This year’s Forum 2000 Conference: “The World We Want to Live In”

Held under the auspices of Václav Havel, the 14^th annual Forum 2000 Conference will take place in Prague on October 10 – 12, 2010. Over 70 global leaders from business, politics, academia, religion and civil society will participate in discussions and debates on key issues facing our civilization.

 

This year’s conference theme “The World We Want to Live In” is based on the notion that where we happen to exist affects how we live and who we are. The environment, which is ours and will be passed over to generations to come, is in decline. It suffers due to climate change, the effects of globalization and overpopulation, chaotic urbanization, wasted energy, and expanded transport systems. Our most urgent concern must be to appreciate and accept the truth. Each and every person's right to a decent place to live and surrounding environment should be a starting point for a gradual change in our minds and behaviour. We have to search for new and less brutal strategies of growth, and find a balance between spiritual and material values in human pursuits. Open dialogue is needed about our responsibility, our legislation and its enforcement. It is time to find ways to respect harmony and beauty.

 

Confirmed participants in this year’s conference include Václav Havel, former President of the Czech Republic; Shirin Ebadi, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, human rights activist; José Ramos-Horta, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, President of East Timor; Fareed Zakaria, Editor of Newsweek International; Gilles Kepel, political scientist and sociologist; Mike Moore, former Director-General of the World Trade Organization; Willem Jan Neutelings, architect; Gideon Rachman, Chief Foreign Affairs Columnist of The Financial Times; Richard Sennet, sociologist and many others.

 

Regularly updated information about the conference and a list of all confirmed delegates can be found here.