Theme

The Forum 2000 Conferences traditionally provide a relevant platform for an up-to-date dialogue about important and difficult issues key to the future of mankind.

The theme of this year's Conference is the nature and meaning of the current conflicts preventing peaceful co-existence of the international community. The participants will examine: religious "justification" of the conflicts, economic and social divide and cultural misperceptions and alienation. The Conference plenary will be divided into 3 parts:

Panel 1

Conflict or Co-Existence? Where do we go?

• What are the root causes of the current threats and how can they most effectively be dealt with? Is a counter-terrorism strategy effective in addressing them?

• Is the current global campaign on terrorism addressing comprehensive challenges of modernization, human development and accountable government?
• What are the common horizons of our future coexistence: Human rights or human security? Civil liberties, rule of law or religious codes and imperatives? Is there a universal standard for global accountability?

Panel 2

Concepts of Co-Existence and Community

• Concepts of Society and Community: who are "we" and who are "they"?
• Changing Models of Co-Existence in Europe: Integration of Differences?
• Concepts of Co-Existence in the USA: Multiculturalism or Culture Wars?
• What kind of model is needed for the Middle East, Africa and Asia?

Panel 3

Communicating between Communities: The Role of the Media in Conflict of Perceptions

• Is Media a Factor or an Actor? What is the impact of the media coverage on the perception of current inter-cultural and inter-religious conflicts among the global public?
• Are media aggravating conflicts through cultural and religious insensitivity?
• Is it "real" what we see on television and read in the newspapers or is the media reality so distorted that it doesn't describe the true nature of the problems? Does the media contribute to misunderstanding or does it assist in building a global community?
• Are we, as consumers of the news media, able to understand the icons and images presented to us? Do we really comprehend what we see and listen to?

The Forum 2000 Conference will produce an Executive Summary, which will be distributed to important global decision makers and key international organizations. The proceedings and speeches, together with other significant information about the Conference, will be included in the Conference Report.