Every autumn since 2003 the ancient Greek island of Rhodes hosts a session of the World Public Forum "Dialogue of Civilizations" called the Rhodes Forum that brings together public figures and statesmen, academics, religious figures and representatives of the arts, mass media and business spheres from all over the world. The sessions of the Rhodes Forum have proved the urgency, importance, and efficacy of the WPF’s ideals by bringing the focus of world public opinion to bear on the need for inter-cultural and inter-civilizational dialogue. The results achieved by the Forum thus far provide hope for further harmonization of international relations and promotion of global stability. 11th Annual Session of the Rhodes Forum will take place on October 2-6, 2013. Activities of the Forum will be dedicated to the analysis of globalization’s transition to a poly-centric and multy-civilizational reality.
A Speech by Hans Köchler, Founder and President, International Progress Organization, delivered at the 7th Rhodes Forum, October 10, 2009
One of the key f... 
An Article by Zbigniew Brzezinski published at TIME.com on May 8, 2013
The Syrian conflict is a sectarian war in a volatile region whose potential to sprea... 
The "Athens Dialogue on a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction as well as their means of delivery” took place on... 
Zenit, May 16, 2013
Pope Francis is emphasizing the predominance of ethics in economic and social matters and warning that "we have created new idols" with... 
An Article by Jason Hickel published at Al Jazeera on April 14, 2013
Global inequality is growing in part because of the neoliberal economic policies impo... 
An Article by John Ross, Visiting Professor at Antai College, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, published at China.org.cn on April 16, 2013
The international ... 
Democracy Now, May 20, 2013
After months of protest, teachers, students and parents in Seattle, Washington, have won their campaign to reject standardized tests in reading and... 
An Address by Jagdish Kapur (1920-2010), Co-Chairman of the World Public Forum “Dialogue of Civilizations”, presented at the 5th Rhodes Forum, October, 2007
From the point... 
An Article by Carl Gibson published at Reader Supported News on May 14, 2013
Keeping our nation divided is an agenda supported by both Fox News and MSNBC. The media and the po... 
- Written by Raffaele Marchetti
- Published on 22 May 2013
Raffaele Marchetti, Professor of International Relations, LUISS University, Italy, specially for wpfdc.org
On April 2013 the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) with its resolution 67/234B. A large majority of 154 member states voted for it. Abstention was decided by China, Russia, and India. Against the Treaty voted DPRK, Iran and Syria.
The treaty is the final outcome of a long process of negotiation that begun in 2006. The new position taken by the US administration after the 2006 legislative elections and later on with the 2008 Obama presidency, a U turn in comparison with that of the previous administrations, has been decisive. In this change, the harsh domestic political competition between the pro-control Brady campaign and the traditional pro-gun National Rifle Association has been important. And yet, another important factor in the development of the process has been the continuous lobbying organized by civil society actors also at the international and transnational level.
- Written by Democracy Now!
- Published on 22 May 2013
Democracy Now, May 20, 2013
After months of protest, teachers, students and parents in Seattle, Washington, have won their campaign to reject standardized tests in reading and math. In January, teachers at Garfield High School began a boycott of the test, saying it was wasteful and being used unfairly to assess their performance. The boycott spread to other schools, with hundreds of teachers, students and parents participating. Last week, the school district backed down, announcing that the Measures of Academic Progress, or MAP test, is now optional for high schools, but those refusing the test must find another way to gauge student performance. We speak with Jesse Hagopian, a high school history teacher and union representative at Garfield High School.
- Written by Zenit
- Published on 21 May 2013
Zenit, May 16, 2013
Pope Francis is emphasizing the predominance of ethics in economic and social matters and warning that "we have created new idols" with regard to money:
“The worldwide financial and economic crisis seems to highlight their distortions and above all the gravely deficient human perspective, which reduces men and women to just one of their needs alone, namely, consumption. Worse yet, human beings themselves are nowadays considered as consumer goods which can be used and thrown away. We have started down the path of a disposable culture."
- Written by WPF Dialogue of Civilizations
- Published on 20 May 2013
The New York University Press announces the publication of “22 Ideas to Fix the World: Conversations with the World's Foremost Thinkers” book, edited By Piotr Dutkiewicz and Richard Sakwa and produced in the frames of World Public Forum “Dialogue of Civilizations” and the Social Science Research Council joint research project. The book will be available in August 2013.
Dr. Vladimir Yakunin, who has initiated this project together with the co-editors of this volume and supported it on behalf of the World Public Forum “Dialogue of Civilizations”, strongly strives for the return of a more practice oriented and critical common effort of the world’s leading intellectuals and experts aimed at subtle and responsible reevaluation of the globalization paradigm.
You are most welcome to buy the book following this link.
- Written by WPF Dialogue of Civilizations
- Published on 20 May 2013
An Address by Jagdish Kapur (1920-2010), Co-Chairman of the World Public Forum “Dialogue of Civilizations”, presented at the 5th Rhodes Forum, October, 2007
From the point of entry into the twenty-first century, there has been a rising crescendo of economic discontinuities and shifting balances of power, increasing cultural and religious confrontations and terrorism. We are engulfed in a state of chronic insecurity and deepening gloom. Old techniques of force and domination are being employed to resolve problem which belong to another age. The beneficiaries in a system of globalised deprivation and selective aggregations of wealth do not realise the chaos which is being created by the simultaneous fragmentation, of cultural, religious and political entities and globalisation of economies. This has become a major contradiction of the twenty-first century.
All its consequences are visible. Therefore one of the most important contribution by persons dedicated to civilizational issues through a dialogue is to help remove (or set aside) the physical and metaphysical roadblocks, which are frustrating all efforts towards a humane future.
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Raffaele Marchetti, Professor of International Relations, LUISS University, Italy
Adrian Pabst, Lecturer in Politics at the University of Kent, UK, Visiting Professor at the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Lille (Sciences Po) and at IBS Moscow
Resolution of the 10th Anniversary Session of the World Public Forum "Dialogue of Civilizations", Rhodes, Greece, October 7, 2012
In the age of global crisis... 
Fred Dallmayr, Сo-Chairman, WPF Dialogue of Civilizations
Speech delivered by Professor Fred Dallmayr at the 9th Rhodes Forum Session, October 2011
At th... 
