UN Alliance of Civilizations: Our Partner for the World Tomorrow
Global Peace Exchange works as part of the Dialogue Initiative and the United Nations' Alliance of Civilizations Association of Colleges and Universities (UNAOCACU). As part of the UNAOC's implementation plan, Youth-based service, engagements and exchanges were encouraged as a means of accomplishing the Alliance's Goals of bridging gaps between disparate cultures. Global Peace Exchange is the pre-eminent project in this area.
From unaoc.org:
The initiative responds to a broad consensus across nations, cultures and religions that all societies are interdependent, bound together in their development and security, and in their environmental, economic and financial well-being.
The Alliance seeks to forge collective political will and to mobilize concerted action at the institutional and civil society levels to overcome the prejudice, misperceptions and polarization that militate against such a consensus. And it hopes to contribute to a coalescing global movement which, reflecting the will of the vast majority of people, rejects extremism in any society.
Events of recent years have exacerbated mutual suspicion, fear and misunderstanding between Islamic and Western societies. This environment has been exploited by extremists throughout the world.
Only a comprehensive coalition will be able to avert any further deterioration of relations between societies and nations, which could threaten international stability. The Alliance seeks to counter this trend by establishing a paradigm of mutual respect between civilizations and cultures.
The UNAOC provides support in the way of resources, assistance and guidance towards our mutual goals. Under the auspices of the UNAOC, Global Peace Exchange seeks to use international service as the means for a brighter future and a culture of mutual respect.