Convivencia
A blog by
Miguel Ángel Moratinos
High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations
Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos is the High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC). In this blog, he regularly shares his vision for the work of UNAOC, as well as his thoughts, ideas, and observations about current global events.

En defensa de la diplomacia
Publicado en Política Exterior, mayo/junio de 2023 En un contexto de crisis del multilateralismo y ante un mundo crecientemente fragmentado, es preciso reivindicar la diplomacia como medio de relación con ‘los otros’, instrumento de prevención de conflictos y creación...
read moreLa guerra de Iraq, 20 años después
La intervención militar liderada por Estados Unidos en Iraq en marzo de 2003 fue injustificada, ilegal y devastadora.
A juzgar por las consecuencias, la guerra de Iraq fue uno de los errores geopolíticos más graves de todos los tiempos. La “Coalición de Voluntarios” liderada por Estados Unidos llevó a cabo la “Operación Libertad Iraquí” el 19 de marzo de 2003. Veintidós días después, el 9 de abril, el Presidente George W. Bush anunció que era una “misión cumplida”. Otro error de cálculo estadounidense.
Según los dirigentes estadounidenses y de la Coalición, la intervención militar en Iraq respondía a los atentados terroristas del 11-S contra Estados Unidos, basados en la afirmación de que el Presidente iraquí Saddam Hussein poseía armas de destrucción masiva y en su apoyo al terrorismo, en alusión a sus vínculos con Al Qaeda, autores de estos atroces atentados en suelo estadounidense. La administración estadounidense también pretendía liberar al pueblo iraquí mediante un cambio de régimen.
A todas luces, la guerra de Iraq fracasó en todos estos frentes.
read moreThe Iraq War, 20 years on
The US-led military intervention in Iraq in March 2003 was unjustified, illegal, and devastating.
Judging from the consequences, the Iraq war was one of the gravest geopolitical mistakes of all time. The US-led “Coalition of the Willing” carried out “Operation Iraqi Freedom” on 19 March, 2003. Twenty-two days later on 9 April, President George W. Bush announced “mission accomplished”. Another US miscalculation.
According to the US and the Coalition leaders, the military intervention in Iraq was in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the US based on the claim that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction and for his support to terrorism alluding to his ties to Al-Qae’da, the perpetrators of these heinous attacks on US soil. The US administration also aimed to free the Iraqi people through a regime change.
On all accounts, the Iraq war failed on all these fronts.
read moreThird Dialogue on Exchanges and Mutual Learning among Civilizations
Remarks by Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations at the Third Dialogue on Exchanges and Mutual Learning among Civilizations Beijing, China, 3-4 July 2023 Your Excellency Mr. Han...
read moreCT Week Side Event ‘Towards a Terrorism-free Society’
Remarks by H.E. Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for UNAOC at the Counter-Terrorism Week Side Event "Towards a Terrorism-Free Society: Peaceful Co-Existence for the Promotion of Tolerance and Mutual Respect in Combating...
read more3rd High-Level Counter-Terrorism Week
Remarks by Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for UNAOC, at the 3rd High-Level Counter-Terrorism Week "SESSION II: Building Effective and Resilient Member States’ Institutions in the Evolving Global Terrorism Landscape" 19 June...
read moreHigh-level Event to Mark the 2nd International Day to Combat Hate Speech
Remarks by H.E. Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for UNAOC at the High-level Event to Commemorate the International Day of Countering Hate Speech 19 June 2023, 11:00 am, Trusteeship Council, UN Headquarters, New York Your...
read moreIntercultural and Interreligious Dialogue: Building Bridges Between East and West
Remarks by the High Representative for UNAOC Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue: Building Bridges Between East and West Trusteeship Council, United Nations Headquarters, New York, 14 June 2023 Your Excellency Mr. Csaba Korosi, President of the General Assembly,...
read more‘Prayer for Peace’ Moment
Remarks by Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos, the High Representative for UNAOC at the 'Prayer for Peace' moment, United Nations Headquarters, New York Mr. Secretary-General, Distinguished religious leaders and honorable guests, It is difficult to speak after listening to...
read moreThe horrors of violence. Peace is needed now.
A few days ago, once again, 19 children and two teachers were shot dead in their school in the United States. The entire international community has anew unanimously condemned this act of irrational barbarism. The debate on access to guns in the United States in the...
read moreLos horrores de la violencia. Se necesita la paz ahora.
Hace unos días, de nuevo, 19 niños y dos profesoras murieron tiroteados en su escuela en Estados Unidos. Este acto de barbarie irracional ha vuelto a recibir la condena unánime de toda la comunidad internacional. El debate del acceso a las armas en Estados Unidos...
read moreThe war in Ukraine is not and should not be a clash of civilizations
Europe and the West must avoid the temptation to impose the so-called 'Western civilization' on the rest of the world There was a widespread feeling that the 21st century would not see traditional conflicts and wars. We naively thought that this century would take...
read moreLa guerra de Ucrania no es ni debe ser un choque de civilizaciones
Europa y Occidente deben evitar caer en la tentación de querer imponer la denominada 'civilización occidental' al resto del mundo Existía un sentimiento generalizado de que el siglo XXI no sería testigo de conflictos y guerras de carácter tradicional. Pensábamos...
read moreBasta Ya: Enough Is Enough
"Basta ya: Enough is enough": this cry went viral in Spain in the 1990s and 2000s to confront the barbarity of ETA terrorism. Today we should recover it to stop the odious and condemnable wave of terrorist attacks perpetrated in religious sites. In March 2019, the...
read moreBasta ya
“Basta ya”: este grito fue viral para hacer frente a la locura y barbarie del terrorismo de ETA en la España de los años 90 y 2000. Hoy deberíamos recuperarlo para parar la odiosa y condenable ola de atentados terroristas perpetrados en lugares de culto.
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