Observers who wish to participate in the 16th annual Forum 2000 Conference entitled “Media and Democracy” can register as of August 1, 2012. This year’s conference is held in Prague from October 21–23, 2012 and in accordance with the wishes of the late President Václav Havel, it will focus on the relationship between democracy and the media. It will also address the legacy of Václav Havel in the fields of democracy and human rights and ways to build upon it.
Speakers who have already confirmed participation include former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, sociologist Zygmunt Bauman, former Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs Gareth Evans, opposition leader from Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim, Editor-in-Chief of India Today Aroon Purie, former Slovak Prime Minister Iveta Radičová, philosopher Roger Scruton, former President of Kosovo Fatmir Sejdiu and Egyptian filmmaker and activist Abu Bakr Shawky.
The proceedings of the Forum 2000 Conference are traditionally open to the public free of charge and each year they are attended by more than 3,000 observers from the Czech Republic and abroad. Pre-registration is required to participate as an observer of the main conference program held at Žofín Palace. Other discussions and events taking place at different venues around Prague are open to the public at large without pre-registration.
If you are interested in attending this year’s Forum 2000, please send your request to registration(at)forum2000.cz. Registration for observers runs through Thursday, October 11, 2012 or until the maximum capacity of the event venue is reached.
The Forum 2000 Foundation also offers a special category of paid participation that provides the unique opportunity to meet and network with the global leaders speaking at this year’s conference. More information on how to be a “premium observer” is available here.
You can also watch a large part of the proceedings live on the Forum 2000 website in the Video section. Shortly after the conference, recordings of these discussions and other events will be posted there.
Regularly updated information about the conference, including the list of speakers and a tentative program, can be found here. You can also follow Forum 2000 on Facebook and Twitter.