The 16th annual Forum 2000 Conference will be held in Prague from October 21–23, 2012. In accordance with the wishes of President Václav Havel, it will focus on the relationship between democracy and the media. The conference will also address the legacy of Václav Havel in the fields of democracy and human rights and discuss ways to build upon it.
Václav Havel was thrilled by the role of the new media in the ongoing changes in the Arab world, the crucial impact it plays in non-democratic countries and the importance of the internet in revealing atrocities and injustices. He was also intrigued by the evolution of the relationship between the media and society in democracies, how technological developments are affecting responsibility and accountability and the interdependencies between business, economy and the media.
Dozens of global leaders from politics, academia, media, civil society, business and religion were invited to participate in the conference. Speakers who have already confirmed their participation include sociologist Zygmunt Bauman, former Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs Gareth Evans, former Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister and Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, founder and Editor-in-Chief of India Today Aroon Purie, philosopher and political scientist Roger Scruton, filmmaker and activist from Egypt Abu Bakr Shawky, Chairman of CERGE-EI Jan Švejnar and Russian economist and politician Grigory Yavlinsky.
The conference is traditionally open to the public and a large part of the proceedings will be broadcast live on the Forum 2000 website at www.forum2000.cz. Pre-registration is required to participate as an observer in most of the events. The registration opens on August 1, 2012.
The Forum 2000 Foundation also offer a special category of paid participation that goes beyond the level of observer and provides participants with a unique opportunity to meet and network with the global leaders speaking at this year’s conference.
Up-to-date information on the conference can be found on the Forum 2000 website and you can also follow it on Facebook and Twitter.