The 11th Summit of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference on 13-14 March in the Senegalese capital
Posted by African Press International on March 13, 2008
Dakar (Senegal) Spanish Prime Minister, José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, is expected in Dakar to deliver a speech on his “Alliance of Civilisations” project during the 11th Summit of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference on 13-14 March in the Senegalese capital, Senegalese foreign affairs minister Sheik Tidiane Gadio said here Tuesday.
In addition to the Spanish Premier, Gadio said the UN Secretary-general, Ban ki-Moon is due Wednesday in Dakar as well as the US envoy to the OIC Summit Sada Cumber who was appointed last 27 February.
The Spanish PM would present a paper on his “Alliance of Civilisations” project, Gadio said, feeling that it would be an “excellent detail” for the reconciliation of peoples.
“We do not know his schedule. He won the recent Spanish parliamentary elections and should be overwhelmed,” Gadio added.
Zapatero whom Gadio said is a “great friend of the Ummah” launched an initiative in 2004 in collaboration with his Turkish counterpart, Racep Tayyip Erdogan.
On the 60th anniversary of the Arab League in March 2005 in Algiers, Zapatero delivered a memorable speech, saying the narrow vision which mainly identifies terrorism with an Islamic radical and fanatic vision is a serious mistake that unfairly gives rise to a suspicious complicity within all societies and communities”.
“Such attitude is a serious mistake which thwarts understanding and leads to misunderstanding between cultures,” he had explained.
The “Alliance of Civilisations” aims at bringing the institutions and civil societies closer to “overcome the cultural and religious biases and misunderstandings”.
Published by Korir, API africanpress@getmail.no source.apa
