Miguel Ángel Moratinos, UN High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations and UN Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia, has called on young people to become the generation that ends wars and builds peace.
According to Report, he made the remarks at the 7th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue in Baku today.
"Young people must become the generation of peace. War cannot be justified; it has no grounds. There is no art in war - destruction, darkness and suffering are manifestations of nihilism. Peace, by contrast, brings peace of mind, inner harmony, solidarity, empathy and good-neighbourly relations. That is why your generation must be the generation of peace, not war," he said.
Moratinos also stressed that young people were central to the work of the United Nations.
"Young people are not merely a symbol of the peace we so desperately need. You are the leaders of today and tomorrow. In fact, I would say that you are not the future - you are the present. In today"s deeply polarised, fragmented and uncertain world, we can see the vital role young people play. You are concerned about your future and what the next generation will inherit from us. It is you who must prepare to take on this responsibility and truly open a new chapter in human history," he added.