The UN General Assembly has proclaimed 2010 the International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures and has designated UNESCO to play a leading role in the celebration of the Year.

In line with UNESCO’s mandate, this International Year is both the culmination of the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World (2001–2010) - and the starting point of a new strategy.

The goal of the International Year consists in making the rapprochement of cultures the hallmark of all policy-making at local, national, regional and international levels, involving the greatest number of relevant stakeholders.  

Entrusted with the mandate to contribute to build "the defences of peace in the minds of men" thanks to international cooperation in the fields of its competence, namely through education, sciences, culture and communication, UNESCO is designated to play a leading role for the celebration of the Year within the United Nations system. In fact, over the years and indeed in the past decade, the Organization has gained special experience and has won recognition through its efforts to demonstrate the beneficial effects of cultural diversity highlighting the importance of borrowings, transfers and exchanges between cultures.

Look at the list of activities (open):

Read the message from Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, “2010, International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures”.

Read the message from Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the United Nations.

Download the leaflet for the Year here:

http://www.unesco.org/culture/pdf/2010/2010_leaflet_en