Hungary UN mission to hold conference on dialogue between religions and cultures

Budapest (MTI) – Hungary’s permanent mission to the United Nations in New York is holding a one-day conference on Friday on the role of religions and culture in creating and maintaining peace and security.

The event is being held at the UN Headquarters and co-hosted by the Institute of Cultural Diplomacy in Berlin.

Katalin Bogyai, the Hungarian Ambassador to the UN and board member of the Berlin Institute of Cultural Diplomacy, told MTI the event is being organised in honour of the approaching anniversary of Hungary’s Parliament in Torda, in Transylvania, where freedom of religion was first declared, and of the inauguration speech Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, gave on Tuesday.

When speaking of the importance of creating and maintaining peace and security in the world, Guterres highlighted the significance of dialogue between religions and cultures. He also declared 2017 the year of peace, or at least a year when all should contribute to a peaceful world.

Speaking on an “open day” event in the Security Council on the same day, Bogyai talked about the role of preventive diplomacy in maintaining peace and avoiding conflict. The ambassador aimed to draw attention to the message of Friday’s event, she told MTI.