Extract from the speech given by President Khatami to the United Nations on September 21st, 1998:

I would like to propose, in the name of the Islamic Republic of Iran, that the United Nations, as a first step, declare the year 2001 as the “Year of Dialogue among Civilizations.”

In response to the proposal made by the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the United Nations General Assembly declared 2001 the year of Dialogue among Civilizations. Subsequently, the Iranian government founded the International Centre for Dialogue Among Civilizations (ICDAC) in February 1999.

Mission Statement

The International Centre for Dialogue Among Civilizations (ICDAC) is primarily an organization to promote the concept of a global structure based on mutual understanding and tolerance. To achieve that goal, the Centre sets forth its mission statement as:

• To promote dialogue among civilizations and cultures on an international scale as a means of advancing the interpretation of the UN Charter and of improving human well-being.
• To promote and expand the culture of dialogue at the national level.
• To promote the culture of peace in order to foster peaceful coexistence and prevent human rights violations.
• To help establish and broaden the international civil society through cultural interaction among nations.
• To strengthen spiritual, moral and religious culture.
• To conduct research on the significance and possible interpretations of Dialogue Among Civilizations and to release the findings nationally and internationally