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U.N. Discusses Globalism's Woes

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The Associated Press

Published: November 13, 2008

UNITED NATIONS - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned world leaders attending an interfaith conference Wednesday that globalization has increased communal strife, extremist ideologies and the polarization of societies.

Ban told the conference that globalization can be a great force for progress, but "as economies merge, as cultural boundaries disappear, as new media bring our societies closer together than ever before, new fault lines can emerge."

"Communal strife is intensifying," he said. "Extremist ideologies are on the rise. Societies are more polarized."

Ban said anti-Semitism "remains a scourge" and that "Islamaphobia has emerged as a new term for an old and terrible form of prejudice. And other kinds of racism and discrimination show a dismaying persistence."

Other speakers echoed that challenge at the start of the two-day U.N. conference to promote a dialogue about religions, cultures and common values.

All 192 U.N. member states were invited and about 65 countries asked to speak. The kings of Saudi Arabia and Jordan, the emirs of Kuwait and Bahrain, the presidents of the United States, Israel and Pakistan and the prime ministers of Britain, Qatar, Morocco, Djibouti and Egypt were expected to attend.

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