New York / Information Office/ 09 September 2015/ Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Member States called for developing a media discourse to embrace the values of tolerance, fight against extremism and coexistence rather that restricting minds and provoking fear. The GCC states stressed that inculcating a culture of peace requires the contribution of the media by playing a key role in the dissemination of such culture. This came Wednesday in the GCC States' speech on a Culture of Peace delivered by HE Qatar's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Sheikha Alia Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani, on behalf of the GCC Member States, (UAE, Kingdom Bahrain, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Sultanate of Oman, State of Kuwait and the State of Qatar). The speech was delivered before the High-level Forum on a Culture of Peace, which was held today at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. Despite the importance of the laws that ensure the fight against extremism, they remain insufficient, unless complemented through education, which is an essential pillar to the progress of societies, and one of the principal means for building and Promoting a culture of peace as well a tool of great importance to promote peaceful coexistence, tolerance and reconciliation, said Ambassador Sheikha Alia. "We can not talk about the promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies without touching on the positive role played by the youth, intellectuals, clergymen and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the promotion of tolerance, a culture of peace and the fight against all forms of discrimination, hostility and violence, she added. She pointed that the UN Document, 'International Decade for a Culture of Peace' does not suggest that peace means only the absence of conflict. It requires rooting different values, attitudes, traditions and ways of life that are based on full respect to the principles of human rights, dialogue and cooperation among nations and different cultures, she explained. HE Ambassador Sheikha Alia said that despite the numerous efforts and decisions that serve the interests of humanity and aim at promoting peace and stability in all countries, the incidents of violence, conflict and human suffering continue to occur everywhere, which underlines the urgent need for promoting a culture of peace which aims to enshrine tolerance, respect for the law and diversity, a culture that respects human dignity and promotes understanding and respect among nations. HE Sheikha Alia Ahmed bin Saif Al -Thani said that the world has witnessed in recent decades conflicts which exhausted energies of nations and hampered human development. After these bitter experiences, she said the international community today realized that there is still in a need to create appropriate atmosphere to spread culture of dialogue and human rights and reject the use of force to achieve prosperity. In spite of the difficult conditions experienced by our peoples , they are more receptive to the foundations of peaceful co-existence and renouncing wars to embrace the culture of peace as a cradle of all divine religions, which in its real essence call for peace , tolerance and build civilizations, she added . She added that as based on heritage of our civilization and values, we are continuing our efforts as a partner in the international community to promote the culture of peace co-existence, she added, while saying our countries still had substantial contributions in the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) Group of Friends community. HE Sheikha Alia pointed out that Qatar established Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue 2007, which seeks to spread the culture of dialogue , the acceptance of others and peaceful coexistence among followers of all divine religions, where the center held and still is holding many conferences for this purpose, as the state hosted the Fourth Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, which was held in Doha in December 2011. Ambassador Sheikha Alia noted that we recall with appreciation and gratitude the active and effective role played by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through King Abdullah International Center for Dialogue among followers of different religions to combat extremism. She also referred to the Kingdom of Bahrain hosting of the International Conference "Civilizations in the Service of Humanity" in Manama on 5 May 2014, in which the Bahrain Declaration was issued. HE Sheikha Alia also noted that the UAE hosted a forum for promoting peace in Muslim communities in March 2014, which seeks to promote the message of Islam as a religion based on tolerance and respect for human rights . She also noted that the Sultanate of Oman organized in Burundi in 2014 the International Conference on the civilization and culture, which calls for the establishment of a culture of respect and peace among all. Kuwait also hosted a number of conferences which reflect the importance of dialogue and communication among peoples in support of this dialogue, including the Afro-Arab Summit in 2013 and the Asian Cooperation Dialogue in 2011, Sheikha Alia said, noting that Kuwait also had established a Global Center for Moderation, which aims to promote the convergence of civilizations and promote tolerance among peoples for achievement of equality, and the rejection of violence and extremism. Concluding, HE Ambassador Sheikha Alia Ahmed bin Saif Al -Thani reiterates the GCC states' firm stance towards the promotion of peace and coexistence among communities, and continue to make determined efforts to combat extremism and intolerance in all its forms and manifestations, in order to achieve sustainable and comprehensive development post-2015.