World Public Forum "Dialogue of Civilizations"

United Nations Human Rights Committee investigates Australia's handling of the case

The International Progress Organization (I.P.O.) has joined international human rights activists who criticize Australia over the planned deportation of Iranian cleric Sheikh Dr. Mansour Leghaei from Australia. In a statement issued last week, the President of the I.P.O., Dr. Hans Köchler, explained that the International Progress Organization considers the deportation order as a serious violation of Australia's obligations under international human rights treaties. "There can be no fair hearing of the case if the authorities refuse to disclose the allegations against Sheikh Mansour. We appeal to the government of Australia to revoke this decision," Dr. Köchler said.

An article by Tiberio Graziani — Editor-in-Chief of the Italian Journal on Geo-Politics «Eurasia. Rivista di studi geopolitici»

The new multipolar system is being consolidated. The main actors are the US, China, India and Russia. While the European Union is completely absent and in hiding in the framework of indications-diktats coming from Washington and London, some South American countries, particularly Venezuela, Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina and Uruguay, are showing their steady willingness to actively participate in the construction of the new world order. Russia, with its central position in the Euro-Asian land mass, its vast size and its current orientation stamped on foreign policy by the Putin-Medvedev tandem, will probably be the keystone in the new planetary structure. But to achieve this epochal function, it must overcome some internal problems: first of all, those regarding the demographic question and the modernization of the country, while on the international level it must consolidate relations with China and India and establish strategic agreements with Turkey and Japan as soon as possible.  Above all, it must clarify its position in the Near and Middle East.

Lecture by Walter Schwimmer former Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Chairman of the International Coordination Committee of the World Public Forum – Dialogue of Civilizations was held at the Philosophy Faculty of  Lomonosov Moscow State University on March 11, 2010.

An article by WPF "DoC" ICC member Fabio Petito published at e-International Relations (e-IR) on March 3, 2010 – 8:00 pm

Warnings against the political construction of the Self through opposition to a negative-valued, dangerous or threatening Other are common at a time when the discourses of the clash of civilisations have acquired a worryingly prominent place in the public spheres of many different countries. But do we actually need ‘more’ religious and cultural traditions rather than less in order to oppose religiously-inspired political violence?

An article by Rhodes Forum participant M.K. Bhadrakumar published in Asia Times Online on January 9, 2010.

A year ago, Yemeni President Ali Abdallah Saleh made the startling revelation that his country's security forces apprehended a group of Islamists linked to the Israeli intelligence forces. "A terrorist cell was apprehended and will be referred to the courts for its links with the Israeli intelligence services," he promised.

Saleh added, "You will hear about the trial proceedings." Nothing was ever heard and the trail went cold. Welcome to the magical land of Yemen, where in the womb of time the Arabian Nights were played out.

Combine Yemen with the mystique of Islam, Osam a bin Laden, al-Qaeda and the Israeli intelligence and you get a heady mix. The head of the US Central Command, General David Petraeus, dropped in at the capital, Sana'a, on Saturday and vowed to Saleh increased American aid to fight al-Qaeda. United States President Barack Obama promptly echoed Petraeus' promise, assuring that the US would step up intelligence-sharing and training of Yemeni forces and perhaps carry out joint attacks against militants in the region.

The fourth Russia-Singapore Business Forum 2009 was held from 27th to 29th September 2009. This year's forum focused on a major theme, "Emerging from Turbulence: New Economic Opportunities".

The WPF “Dialogue of Civilizations” Founding President Vladimir Yakunin participated in the work of the fourth Russia-Singapore Business Forum 2009 and presented his speech “Reshaping the Financial – Economic Map of the World, Contemporary Crisis Outcomes and Facilities of Russia”.