Sajida Shua, head of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the United Arab Emirates, has joined a broad international call urging world leaders to prioritise dialogue and diplomacy and to strengthen efforts to achieve peace, stressing the importance of placing human dignity at the heart of international decision-making.
The call comes against the backdrop of the UAE's established standing as a global model for peaceful coexistence, dialogue and tolerance. The country is home to more than 200 nationalities living and working in an environment built on mutual respect and cultural understanding, and continues to support humanitarian initiatives aimed at promoting stability and peace at both the regional and international levels.
Shua's remarks were made as part of a global appeal coordinated by the International Spiritual Council for the Transformation of Humanity (ISCTH), in which a number of international leaders, parliamentarians, and religious and humanitarian figures participated, with the aim of promoting dialogue amid escalating geopolitical tensions and armed conflicts.
Shua said: "I hope that leaders will choose dialogue over division, compassion over indifference, and place human dignity at the heart of every decision."
Swiss parliamentarian Dr Nick Gugger affirmed that the world stands at a delicate juncture requiring a retreat from escalation, stating: "The world is on fire, and leaders must choose dialogue over escalation and non-violence over retaliation. Dialogue is not weakness — it is the only way forward."
Jan Figel, president of FOREF Europe and former Special Envoy of the European Union for the Promotion of Freedom of Religion or Belief, emphasised that respect for human dignity and fundamental rights is the essential pillar for achieving lasting and sustainable peace.
A number of religious leaders also called for the entrenchment of values of compassion and understanding among peoples. The Dalai Lama affirmed that true peace begins from within the individual, while Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, called for more voices to be raised in support of peace.
The appeal also included reference to statements by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, in which he called for mutual concessions leading to long-term peace agreements.