Mostafa Alaei - PhD Candidate, International Law, Payam Noor University of Tehran; Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran

Cultures and great religions are the building blocks of the human civilization in the current world with different disciplines which have an inherent right to preserve and develop their own principles within the common whole, i.e. diversity within universality. Although cultural diversity involves several dimensions, this article, mainly within the framework of the UN documents, seeks to elaborate on the essential importance of respect for cultural diversity and promoting the right to preserve and develop cultures and value systems within the imperatives of the universal values of human rights or the peremptory norms of international law. Furthermore, the author intends to make a structural linkage between the principle of respect for cultural diversity and consolidating peace at the international level. The article concludes that the international organizations such as the United Nations, the Non-Aligned Movement and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation should develop strategies and devise mechanisms to promote respect for cultural diversity as effective tools to make a better world.

Cultural diversity, Peace, Principles of International Law, Universality of Human Rights, Dialogue