In a world shaped by conflict and digital noise, the High Representative for the UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) called for young people to make the 21st century the last century in which humanity witnesses war.
Speaking to UN News ahead of the 11th Global Forum of the Alliance, which opens in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Sunday, Miguel Ángel Moratinos urged youth everywhere to reclaim peace as a global priority.
The future depends on a new generation willing to choose dialogue over division, and humanity over hatred, he said.
A unique role
The Alliance is a leading UN platform for intercultural dialogue. As the forum marks 20 years since its creation, Mr. Moratinos reflected on how the world has changed over the past two decades.
When the Alliance was established in 2005 as an initiative by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the international order was unipolar.
Today, it is multipolar, with emerging powers in the Arab world, Asia, Africa and Latin America demanding to be seen and heard.
The Alliance is uniquely positioned to bring them and everyone else to the same table, he insisted.
Mr. Moratinos acknowledged, however, that the world has become more complex. He sees this as a challenge that demands deeper commitment to listening, dialogue and understanding.
AI: Opportunities and challenges
Among the most pressing issues Mr. Moratinos identified is artificial intelligence - a force he says will shape the future in profound ways, while warning of the challenges
"A machine has no concern for religion, faith, ethics - but humans do," he said. That is why he insists that AI must remain human-centered, guided by human values and human decision-making.
He warned against the risk of people surrendering their freedom and responsibility to machines. If humanity forgets its moral compass, he cautioned, technology will not correct course. For Mr. Moratinos, the Alliance of Civilizations exists precisely to protect values and ethics.
'Hate is back and it's dangerous'
Turning to one of the Alliance's important concerns, he spoke about the resurgence of hate speech, especially online.
"Hate is back," said Mr. Moratinos. "Hate makes you feel you have to eliminate your counterpart."
He warned that hate begins with words but leads to exclusion, violence, and conflict. To combat it, the Alliance is investing in programmes that promote counter-narratives and encourage understanding. And he said young people are central to those efforts.
Today's youth live "much of their lives" in virtual spaces which he fears can pull them away from real human connection.
"We have to bring realism back to the youth," he said, urging a better balance between the online world and real life - where relationships, cultures, and communities truly take shape.
Peace must come first
Mr. Moratinos said the world has become consumed by security and in the process, it has forgotten peace.
"Everybody is much more concerned about security than about peace," he said. "But you will not get security without peace."
Saving the planet, he added, is meaningless if humanity continues to destroy itself. He pointed to the heavy human toll of the conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan, and insisted that the world must refocus on what truly matters: saving humanity.
"Peace with a capital P," he said, must be the defining message of the Riyadh forum and the guiding principle for the generations to come.
And he believes it is young people who can make that vision real. Only they, he said, can decide that the 21st century will be the last century scarred by war.
