"This is not a meeting about religions. This is a meeting to discuss the common values that we have in our different cultures," said yesterday Miguel D’Escoto Brockmann, UN General Assembly President, to the journalists who were attending the meeting "Culture of Peace" which is ending today, November 13, in the United Nations Building in New York. "We are here to speak about different values and principles that may serve international decision makers and help the world to recover from the crises it is facing," said Mr D’Escoto referring to the present conflicts, climate change and the global economic crisis. Although we speak about "the financial emergency, it is not only Wall Street that needs to be bailed out," declared Mr D’Escoto. "We need to bail out all humankind as, owing to this ‘moral bankruptcy’, donor countries are not respecting their pledge to help poor countries." From his part, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed his "full support" to the initiative that can be helpful in "countering prejudice, hatred and extremism." The meeting, which has been the first ever organised by the United Nations on the invitation of the Saudi King Abdullah II, is being attended by some 70 Heads of State and Government.” ” ” “
