Thematic Panel 7 - 10th UNAOC Global Forum

Thematic Panel 7: "The soft power of AI: applications of artificial intelligence in advancing intercultural and interfaith dialogue"

• Mr. Erol User, Founder and CEO, USER Corporation
• Ms. Yujun Pian, Chief of Information Management, United Nations Office of Information and Communications Technology (UN OICT)
• Mr. Moulaye Bouamatou, President, Director General, BSA Telecom
• Ms. Balques Al Radwan, Programme Management Officer, Cybersecurity & New Technologies Unit of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT)
• Ms. Christine Goussous, Regional Director of Global Nomads, #UNAOCyouth (Jordan), UNAOC Fellow (2018)
• Mr. Oliver Smykacz, Founder and CEO, Be Light

Moderator: Ms. Julie Ladanan, Public Information Officer, UNAOC

The world is at the precipice of an unprecedented technological revolution, with Artificial Intelligence (AI) rapidly transforming every aspect of our lives — reshaping human interactions, catalyzing development, and unlocking potential once deemed unreachable. From education and media, to healthcare, governance, entertainment, finance, and nearly all sectors of our society, the impact of AI is both pervasive and ubiquitous, promising to accelerate humanity's progress at unparalleled speeds.

Within the framework of its 10th Global Forum in Cascais, Portugal, UNAOC is turning the spotlight on how humanity can ensure that AI becomes a tool for peace and social cohesion rather than a mechanism that entrenches division and inequality. In this era of unprecedented change, against a backdrop of complex geopolitical tensions, the stakes are higher now more than ever. By bringing together diverse voices from diverse sectors, this discussion aims to explore the immense soft power of AI to advance intercultural and interfaith dialogue, tackle the ethical and governance challenges necessary to prevent the inadvertent proliferation of biases and stereotypes, and facilitate meaningful conversations among and across communities.

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The 10th UNAOC Global Forum in Cascais, Portugal will convene members of the UNAOC Group of Friends, political leaders, representatives of international and regional organizations, religious leaders and faith actors, the private sector, civil society, academia, youth, arts and media, as well as donor agencies and foundations, who will address the global issues pertinent to peace and security and call for restoring trust and for uniting in peace. 

In Cascais, participants will have an opportunity to reflect on the twenty years of the 'Alliance of Civilizations' initiative, announced by Spain at the 59th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2004, and how UNAOC grew into a vibrant and well-established United Nations entity.

The event will be an occasion to highlight and celebrate UNAOC achievements and map the blueprint for "One Humanity" in the years to come.