World Public Forum "Dialogue of Civilizations"

Around 4,000 visitors interested in culture on May 19 followed the invitation of the World Public Forum — Dialogue of Civilizations to «cultures ask to table» in Vienna’s Sigmund Freud park and took part in the table of 19 nations. With music, dance and culinary delights from all over the world people came together to celebrate the diversity of cultures and have helped to ensure that the festival was a success. Dialogue-oriented highlight was the dinner of the Ambassadors at the PaN (Partner of All Nations) table.

Success on the line

4,000 visitors, 19 national organizations and restaurants as well as ambassadors and representatives from nine nations came together to celebrate the UNESCO World Day for intercultural dialogue and development (21 May). In addition to culinary delights in the 19 nations tents also attracted Bosnian folk dance, Spanish flamenco, as well as singing and dancing from Russia in Vienna’s Sigmund Freud Park. "What the guests particularly liked was the noncommercial character of the event, which put the spotlight on diversity of cultures and dialogue", said World Public Forum Vienna office director and organizer Diana Orlova.

Ambassador Dinner for dialogue and tolerance

On the PaN table ambassadors from nine nations and a representative of the city of Vienna 9th district dined together the multi-cultural dishes. Besides a lot of praise about the kitchen the other was a consensus that the goal of the event, dialogue on societal level, could be achieved. "Most problems can be solved through dialogue, regardless of where you come from", said ambassador Vesna Borozan, Macedonia, and Counselor Adriana Loreta Stanescu, Romania, behind the initiative. "Without dialogue, there would be no humanity", Armenian ambassador Dr. Ashot Hovakimian is convinced. For Achal K. Malhotra, Chargé d’Affaires of the Indian embassy, tolerance of religion and culture is also the recipe for success for a peaceful coexistence. In the same topic, Bozidar Obradovic, from the Montenegrin embassy suggests: "Respect and dialogue are the way to tolerance. I wish the organizers that the event attracts a broad spectrum".

Culture to cook later

The variety of culinary delights consisted among others of Indian Samosa-dumplings, Japanese sushi and Israeli Falafel, which the 19 participating countries, organizations and restaurants were offering. Sustainable extra is the collection of recipes of the delicacies cooked at the festival, which will be available for free download on the homepage of the World Public Forum in June. www.wpfdc.at