At a gathering held on the sidelines of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Human Dimension Committee meeting, the Bahá'í International Community (BIC) Brussels Office highlighted the existing assumptions underlying the multilateral system, proposing that interdependence and the oneness of humanity should serve as foundational principles underpinning multilateral systems.

The Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the OSCE hosted the exchange, which brought together Ambassadors and Representatives of the 57 participating states of the OSCE. The discussion offered an opportunity to reflect on the premises of multilateralism, and on the role that religious and faith communities play in strengthening cooperation among states.

Alessandro Benedetti, Representative of the BIC’s Brussels Office, highlighted that the principle of the oneness of humanity can help reimagine multilateralism beyond a logic inherited from adversarial thinking. "Every human system is built upon particular assumptions and values," Mr. Benedetti said. "The question before us is whether the assumptions that brought humanity to this stage of political organization remain sufficient for the realities of our time."

He noted that this question invites consideration on whether the growing interdependence of the world calls for a renewed vision of multilateralism, one rooted not only in cooperation among states, but in the recognition that the well-being of every nation is inseparable from the well-being of the whole.

Turning to the role of religious communities, Mr. Benedetti stressed that their own efforts to overcome division are integral to their contribution to a more united international order. He invited religious leaders to consider whether their language and narratives reinforce patterns of “othering”, and how their communities could move beyond peaceful coexistence towards relationships of solidarity, collaboration and shared purpose. He also highlighted religion’s potential to help society reconsider the assumptions and values underlying its institutions, drawing on the moral and spiritual insights of humanity’s religious traditions. “The concern of religion cannot be only for one people, one nation, or one community,” he said. “It must embrace all humanity.”

Read the full speech here.