As the world observes International Day of Human Fraternity 2023 on Saturday - February 4 - it may be recalled that the UN General Assembly on December 21, 2020, proclaimed February 4 as the International Day of Human Fraternity with resolution 75/200 to promote greater cultural and religious tolerance across the globe.
“Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together” – co-authored by His Holiness Pope Francis and His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed El Tayeb – is a model for interfaith harmony and human solidarity. Let us all take inspiration and renew our commitment to stand together as one human family," UN Secretary-General António Guterres declared.
Observing International Day of Human Fraternity 2023, the UN said the world need "to recognize the valuable contribution of people of all religions, or beliefs, to humanity and the contribution that dialogue among all religious groups can make towards an improved awareness and understanding of the common values shared by all humankind".
It also underlined the importance of raising awareness about different cultures and religions, or beliefs, and the promotion of tolerance, which involves societal acceptance and respect for religious and cultural diversity, including with regard to religious expression.
It highlighted the role of education, in particular at school, to contribute in a meaningful way to promoting tolerance and the elimination of discrimination based on religion or belief.
"We must acknowledge that tolerance, pluralistic tradition, mutual respect and the diversity of religions and beliefs promote human fraternity. Thus, it is imperative that we encourage activities aimed at promoting interreligious and intercultural dialogue in order to enhance peace and social stability, respect for diversity and mutual respect and to create, at the global level, and also at the regional, national and local levels, an environment conducive to peace and mutual understanding.
Within that frame, the General-Assembly took note of all international, regional, national and local initiatives, as appropriate, as well as efforts by religious leaders, to promote interreligious and intercultural dialogue, and in this regard took note also of the meeting between Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmad al-Tayyib, on 4 February 2019 in Abu Dhabi, which resulted in the signing of the document entitled 'Human fraternity for world peace and living together', ” the UN stated.
