that dialogue is stronger than division, that respect is more powerful than hatred, and that peace is not a distant dream—it is a responsibility we share today.”
15. Wide shot, plenary room
16. Med shot, High-level meeting room
17. SOUNDBITE (English) Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“We must harness the power of intercultural and interreligious dialogue for conflict prevention, peacebuilding and diplomacy in our increasingly multipolar world. And we must ensure more space for the participation of women, youth, civil society, Indigenous peoples, and faith leaders, among others. They are indispensable in promoting understanding and mutual respect.”
18. Wide shot, High-level meeting room
19. SOUNDBITE (English) Miguel Ángel Moratinos, Under-Secretary-General, Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia, United Nations / High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNOAC):
“We have to announce, my dear friends, that the Riyadh communique has been adopted”
20. Wide shot, High-level meeting room
Addressing the 11th Global Forum of the UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNOAC), UN Secretary-General António Guterres “Dialogue and diplomacy are not naïve. They are necessary.”
The Forum started today (14 Dec), in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, under the overarching theme, “UNAOC: Two Decades of Dialogue for Humanity — Advancing a New Era of Mutual Respect and Understanding in a Multipolar World.”
At the opening ceremony, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia said, “The world has witnessed during the past 20 years the increasing influence of religiously and nationally extremist movements and the spread of hate speech, Islamophobia, discrimination, the rise of conflicts and violence that were justified by religious or ethnic factors. These negative phenomena shouldn’t be a source of frustration for the powers calling for peace, dialogue and tolerance, but serve as an impetus to review the national and international initiatives to promote the values of dialogue, communication, and coexistence among civilizations.”
Also addressing the opening ceremony, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said, “No more 7th of Octobers. No more Gazas destroyed. No more El-Fashers starved. No more communities massacred, expelled, or scapegoated. It’s time to end the vicious cycle of death and destruction. And that’s why the world must follow your example and reclaim the values that unite us.”
He continued, “This Forum sets an example, by fostering constructive dialogue among religious leaders from diverse traditions. Exchanges like this remind us how faith can be a powerful force for harmony in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.”
He highlighted, “Twenty years ago, we launched an initiative to help show that humanity – in all its diversity – could talk, listen, and build together. Today, that vision is more urgent than ever. Bringing it to life requires the timeless tools of dialogue and diplomacy. This work is often quiet, painstaking, and imperfect – but it is how ceasefires are brokered, how access to humanitarian relief is secured, and how the seeds of reconciliation are planted. Dialogue and diplomacy are not naïve. They are necessary.”
Miguel Ángel Moratinos, UN Under-Secretary-General, Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia and UNOAC High Representative asked, “How is it possible that, in the twenty-first century, we are still unable to live together in peace and with full respect for fellow citizens who profess a different faith?”
He concluded, “Let us leave Riyadh with a renewed conviction: that dialogue is stronger than division, that respect is more powerful than hatred, and that peace is not a distant dream—it is a responsibility we share today.”
The Forum today also featured a high-level meeting of the UNAOC Group of Friends, 161 members strong, including Heads of State and Government, Ministers and Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs, and Heads of International Organizations, it was announced the adoption of the Riyadh communiqué.
At the high-level meeting of the UNAOC Group of Friends, Guterres stressed, “We must harness the power of intercultural and interreligious dialogue for conflict prevention, peacebuilding and diplomacy in our increasingly multipolar world. And we must ensure more space for the participation of women, youth, civil society, Indigenous peoples, and faith leaders, among others. They are indispensable in promoting understanding and mutual respect.”
The 11th UNAOC Global Forum is held at a critical point of history, marked by deepening divides, widespread conflicts across the globe and fading trust in the effectiveness of global governance structures and the multilateral system.
The Forum brings together political leaders, international and regional organizations, religious leaders and faith actors, as well as representatives of the private sector, civil society, academia, youth, arts, sports and media, who are renewing their shared commitment to the enduring power of dialogue, mutual respect and understanding.
As UNAOC enters its third decade, the Forum serves as an opportune occasion to commemorate the 20th anniversary of UNAOC and to chart its future course in the pursuit of lasting peace.
Across continents, intolerance and xenophobia are on the rise. Cultural and religious differences are being weaponized to justify violence and exclusion. Hate speech – especially online – is surging, deepening mistrust and eroding social cohesion.
In this climate, UNAOC’s mission – promoting mutual respect and understanding among cultures and religions – has never been more urgent.
