By SPA
United Nations : United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will travel to Madrid next week to open the inaugural meeting of the Alliance of Civilizations, an international dialogue initiative.
Ban is expected to attend alongside leaders from countries including Spain and Turkey, according to Alliance of Civilizations acting director Shamil Idriss.
The Alliance, an initiative of the Spanish and Turkish governments under the auspices of the United Nations, was started in June 2005 to build bridges between nations and cultures through dialogue.
The first forum will take place from January 15 to 16 in Madrid, Spain and plans to be a “high-profile, action-oriented event,” an Alliance of Civilizations statement said.
Among the expected attendees are European Union Council Secretary General Javier Solana, leaders from Slovenia and Malaysia, authors, Nobel laureates and former heads of state, Idriss said.
“The Forum will feature announcements of high-profile initiatives, including major projects aimed at promoting understanding among cultures in the areas of media and youth,” the statement said.