Distinguished Attendees,
Esteemed Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is my honor to address you on a topic that affects us all equally. While we are talking here, hundreds of thousands of people in the crisis hotspots are persecuted because of their religion. Their homes have been devastated, their temples destroyed, their past erased, and their future is in doubt.

Their sad present reminds us of the gruesome past of the Balkans. Today's session dedicated to the Balkans is held on a symbolic day, from which we can draw two important lessons for the roots of the problem and for the possible solutions thereof.

Often I say that the one who communicates is integrated, and the one who does not communicate becomes ghettoized and creates enemies. Inter-religious conflicts are a result of lack of communication and dialogue. It leads to prejudice, exclusion, hatred and intolerance towards the different. Once sown, the seed of hatred towards diversity turns into weeds that is swiftly expanding and is very difficult to destroy. The Balkans is well aware of that.

On this day, October 17, 102 years ago, the First Balkan War started. As the Balkan wars of 1912 and 1913 were a bloody prelude to the World War I, the military conflicts in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s meant a bloody finale of the Cold War.

Since then, the countries in the region are committed to the dialogue, reconciliation and cooperation. We have started to walk jointly towards the European Union and NATO and to build a common European future for our citizens.

And just when the wounds of the inter-ethnic and inter-religious conflicts in our region began to slowly heal, when peace, security and stability slowly began to expand, the Balkan countries face a new, serious, threat that can shake everything that has been built up to now.

Esteemed Excellencies,

The Balkans is the European gateway to the Mediterranean. The function of every gate is to be open for all well-intended persons and close for those who do not think well. This European gateway, unfortunately, is more often used by foreign terrorist fighters heading to the crisis hotspots. It is a challenge for all Balkan countries where, on a daily basis, new foreign terrorist fighters and their supporters are recruited and radicalized.
We have a responsibility towards our own citizens and a responsibility towards Europe to which we strive. This is proven by the recent reports of the European Commission on the progress achieved by the candidate-countries. The European Union expects the countries in the region to take appropriate measures to prevent radicalization and deal with the phenomenon of foreign terrorist fighters.

To respond to this threat, several steps are necessary of which I have recently spoken in the Security Council of the United Nations.

First, we need expansion of the zone of peace, security and stability in our region. For us, it implies accelerated expansion of NATO.

Second, respect for the international law is necessary which would provide for greater predictability in international relations. The Republic of Macedonia has been waiting for too long its deserved membership in the Alliance, because of the violation of the UN resolutions, the breach of the international commitments and the judgment of the International Court of Justice.

Third, accelerated integration of the Republic of Macedonia and of the other Balkan countries into the European Union. Postponing the enlargement, the European Union is creating a problem on its own territory.

Fourth, the need for establishing intensive cooperation and information exchange among the Western Balkan countries is becoming more and more evident for the purpose of identification and evaluation of security threats and operational coordination. Cooperation is needed in early warning, prevention and coordination of the activities between the law enforcement and intelligence services.

Fifth, global challenges require global response. Global and regional mechanisms should focus on counter-radicalization and de-radicalization programs. The aim would be to close the gate to all those who want to infect our society with this fatal ideologies.

When we talk about ideology, we think of worldview, understanding of the world around us and our place and role therein. The main problem lies in this. All ideologies that feed hatred, implies a world in which extremists are united in their intention to eradicate diversity.

Contrary to this is the world we are building, a world of dialogue, respect and acceptance of diversity.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I said that this day is symbolic because 102 years ago the First Balkan War started. Only two years earlier, in Skopje, Macedonia, Mother Teresa was born. In a radius of 100 meters from her parents' house, there was a Catholic church, an Orthodox church, a Jewish synagogue and a Muslim mosque. In Macedonia she learned to live the unity in diversity. The Macedonian model of coexistence and respect for diversity contributed Mother Teresa to become the mother of the 20th century who, on this day 35 years ago, received the Nobel Peace Prize.

In this is the solution we offer. Guided by our tradition of respect for diversity, in 2003 we initiated the Forum of the Dialogue among Civilizations. Only two years later, through the dialogue, Spain and Turkey initiated the Alliance of Civilizations of the United Nations.

Therefore, the Republic of Macedonia works actively, next year, in 2015, to re-stage the Dialogue of Civilizations which will be fully dedicated to the youth.

All countries in the region which are outside of the EU and NATO can not address these challenges alone. We have limited capacity. Therefore we need partners that can help us build capacity and resist violent extremism and radicalism. We can and we must deprive the extremist groups of the resource that is most needed to them –new recruits.

Respecting diversity, we upgrade the tradition of tolerance towards diversity. Because we often tolerate what we have to and respect what we want to.

Hence, from here, I call upon the leaders in all social spheres to become involved more actively in initiatives such as the Alliance of Civilizations. I believe and I am convinced that the best prevention against all forms of violent extremism and radicalism is affirmation of the philosophy of respect for diversity.

I call on the leaders to invest in youth. It is necessary to educate youth in our multi-ethnic and multi-religious societies of the importance of dialogue, which implied respect and acceptance of diversity.

Thank you.