UN Civilization Alliance tasked with drawing plan to protect religious sites

UNITED NATIONS, March 22 (Xinhua) -- UNited Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday asked the UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) to develop an action plan to better protect religious sites.

According to a press release issued by the UNAOC, the UN chief directly tasked the UNAOC High Representative Miguel Moratinos to develop the action plan for the UN.

"The annoUNcement was made during an event at the Islamic Center today in New York to pay respects to the victims of the recent terrorist attack that killed 50 people at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, and show solidarity and support for the Muslim commUNity worldwide," said the press release.

"Mosques and all places of prayer and contemplation should be safe havens, not sites of terror," the secretary-general said at the Islamic Cultural Center of New York. "Worshippers must feel safe to worship."

The secretary-general asked the UNAOC to reach out to governments and faith-based organizations, religious leaders and others to explore actions to prevent attacks and guarantee the sanctity or religious sites.

Guterres said that he was "making a global call to reaffirm the sanctity of all places of worship and safety of all worshippers who visit revered sites in a spirit of compassion and tolerance," the press release said.