Today, as in ancient centuries, engagement in dialogue requires wisdom, discipline and good will. Today, as then, any exclusive claim to absolute truth needs to be relinquished.

I am pleased to meet our dear friends as representatives of various Islamic countries in Iran for a very essential and fundamental project that we have undertaken together.I hope that you have had a pleasant stay, and made constructive achievements during your symposium. And I am confident that such is the case; as where there is cooperation and joint endeavor, positive results do follow

The meeting was called to order at 10.15 a.m.

Islamic civilization is indeed one of only a few world civilizations that have become consolidated and have taken shape around a sacred text - in this case the Noble Qoran.

Only dialogue could bring about reconciliation and peace, the Director- General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) told the gathering of world leaders this morning, at a round table discussion to mark the launch of the United Nations Year of Dialogue Among Civilizations, 2001.

The round-table discussion organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to mark the launch of the United Nations Year of Dialogue Among Civilizations, 2001 concluded this afternoon at Headquarters.

Our gathering bears special significance for the international community as it will open a new chapter to better understand the idea of dialogue among civilizations, proposed by President Khatami at his address to the United Nations General Assembly at its the fifty-third session last September. The unanimous adoption of resolution 53/22 of 4 November 1998 by the General Assembly, which designated the year 2001 as the United Nations Year of Dialogue among Civilizations, demonstrates the will of the international community to explore new horizons for constructive and enriching interaction among peoples of various cultures and civilizations.

The panelists are well-known for their valuable contributions to this issue, but nevertheless our Chairman will properly introduce them later on. Let me just express our gratitude to the Secretary-General of the United Nations for appointing Mr. Giadomenico Picco as his personal Representative for the United Nations Year of Dialogue among Civilizations.

Statement by Mr. Giandomenico Picco, Personal Representative of the Secretary-General for United Nations Year of Dialogue among Civilizations, at the International Conference on Dialogue among Civilizations, 24-26 April 2001, Vilnius, Lithuania