United Nations Alliance of Civilizations Forum Opens Sunday in Doha

Doha, December 10 (QNA) - The first plenary session of the fourth United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) Forum opening here Sunday at the Qatar National Convention Centre will hear top speakers on 'How Does Cultural Diversity Matter to Development'. UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova is the first speaker of the plenary session. Director of the Earth Institute Jeffrey Sachs, Interim Director of the Commonwealth Foundation Dr. Sriskandarajah Dhananjayan, African Union Commissioner for Social Affairs Bience Gawanas, Founder of Community of Sant'Egidio Andrea Riccardi and BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt Executive Director Markus Hipp are the other speakers. Intercultural Dialogue to Boost Development is the theme of the four-day UNAOC Forum which opened Saturday with the Doha'art Intercultural Festival and youth events. The first series of breakout sessions on Sunday will probe the roles of Education in Sustainable Development; Diversity, linking Cultures and promoting Dialogue between Civilizations through Travel and Tourism; Creative Industries in boosting development, Impact of Migration on Development and as wells sports role in promoting dialogue and understanding. The Action Network Sessions will mull on 'Enlarging the network of creative cities; Youth for Development: Partners and Agents of Change; Women's role in Sustainable Development and Religious minorities and Millennium Development Goals. A welcome reception will be held at the Katara Cultural Village later in the evening. (QNA)