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13th Forum 2000 Conference on “Democracy and Freedom in a Multipolar World“
22nd September 2009
Held traditionally under the auspices of Václav Havel, the thirteenth annual Forum 2000 Conference will take place in Prague on October 11-13, 2009. This year’s theme is ‘Democracy and Freedom in a Multipolar World’.
Attended by a number of prominent delegates from around the world – former and current heads of government, leading religious, spiritual, and cultural personalities, directors of international institutions, famous writers and thinkers, media representatives, managers of multinational companies, analysts and diplomats – the Conference is expected to welcome up to 3,000 observers and visitors – scientists, students, government officials, Czech and Central European business representatives, politicians, media companies and the interested public.
Delegates who have already confirmed their attendance include: Izzeldin Abuelaish, Doctor and Peace Activist, Palestine; Fouad Ajami, Professor, The John Hopkins University, USA; Riprand Graf Count Arco, Founder and Chairman, American Asset Corporation, USA; Niall Ferguson, Historian and Author, Harvard University, USA; Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, Former President of Latvia; William R. Cook, Professor, State University of New York College at Geneseo, USA;Doris Donnelly,US religionist, USA; Davood Feirahi, Associate Professor, University of Tehran, Iran; Yegor Gaidar, Former Prime Minister, Russia; André Glucksmann, Philosopher, France; Kinga Göncz, Member of European Parliament, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hungary; Michael Green, British theologian and author, UK; Pete Hamill, journalist and writer, USA; Václav Havel, Former President, Czech Republic; Helena Houdová, Model and Founder, Sunflower Children Foundation, Czech Republic; Sandra Kalniete, Former EU Commissioner, Latvia; Ella Lazarovna Kasaeva, Co-Chair, Voice of Beslan, Russia; Ján Kubiš, UN Economic Commission for Europe, Slovakia; Sir James Mancham, Founding President of the Republic of Seychelles, Seychelles; Alyaksandar Milinkevich, Opposition leader, Belarus; Festus Mogae, Former President, Botswana; Jan Mühlfeit, Chairman Europe, Microsoft Corporation, Czech Republic; Harsha Kumara Navaratne, Chairman, Sewalanka Foundation, Sri Lanka; Luděk Niedermeyer, Former Vice Governor, Czech National Bank, Czech Republic; Michael Novak, Theologian and Political Scientist, USA; M. R. Sukhumband Paribatra, Governor of Bangkok, Thailand; Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General, ASEAN, Thailand; Anna Porter, Publisher and Novelist, Canada; Sigrid Rausing, Publisher and Philanthropist, United Kingdom; Chief Rabbi David Rosen, Chairman, International Jewish Committee for Interreligious Consultations (IJCIC), Israel; Yohei Sasakawa, Chairman, The Nippon Foundation, Japan; Tomáš Sedláček, Chief Macroeconomic Strategist, Czech Republic; Camilla Schippa, Senior Vice President, Global Peace Index, Institute for Economics and Peace, Australia; Ady Schonmann, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Israel; Prince Norodom Sirivudh, Politician and Chairman, Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace, Cambodia; Trudy Stevenson, Zimbabwean opposition leader;Zimbabwe;Jan Švejnar, Professor of Business, Economics and Public Policy, University of Michigan, Chairman, CERGE-EI, Czech Republic/USA; Grigory Yavlinsky, Economist and Politician, Russia; Catherine Zennström, Zennström Philanthropies, UK; James Zogby, Founder and President, Arab American Institute, USA; John Zogby, Founder, President and CEO of Zogby International, USA and Michael Žantovský, Ambassador, Czech Republic.
The opening ceremony will be held on October 11 in the hall of Prague Crossroads, an international spiritual and cultural centre in St. Anne’s Church in Old Town. On October 12-13, the Conference discussions and debates will be divided into thematic blocks (panels) and round tables accompanied by a series of events.
“This year the Forum 2000 conference will focus on the twenty years since the fall of the Iron Curtain and the end of the bi-polar world in 1989. The euphoria about the “end of history” and the prospect of a family of nations living together in freedom has dissipated. Certain parts of the world gained enormously from the benefits of the subsequent increase in globalization, but other parts have suffered from globalization’s adverse side. In those twenty years we have witnessed a revolution in information technologies, but also a great deal of nationalistic and ethnic strife and an alarming increase of international terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, HIV/AIDS and global climate change. By discussing the events of the past twenty years we will strive to learn from them and to prevent these trends from happening again in the future,“ saysExecutive Director of the Forum 2000 Foundation Oldřich Černý.
Taking place in the Žofín Palace, the main part of the Conference will be divided into the following panel discussions:
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Metamorphosis of Democracy after Cold War
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Multi–polarity and Values
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The Instruments of International Influence
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What the Current Economic Crisis will Lead to?
The Conference business and economy round tables will focus on:
“Shifting Values in Capitalism“ and „Sustainable Business“.
Interfaith Dialogue
The second day of the Conference (October 13) will be dedicated to Interfaith Dialogue – a discussion between prominent philosophers and representatives of various faiths. “Once I came up with an idea to form some “large spiritual coalition” that would encourage co-operation of the world religions and their struggle for respecting human lives and nature, and developing the right attitude for the future. I am happy to see such a small spiritual coalition emerge every year - an interconnection of people of good will sharing the basic ethical values,” says Václav Havel.
Accompanying Events
Hosted at the Žofín Palace, Laterna Magika, Goethe Institute and other places in Prague, the Conference will be accompanied by a series of events, panel discussions, round tables, seminars and workshops, for example roundtable The State of Civil Society in Today´s Russia with Former Prime Minister of Russia Yegor Gaidar,panel discussion Current Situation in Latin America or roundtable The Role of Private Philanthropists in Addressing Global Challenges with Czech topmodeland Founder of Sunflower Children Foundation Helena Houdová. “Another topic that is often discussed here – and this year will be no exception – is the issue of human rights. I am pleased that the depth of the debates and discussions taking place within Forum 2000 show that this term is not taken in vain but has a clear notion behind it for everybody to be constantly reminded of. I believe that human rights, human responsibility, moral order and our conscience are probably the most important political issues of our days affecting our deeds,” explains Václav Havel.
For more information, please visit: www.forum2000.cz
The conference is open to the public.If you wish to participate in the conference as an observer, please contact us at registration@forum2000.cz.