"The challenge of the cohabitation of different peoples in the era of globalisation must be played on both a global and local plane", by involving the local communities and building effective opportunities for dialogue and socialisation, for exchanges between different cultures. Jorge Sampaio, High Representative of the Alliance of Civilisations, established in 2005 on the initiative of the Spanish and Turkish governments under the aegis of the UN, spoke in Strasbourg during the meetings promoted by the European Parliament for the Year of Intercultural dialogue. Sampaio, the former president of Portugal, firstly outlined a "worrying" picture of the current situation, in which "it seems to be more and more difficult to make religious, cultural and social differences live together in our countries". He spoke of the "erosion of social cohesion" and the climate of mistrust and fear that "is pushing the States to just take security or repressive measures". "Politicians are bewildered, polarisations are growing": "yet, now is the time to discover the centrality of dialogue between different cultures, and the promotion of diversity becomes a way out of the problems we are experiencing". (continued)
