SEOUL, 18th June, 2023 (WAM) — TRENDS Research and Advisory Centre, in cooperation with the Jeju Institute of Peace in South Korea (JPI), organised a scientific symposium entitled: “Peoples’ Relations as a Basis for Global Peace Making: Building a Culture of Dialogue and Tolerance”, which called for celebrating cultural diversity and fostering purposeful dialogue, as pillars needed to lay the foundation for a harmonious future. The event was held as part of TRENDS’ activities at the 65th edition of the Seoul International Book Fair 2023. A group of experts and researchers contributed to the insightful discussion, which was attended by Abdullah Saif Ali Al Nuaimi, UAE Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, Mohammed Jalal Al Rayssi, Director-General of the Emirates News Agency (WAM), and a distinguished audience of media professionals, writers and visitors to the book fair. The symposium was opened with welcoming remarks by Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al Ali, CEO of TRENDS Research and Advisory and Professor, and Prof. Young Hoon Kang, President of the Jeju Peace Institute. Dr. Al-Ali noted that TRENDS Centre has concluded more than 190 partnership agreements with important research, academic and media institutions worldwide. Such partnerships promote constructive dialogue and research cooperation to serve issues of concern to humanity in general, he elaborated. The TRENDS CEO explained that the symposium aims to emphasise the importance of strengthening ties between peoples, as the basis for achieving world peace through joint work that promotes a global culture of dialogue and tolerance. For his part, Prof. Kang said that the participation of the TRENDS delegation expands the prospects for intellectual and research cooperation, noting that the Jeju Peace Institute focuses on bolstering peace and cooperation within the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia. Moderating the symposium, Rahaf Al Khazraji, researcher and Deputy Director of the Scientific Publishing Department at TRENDS, said that the symposium aims to explore the basic aspects of promoting world peace by emphasising the importance of constructive relations. She stressed that the best way to achieve coexistence and possible conflict resolution lies in developing a culture of open dialogue and tolerance. This requires exploring the complex dynamics of human interaction, Al Khazraji affirmed. In turn, Haeyong Lim, Director of Research Department at Jeju Peace Institute, presented a working paper in which he talked about the Institute’s Peace Index (JPI), a project that defines the level of cooperation and conflict in bilateral relations, and measures cooperation and conflict between and within countries, based on a huge database of global of events. Haeyong Lim gave some specialised insights on these programmes and the deduction methods used, underscoring the importance of the indicator in promoting peace and identifying the sources of conflicts and problems. In her working paper entitled “Cultural Diplomacy and Peace Promotion in the Middle East”, Elyazia Al Hosani, Head of Media Communication Office at Trends Centre, said that cultural diplomacy provides great opportunities to develop communication and mutual understanding between multiple parties. It is a valuable tool to learn about other peoples’ values, their cultures, civilisations and heritage, which could be achieved through various forms embodied in this type of diplomacy, Al Hosani explained, describing cultural diplomacy as “a powerful tool for bridging divides, promoting understanding and building a foundation for lasting peace”.

Source: Emirates News Agency (WAM)