With the support of the initiative of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Leader of the Nation, His Excellency Emomali Rahmon, the Standing Committee of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) adopted a Resolution on strengthening the culture of peace, tolerance, and respect for the cultural values of nations.
As previously reported, a meeting of the APA Standing Committee on Social and Cultural Affairs was held in Dushanbe, bringing together representatives of more than 20 member countries to discuss issues related to strengthening peace and tolerance, promoting intercultural dialogue, protecting cultural heritage, and developing parliamentary cooperation.
One of the key issues discussed was a draft Resolution introduced by Tajikistan on strengthening the culture of peace, tolerance, and respect for the cultural values of nations, in light of the proposal put forward by the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Leader of the Nation, His Excellency Emomali Rahmon, entitled “On the International Decade for the Strengthening of a Culture of Peace for the Benefit of Future Generations (2027–2036).”
Following consideration of the draft Resolution and an exchange of views among the participants, the document was unanimously adopted by the participating APA member countries.
The drafting of the Resolution was guided by the principles and provisions of the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace.
The Resolution emphasizes that peace and security, sustainable development, the rule of law, respect for human rights, and intergenerational solidarity are interconnected and play a key role in building sustainable societies and ensuring dignified living conditions for present and future generations.
It also highlights the role of international, parliamentary, and cultural diplomacy, as well as constructive dialogue, in preventing conflicts and promoting the peaceful resolution of disputes.
The Resolution calls upon the parliaments of APA member states to take appropriate measures within their legislative and oversight powers to promote tolerance, mutual understanding, the rule of law, and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
It further recommends that issues related to peace, tolerance, mutual understanding, intergenerational solidarity, the protection of the cultural values of nations, and the development of parliamentary diplomacy be regularly addressed in the future activities of the APA. Particular attention is given to the role of education and science in fostering a culture of peace.
The protection of cultural, linguistic, religious, and civilizational diversity is identified as another key priority of the Resolution. It also emphasizes the importance of inclusive participation in efforts to foster a culture of peace, highlighting the role of youth and women, higher education institutions, scientific and research centers, civil society organizations, and the mass media in strengthening peace, preventing extremism, and promoting mutual understanding among peoples.
The Resolution also addresses the impact of information and communication technologies on peace and stability and underscores the importance of their responsible use in creating an information environment conducive to peace and mutual understanding.
The document welcomes international initiatives undertaken by member countries aimed at strengthening peace, promoting sustainable development, protecting the environment, advancing preventive diplomacy, and developing equitable international cooperation. It calls upon the parliaments of APA member states to actively contribute to achieving the objectives of the International Decade for the Strengthening of a Culture of Peace, in cooperation with the United Nations, the Asian Parliamentary Assembly, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and other international and regional organizations.
The Resolution is not limited to setting out broad objectives; it also proposes mechanisms for continued dialogue and the exchange of experiences.
In particular, it recommends that the parliaments of member states report on measures taken to implement the Resolution at subsequent meetings of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly and share relevant experiences and best practices.
Overall, the Resolution introduced by Tajikistan presents the culture of peace as a comprehensive area of parliamentary cooperation and focuses on coordinating the efforts of Asian countries across the political, legal, social, cultural, educational, scientific, informational, and broader societal spheres.
