The International Symposium on “Civilization and Harmony: Values and Mechanisms of the Global Order” organized by the Center for Strategic Research of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey on 2-3 October 2004 was held in Istanbul with the participation of attendants from a large number of countries.

Many scholars, intellectuals and specialists have attended the Symposium and shared their views with each other as a follow up of the first OIC-EU Joint Ministerial Forum in 2002 that produced a final statement entitled “the Istanbul Spirit”. The city of Istanbul was selected as the venue for this meeting because of its importance for various cultural and religious traditions. Istanbul continues in these days to be an ideal setting for dialogue and mutual understanding among various cultures and faiths.

In line with this spirit of Istanbul, the participants agreed that there should be no hierarchy of cultures. The emphasis in discussions was placed on multilateral cooperation, inclusiveness, and diversity, on the basis of mutual respect and common interests with the spirit of full cooperation. In keeping with the Abrahamic tradition which encompasses the three major monotheistic religions, there was a call for the mobilization of these values for peace and harmony. It was also recognized that all the great world religions and humanistic traditions had made major contributions to the realization of these values.

There was disappointment among the participants that the second OIC-EU Joint Ministerial Forum could not take place for reasons not related to the purpose of the meeting. An important opportunity for needed dialogue was lost. The momentum of the Istanbul Spirit has to be regained as soon as possible.

Participants understood that the Symposium provided an excellent occasion for intellectual communication at a historic moment when the cultural dimensions of world order are gaining ascendancy. They agreed on expressing their views of the value of intellectual analyses of such issues as poverty and the tendency of injustice to give rise to political violence.

The Symposium explored ways and means of overcoming various forms of discrimination, especially, increasing Islamophobia and the spread of anti-Western sentiments.

Participants called for collaborative concrete efforts to be deployed by the OIC and the EU. They suggested that global problems could be best solved by relying on multilateralism, as informed by human rigths, the rule of law, and principles of equity and reciprocity.

The Symposium agreed that the OIC-EU cooperation should be enhanced and expanded in dealing with common issues of global concern, and such joint undertakings would strengthen the world peace and promote global justice.