Portugal joined partners in celebrating the first International Day of Peaceful Coexistence
The Permanent Representative of Portugal to the United Nations attended the first celebration of the International Day of Peaceful Coexistence, around the theme “Interreligious Approaches for Peaceful Coexistence”.
He noted that Portugal’s Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and belief, thus recognizing that peace in society depends on protecting freedom of conscience and the equal dignity of all faiths and philosophies of life. Ambassador Vinhas further stated that peaceful coexistence requires acknowledging historical wounds, rejecting extremism in all its forms, and refusing the misuse of religion to justify violence or exclusion.
Portugal’s attachment to intercultural and interreligious dialogue is well attested by several institutions it hosts and that develop valuable work in these areas.
Portugal hosts the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue, KAICIID, in Lisbon, after its relocation from Vienna. We value the presence of this intergovernmental organization committed to peace through dialogue and mutual understanding. Headquartered in Portugal, KAICIID serves as a global hub for practitioners and policymakers working on peaceful coexistence across faiths.
The Seat, or Diwan, of the Ismaili Imamat, located in Lisbon, also plays an important role in promoting interreligious and intercultural dialogue as part of its broader mission of pluralism, human dignity, and peaceful coexistence. Our cooperation is grounded in an agreement that explicitly places this institution within a framework of dialogue, pluralism, and peacebuilding.
Since 1990, Portugal has also welcomed the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe. Its mission is to promote dialogue between North and South, human rights, democracy, global citizenship, intercultural understanding, and social cohesion.
This commitment to interreligious and intercultural cooperation as a key pillar of sustainable peace was clearly demonstrated when Portugal hosted the 10th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations. The Forum, held in Cascais, also marked the twentieth anniversary of UNAOC, offering an appropriate setting to reflect on this milestone and highlighting Portugal’s long-standing engagement with dialogue-based institutions, our inclusive social model, and our role as a reliable bridge between Europe, Africa, the Mediterranean, and the wider world.
