By Kofi Annan

Politics, rather than religion, is at the root of polarization between Muslim and Western societies.

The idea that we are witnessing some kind of “clash of civilizations” is a grave misunderstanding. True, there are increasing levels of tension and conflict opposing different societies and cultures in many parts of the world. But one only needs to look beyond the headlines to realize that the roots of this antagonism are primarily political, not religious. Faiths, in themselves, do not generate hatred or violence. It is the exploitation of faith for political ends that has created hostility among the faithful. This is precisely the conclusion of the Alliance of Civilizations High-level Group’s report, presented last November in Istanbul.

Pulling back from the brink will require determined actions from all sides. It is undeniable that the current climate of fear and suspicion that polarizes societies in the West and in the Muslim world continues to be fuelled by the conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine. Growing resentment against Western policies provides a fertile ground for extremist ideologies, political radicalization and violence which, largely through the media, generate fear and intolerance on all sides.

At the same time, it is also evident that the current malaise in the Islamic world feeds off the failure in many Muslim societies to respond to challenges of contemporary times. Authoritarian systems and lack of education and employment opportunities also are sources of resentment and radicalization. To defuse the alarming rise in tensions, leaders in both the Muslim and Western worlds must act – the former to offer to their youth a brighter future and the latter to move decisively to find political solutions to the increasingly destructive conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere.

Kofi Annan of Ghana was the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations.