UNITED NATIONS W8m NATIONS UNIES MESSAGE to the FORUM 2000 CONFERENCE Prague, 3-7 September 1997 It Is a Special Pleasure To

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UNITED NATIONS W8m NATIONS UNIES

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MESSAGE TO THE FORUM 2000 CONFERENCE Prague, 3-7 September 1997

It is a special pleasure to convey a message to the "Forum 2000 Conference", which will discuss the urgent ethical, ideological and religious issues that confront humankind at the start of a new millennium. President Vaclav Havel of the Czech Republic and Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel, two great figures of our age for whom I have the highest admiration, have displayed exceptional foresight and inspiration in convening this important gathering.

We have arrived at the end of a tumultuous century that has witnessed both the best and worst of human endeavour. Can we now, as a global community, with so much at stake for the world's people, achieve the goals we share and hold dear? Can we stop ourselves from descending again into the bloody depths of hatred, discord and violence?

The very existence of the United Nations gives hope. Itself born out of the horrors of two world wars, the United Nations is an experiment in international cooperation -- and an instrument for common progress -- unique in human history. In five decades, it has more than proved its worth.

The new century and new millennium are upon us. Everything we know about the next 25 years or so -- demographic trends, rates of economic growth, dislocations in the biosphere and more — suggests that far-reaching changes and threats lie ahead, as well as unprecedented promise and possibilities.

"The Earth is not ours," an African proverb teaches us. "It is a treasure we hold in trust for future generations." At this moment of great promise, I am committed to ensuring that the United Nations can play its part in meeting the challenges of tomorrow, and in laying a new foundation of peace, progress and development. That is our obligation, today and to all succeeding generations. In that spirit, please accept my best wishes for a successful conference.

Annan Secretary-General 19/08 '97 TU. ..,., i-Ai +420 2 24310851 OZP KPR

KANCELAR PREZIDENTA REPUBLIKY Qdbor zahranitnt potitiky

OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC Foreign Policy Department

Pro/To: pan Srimek

Od/From: Lukas Martin

Datum/Date: 19. srpna 1997 PoCet stran/No. of pages: 1+&*

frslo faxu/Fax no: (00-1-212) 772 0586

Vazeny pane Sramku, po dneSnf telefonnicke dohode si Vam dovoluji zaslat kopie korespondence pana prezidenta a genera"!niho tajemnJka OSN K. Annana.

S pozdravem,

.artin

119 08 Praha 1 - Hrad, Czech Republic, Td: (420 2) 2437 2244, Fax:(420 2) 2431 0851 19/08 '97 TUB 15:14 FAI +420 2 24310851 OZP KPR il°02

V Praze dne 12. unora 1997

Vase Excelence,

dovolte v uvodu meho dopisu, abych Vam znovu pogratuloval k VaSemu zvoleni generalnim tajemnikem Organizace apojenych narodu. Jsem si jist, ze Vase pochopeni globalnich problerau lidstva se brzy projevl v nove koncepci OSN. V teto souvislosti pevne vSrim, ze sdilime podobne obavy a nadeje do budoucna a myglim si, ze nastal cas vaSne se zamyslet nad cestou, jak tyto probl€my v bliakS budoucnoeti reiit. Rad bych Vis seznamil s projektam, kter^- bych rad spole5ne s mym pritelem Eliasem Wieaelera, nositelem Nobelovy ceny mini, realizoval v druix6 polovine tohoto roku. Jiz pfed casern jsme se s Elie Wieselem zamysleli nad vyznamem pfelomu tisiciletl. DoSli jsme k nasoru, ze konec tisiciletl a pocatek noveho pfed! nas klade radu otazek a vyzev a ahodli jsme se na spolecn^m projektu. RSdi bychom pozvali skupinu lidi z celSho sveta, ktefl jsou znami pro eve lidsk^ a obcanske' postoje, na konferenci nazvanou "Forum 2000: Starosti a nadeje na prahu novSho tislcileti" . Pfi pohledu na pfitomnost a perspektivu naS£ lidsk€ civilizace se casto pozastavujame nejen nad tim, ceho lidstvo v poslednim tisiciletl dosahlo, ale i nad tim, co bylo bohuzel zmafeno, a piremyslime o torn, co nam priatlch tisic let chysta. Konference by mela vyuzit bllziciho se konce druMho tisicileti k zamysleni nad teraito ekutecnostmi z pohledu nlznych kulturnich a civilizacnich okruhii. TridennI konference se bude konat na PraSskem hrade v Ceske republice ve dnech 3. as 7. zafi 1997. pane generalni tajenrniku, velice rad bych Vas v Praze pfi prile2itogti teto konference pfivital a seznamil se s Vaaimi nazory na mimilost i budoucnost lidstva. Va§i pritomnosti na konferenci pfikladam valky vyanam a nepochybuji, ze pfispeje k jejimu. t3.sp£chu.

Se srdefinym pozdravem, (Vaclav Havel)

Jeho Excelence Kofi Annan generalni tajetnnlk OSW 19/08 '97 TIE 15:15 FAX +420 2 24310851 OZP KPR i]003

TRANSLATION

Prague, T2th of February 1997

Your Excellency,

Allow me to begin my letter by congratulating you on your election to the post of Secretary- General of the United Nations. I am certain that your understanding of global problems of the world's population will soon make its mark in your leadership of the organization.

In this respect I strongly believe that we have similar concerns, as well as hopes for the future and that the time has come to examine a possible way to solve global problems in the near future.

Allow me to introduce to you a project that 1 would like to realize together with my friend Elie Wiesel, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, at the second half of this year. Some time ago, Elie Wiesel and I de/iberated together on the significance of the end of millennium. We both agreed that it presents us with multiple questions and many challenges and we have agreed on a joint project. We would like to convene a selected group of individuals from around the globe, known for their positive human and civic attitudes, in a conference entitled "Forum 2000: Concerns and Hopes on the Threshold of the New Millennium."

Looking upon the present state and the perspectives of our civilization, we are often struck by what humanity has achieved during the last thousand years, but also by what has gone astray, and by what the next thousand years may hold.

The purpose of the conference is to mark the close of the second millennium as a time to take stock of the issues from the viewpoint of the world's diverse cultures and spheres of civilization.

The three-day conference will be held at Prague Castle in the Czech Republic between the 3rd and the 7th of September 1997. 19/08 '97 TUB 15:15 FAI +420 2 24310851 OZP KFR

Dear Secretary General, it would be a privilege to welcome you in Prague at the time of the conference, and to hear your thoughts on the past and the future of humankind. Your presence here is of a great importance to me and will without any doubt add to the success of the conference.

With warm and sincere wishes,

(Vaclav Havel)

His Excellency Kofi Annan Secretary-General of the United Nations TRANSLATION

EXECU'IVE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL Prague, 12th of February 1997

Your Excellency,

In this respect I strongly believe that we have similar concerns, as well as hopes for the future and that the time has come to examine a possible way to solve global problems in the near future.

Allow me to introduce to you a project that I would like to realize together with my friend Elie Wiesel, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, at the second half of this year. Some time ago, Elie Wiesel and I deliberated together on the significance of the end of millennium. We both agreed that it presents us with multiple questions and many challenges and we have agreed on a joint project. We would like to convene a selected group of individuals from around the globe, known for their positive human and civic attitudes, in a conference entitled "Forum 2000: Concerns and Hopes on the Threshold of the New Millennium."

The purpose of the conference is to mark the close of the second millennium as a time to take stock of the issues from the viewpoint of the world's diverse cultures and spheres of civilization.

The three-day conference will be held at Prague Castle in the Czech Republic between the 3rd and the 7th of September 1997. •t .

With warm and sincere wishes,

(Vaclav Havel)

His Excellency Kofi Annan Secretary-General of the United Nations "FORUM 2000" CONFERENCE

{Concerns and Hopes on the Threshold of the New Millennium)

To be held under the auspices of

Vaclav Havel, President of the Czech Republic,

and Elie Wiesel, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate,

at Prague Castle

on 3 - 7 September 1997

As we approach the end of the twentieth century, surely a historical watershed, it is incumbent upon us to reflect on the opportunities and dangers we are about to face. FORUM 2000 will serve that purpose.

Its goal is not to propose Utopian solutions to urgent, albeit eternal, problems dealing with the human condition but, following Kierkegaard's advice, to examine them diligently in the light of past experiences.

We live in an era of unprecedented scientific and technological triumphs which follows one of unprecedented state-sponsored perversion of spiritual and moral values. Hence today's ambivalent attitudes toward power and faith.

What have we learned from events following WWII and the cries we have faced in the more recent past? We have had to acknowledge that our small planet 2 has been shrinking just as its problems have become global. Today, what happens

in one place affects people in all places; we all confront the same challenges and

whether we are defeated or strengthened by them, we are destined - or doomed - to

remain partners.

A) THE WORLD AS IT IS - THE WORLD AT THE TURN OF AGES

What are our concerns? Where do we stand? What threatens us, and what

are we lacking? What are the dangers we face, foretold not only by the fates but also •t. by the cool heads who seem to be, or perhaps are, best equipped to predict our

future? How did we get where we are now? Where have we come from? What were

our points of departure? What made up the common foundation of the seemingly

contradictory starting points of the major ideologies of the waning millennium? What

are we rid of, and what burdens should we not thoughtlessly discard?

What is the nature of our civilization, or our converging civilizations, given that

their intersections have so far been more a result of globalization and contraction

(that is, of proximity) than a drawing together ex sese. out of intrinsic need or will?

B) THE WORLD AS WE SEE IT NOW - TAKING STOCK OF OUR VALUES

Are there any hopes for us? Is there a continuation of the present course of

our now global civilization - or has it all been a tremendous error? Is there a chance for values and concepts such as freedom of the individual, democracy, market 3 economy and faith in linear progress to prevail under the current circumstances?

What are the main alternatives? What are we willing and able to pursue further - and what must we abandon, change or rectify? Where do we find hope as we are confronted with the traditional convictions about the finite, limited and ephemeral nature of this world that are shared by many religious as well as philosophical schools of thought? What are the individual, the patriarchal and the modern industrial and post-industrial human collectives and their residues worth at the turn of ages?

What kind of a value is constituted by the world community which we invoke but do not heed? Doesn't it remain merely a projection screen for national or regional communities? How do we perceive today's global civilization with its growing uniformity on the outside, and with the centrifugal inner estrangement existing despite the ever closer proximity?

C) THE WORLD WE HELP SHAPE AND CHANGE

Who is responsible, and for what? Where should we draw lessons from the experiences and errors of the ending millennium as we approach the next one? What future is there for our institutions and our values? What do we want to draw on, and what are our safeguards? What message is with us on this journey? Are we capable of inhabiting and administering this world in a meaningful fashion, treating it as a valuable gift and precious legacy? How can we ensure the coexistence of cultures and, beyond that, infuse this coexistence with a sense of complementarity and meaning consisting in a quest for common values and common points of departure? 4 How should we confront a new chiliasm resulting from the extraordinary nature of the crossroads and aberrations of the moment?

We want to raise, consider and try to answer all these questions at a

gathering in Prague, the historical capital of the Czech Republic and the scene

of many of Europe's moments of despair as well as those of hope. Against the

background of a multifaceted coexistence of ethnic communities, religious denominations and cultural currents, we find there a breeding ground for contemplation of all the aforementioned issues. Prague is both a hectic modern capital and a city-legend; many who love it would say Prague is like the mythical

Golem, waiting for the magic token to breathe into it new life as an age draws to an end. It is waiting for the Word, for an enlivening formula -just as our world is waiting for a word of hope, for encouragement, and for practical action.

The deliberations of the conference will take place in the historical rooms of

Prague Castle, the ancient seat of Czech Princes and Kings and the residence of

Czechoslovak and Czech Presidents in this century. The Spanish Hall, founded in the

16th century by Emperor Rudolph II to house a part of his renowned art collections, will be the venue of plenary discussions; follow-up events will be held in the adjoining

State Rooms. A major concert is also envisaged. The spiritual dimension of the conference will be highlighted through a separate programme of religious meetings and meditations, to be climaxed by a prayer assembly bringing together representatives of the most widely professed religions in the country's principal church - St. Vitus's Cathedral, which is situated on the Castle premises as well. 5

We expect that the conference will be attended by numerous personages of world renown. The invited guests will include Nobel laureates, philosophers, writers, politicians, journalists, religious figures, etc. The Nippon Foundation will participate as a major sponsor of this undertaking and support for Forum 2000 will also come from The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity and two Czech foundations, Patriae and Bohemiae. FORUM 2000 IN THE HEART OF EUROPE AT THE THRESHOLD OF A NEW MILLENNIUM President Vaclav Havel of The Czech Republic and Nobel Peace Laureate Elie Wiesel will convene in September 1997 a major international conference to discuss the urgent ethical, ideological and religious issues that confront mankind at the start of a new millennium. The Nippon Foundation will be a major sponsor of this undertaking.

Forum 2000 will bring together world leaders, Nobel laureates, eminent writers and philosophers, scientists, physicians and religious and opinion leaders under the patronage of President Havel and Mr. Wiesel. The three-day conference will be held at Prague Castle in The Czech Republic between the 3rd and the 7th of September 1997. The purpose of Forum 2000 is to mark the close of the second millennium as a time to take stock of the issues that continue to divide the world's diverse cultures and civilizations. With the break-up of the old world order, there is an urgent need for the global community to create new structures of stability and democratic institutions that will foster individual liberties and more widespread observance of basic human rights. Forum 2000 attempts as well to develop a broader, more humanistic consciousness that reflects the deep unity among peoples and embraces the plurality of values in the present world. Among the themes that will be explored are:

- a stock-taking or assessment of the globe's civilization or civilizations and their interactions and a review of the long lasting effects of the incalculable sufferings in this century caused by tyrants and despots who headed totalitarian and racist regimes;

- an examination of the existing moral, ideological and religious values and principles that are shared by mankind at the turn of the century;

an exploration of the profound responsibilities and moral obligations that must be borne by mankind in the new millennium in order to safeguard the destiny of future generations.

The conference will consist of six panels, each comprised of a multicultural and interdisciplinary representation of distinguished world citizens, who will debate these issues over the course of the three-day conference. Forum 2000 will also feature a classical musical program and convene ecumenical services of several faiths as an adjunct to the intellectual, historical, scientific, humanistic and spiritual components of the conference. Each of the plenary discussants will be invited to present few remarks at the opening of each panel and then will be asked to devote the bulk of his/her time to a discussion with the other members of their panel. An invited audience will be asked to participate and will have opportunities to continue discussing the major themes raised by the conference.

In addition to the major contribution of The Nippon Foundation, support for Forum 2000 will also come from The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity and the Bohemiae Foundation and the Patriae Foundation of the Czech Republic, All correspondence should be addressed to: "FORUM 2000" The Office of the Czech President Residence in Royal Gardens 119 08 Prague Castle Prague 1 The Czech Republic

••. For additional information call the office of "FORUM 2000" Foundation on: (42 2} 2431 0989 or (42 2) 2431 0991. List of proposed participants in the Conference

- Henry Kissinger (Nobel Peace Prize 1973) - Mairead Corrigan Maguire (Nobel Peace Prize 1976) - Mother Teresa (Nobel Peace Prize 1979) - Adolfo Perez Esquivel (Nobel Peace Prize 1980) - Lech Walesa (Nobel Peace Prize 1983) - Desmond Mpilo Tutu (Nobel Peace Prize 1984) - Oscar Arias Sanches (Nobel Peace. Prize 1987) - Dalai Lama (Nobel Peace Prize 1989) - Michail Gorbachev (Nobel Peace Prize 1990) - Rigoberta Menchu Turn (Nobel Peace Prize 1992) - Nelson Mandela (Nobel Peace Prize 1993) - Frederik W. de Klerk (Nobel Peace Prize 1993) - Shimon Peres (Nobel Peace Prize 1994) - Alexander Solzhenitsyn (Nobel Prize in Literature 1970) - Saul Bellow (Nobel Prize in Literature 1976) - Czeslaw Milosz (Nobel Prize in Literature 1980) - Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Nobel Prize in Literature 1982) - Wole Soyinka (Nobel Prize in Literature 1986) - Octavio Paz (Nobel Prize in Literature 1990) - Toni Morrison (Nobel Prize in Literature 1993) - Kenzaburo 6e (Nobel Prize in Literature 1994) - Seamus Justin Heaney (Nobel Prize in Literature 1995) - llya Prigogine (Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1977) •Jean Marie Lehn (Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1987) •Joshua Lederberg (Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1958) - Francois Jacob (Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1965) - Gary S. Becker (Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Science 1992) - His Royal Highness El Hassan Bin Talal, Crown Prince of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan His Excellency Patricio Aylwin His Excellency Lee Kuan Yew, Senior Minister Aung San Suu Kyi Her Excellency Corazon Aquino His Excellency Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nation Her Excellency Vigdis Finnbogadottir Her Excellency Gro Harlem Brundtland His Excellency Richard von Weizsacker Kim Dae-jung, President of Kim Dae-jung Peace Foundation For the Asia-Pacific Region Yohei Sasakawa, President of Nippon Foundation . His Excellency Helmut Schmidt The Honorable Jimmy Carter His Excellency Zhelyu Zhelev, President of Bulgaria His Eminence Cardinal Jaime Lachica Sin - Her Excellency Takako Doi - His Eminence - Professor Zbigniew Brzezinski Cardinal Joseph Alois Ratzinger - Lord Ralf Gustav Dahrendorf - His Eminence - His Excellency Haris Silaydzic Cardinal Christoph Schonborn - The Honorable Larry Eagleburger - His Eminence - The Very Reverend Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini Chief Rabbi Rene Sirat - Professor Hans Kung - Professor Wolf Lepenies - Raymond Panikkar - Dr. Margerite Lederberg - Michael Novak - The Honorable jack Lang - Professor Norbert Greinacher - Sonia Gandhi - Takeaki Hori - Robert McAfee Brown - Ignaz Bubis - Chao Tze Chi - His Excellency Jacques Delors - Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul - Dr. Hazel Henderson - Mario Vargas Llosa - Jacques-Yves Cousteau - Remi Brague - Arthur Gelb - Professor Hans-Heinrich Nolte - Professor Bronislav Geremek - Gyorgy Konrad - His Excellency Per Ahlmark - Adam Michnik - His Eminence - Sergey Kovalyov Cardinal Lustiger - Timothy Carton Ash - Alvin Toffler - Jacques Rupnik - Vyaceslav Vsevolodovic Ivanov - Professor Umberto Eco - Dr. Donella H. and Denis - Susan Sontag L. Meadows - Amos Oz - Erich Jantsch - Ismail Kadare -Joseph Bishop Keller - Jacques LeGoff - George Soros - Claude Jasmin - Professor James Lovelock - Bernard Kalb - Ted Koppel - Professor Robert Cohen - Abraham Michael Rosenthal - Professor Jozef Tischner - Bill Gates - Professor Samuel Huntington - Ingmar Bergmann - Professor Henry Louis Gates - Robert Haas - Andre Glucksmann - Dr. Fritjof Capra - Professor Paul Ricoeur - Cornelius Castoriadis - Professor Michael Mann - Francis Fukuyama - Professor UI rich Beck - Dr. John Silber - Professor Anthony Giddens - Professor John Hall - Professor Imanuel Wallerstein - Professor Ronald Dore - Professor Cornel West J.E. pan Vladimir Galuska Ambassador Permanent Mission of the Czech Republic to the UN 1109-1111 Madison Avenue NY 10028 New York 2000

V Praze, dne 9. cervence 1997

Vazeny pane velvyslance,

konec tisicileti a pocatek noveho pfed nas klade fadu otazek a vyzev. Pfed casern se prezident Vaclav Havel a nositel Nobelovi ceny mini Elie Wiesel zamysleli nad vyznamem tohoto pfelomu a shodli se na spolecnem projektu. Pozvali skupinu lidi z celeho sveta, ktefi jsou znami pro sve lidske a obcanske postoje, na konferenci nazvanou "Forum 2000: Starosti a nadeje na prahu noveho tisicileti". Konference se bude konat na Prazskem hrade ve dnech 3. az 7. zafi 1997. Pfi pohledu na pfitomnost a perspektivu nasi lidske civilizace se casto pozastavujeme nejen nad tim, ceho lidstvo v poslednim tisicileti dosahlo, ale i nad tim, co bylo bohuzel zmafeno, a pfemyslime o torn, co pfistich tisic let pfinese. Konference by mela vyuzit bliziciho se konce druheho tisicileti k zamysleni nad temito skutecnostmi z pohledu ruznych kulturnich a civilizacnich okruhu. Dovoluji si Vas pozvat k ucasti na tomto setkani jako hosta, ktery bude mit tu jedinecnou moznost sledovat celou konferenci pfimo v miste konani a ucastnit se tez vsech doprovodnych akci vcetne slavnostniho koncertu a nedelniho hiter-religiozniho shromazdeni. Pfilozen je material, ktery obsahuje podrobnejsi informace o konferenci spolu se seznamem potvrzenych delegatu. Dovolte, abych Vas pozadal o pisemne potvrzeni Vasi ucasti na teto konferenci. V pfipade dalsich dotazu, prosim kontaktujte slecnuVeroniku Mitkovou z kancelafe Nadace FORUM 2000 na tel./fax: 2431-0989. Tesim se, ze Vas budeme moci uvitat na nasi konferenci. Se srdecnym pozdravem

Pavel Seifter predseda spravni rady Nadace FOR UM 2000 feditel odboru zahranicni politiky Kancelafe prezidenta republiky FORUM 2000 Foundation 119 08 Praha 1 • Hrad • Czech Republic • Tel/fax: +420-2-24310989 • Tel: +420-2-24310991 • e-mail: [email protected] Charakteristiky k 17. cervenci

Per Ahlmark - byvaly vicepremier Svedska. Spisovatel, basmk a bojovnfk za lidska prava. Viceprezident Ligy svedsko-izraelskeho pratelstvf, zakladatel svedskeho Vyboru proti antisemitismu. Laureat Ceny obrance Jeruzalema.

Oscar Arias Sanches - byvaly prezident Kostariky. Nositel Nobelovy ceny mfru (1987), kterou dostal za zprostfedkovanf mfrove smlouvy mezi Nikaraguou, Guatemalou, Hondurasem a Salvadorem. Jeden z nejznamejsfch mirovych aktivistu v oblasti, zakladatel Ariasovy nadace za mfr a lidsky pokrok.

Timothy Carton Ash - politolog a spisovatel, autor rady knih o prevratech ve stfednf Evrope. Pravidelne pise pro "the Times" a "the New York Review of.Books".

Patricio Aylwin Azocar - chilsky prezident v obdobf 1990-95, ktery ve volbach porazil generala Pinocheta a zaslouzil se o navrat demokracie do Chile. V soucasnosti je cestnym prezidentem Svetoveho demokratickeho kongresu.

Zygmunt Bauman - sociolog zijfcf po emigraci z Polska (1968) ve Velke Britanii. Zabyva se problemy transformacnfho procesu v postkomunisticke Evrope, autor "Modernity and Holocaust" a "Postmodern Ethics".

Ulrich Beck - profesor sociologie na Mnichovske univerzite a autor mnoha knih zabyvajicfch se soudobou zapadnf spolecnostf.

Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo - Nositel Nobelovy ceny mfru v roce 1996, kterou dostal za svuj prfspevek pro mfrove a spravedlive resenf konfliktu ve Vychodnfm Timoru.

Ignaz Bubis - vyznamny myslitel, moralnf a politicka autorita a pfedstavitel zidovskych obcf. Predseda Ustrednf rady zidovskych obcf v Nemecke spolkove republice.

Fritjof Capra - fyzik a systemovy teorik, autor nekolika knih. Studuje filozoficke a socialnf stranky pusobenf modernf vedy na spolecnost.

Cornelius Castoriadis - reditel "Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales", autor vfce nez 15 knih, mezi nimi napf. "Philosophy, Politics, Autonomy" (1992).

Lord Ralf Gustav Dahrendorf - liberalm politolog a sociolog. Autor mnoha del teoretickych i publikacf o transformaci spolecnosti, napf. "Reflections on the Revolution in Europe".

Dalajlama (Tenzin Gyatso) - nejvyssf duchovnf predstavitel Tibetu, ktery byl v r. 1954 uveden na trun jako Dalai Lama XIV., panovnfk se vsemi politickymi vysadami. Od r.1956 zije v exilu v Indii. Pro svuj nenasilny boj za svobodu a zakladnf prava tibetskeho naroda byl v r.1989 byl ocenen Nobelovou cenou mfru. Francis William deKlerk - byvaly president Jihoafricke republiky, ktery se spolecne s Nelsonem Mandelou rozhodujfcfm zpiisobem zaslouzil o odstranem apartheidu z politickeho zivota a proces usmirenf mezi belosskou mensinou a cernosskou vetsinou. V r. 1993 byl ocenen spolecne s N. Mandelou Nobelovou cenou mfru.

Umberto Eco - vyznamny evropsky- intelektual a spisovatel. Autor mnoha literarnich del, napf. "jmeno riize" a "Foucaultbvo kyvadlo".

El Hassan bin Talal - korunnf princ hashemitske jordanske kralovske dynastie, spisovatel, filosof a ekonom, ktery prosazuje tolerantnf souzitf islamu, judaisrnu a krest'anstvf, demokraticke procesy v islamskem tradicnfm svete a vyrazne se angazuje v mfrovem procesu na Blfzkem vychode.

Gareth Evans - byvaly ministr zahranicmch v^ecf Australie, znamy predevsfm svou roll' pri formulae! mfroveho planu OSN pro Kambodzu a jako zakladatel Asijsko-pacifickeho fora pro ekonomickou spolupraci (APEC).

Bronislaw Geremek - polsky historik a prednf clen polskeho parlamentu. Byvaly poradce Solidarity a Lecha Walesy.

Anthony Giddens - sociolog, tviirce tzv. teorie strukturace, analytik pozdne modernf doby, autor zakladnf evropske ucebnice sociologie a rady monografif z dejin sociologie.

John HaU - prednf sociolog z McGill univerzity. Zabyva se socialnfmi podmmkami liberalnfch spolecnostf, nacionalismem a obcanskou spolecnostf.

Hazel Henderson - futurolozka a autorka zname knihy "Building a Win-Win World". Jejf • clanky vychazejf v mnoha svetovych novinach a je take clenkou pfedstavenstva "Worldwatch Institute".

Thor Heyerdahl - znamv' moreplavec, envirornentalista a zakladatel muzea Kon-tiki v Oslo.

Takeaks Hori - poradce prezidenta Nadace Nippon, profesor antropologiena Tokio seitoku univerzite, autor nekolika knih.

Jose Ramos-Horta - Nositel Nobelovy ceny mfru v roce 1996, kterou dostal za svuj prfspevek pro mfrove a spravedlive resenf konfiiktu ve Vychodnfm Timoru.

Joseph Chan - univerzitnf profesor z Hong Kongske univerzity, ktery se zameruje na korifucianismus, lidska prava a liberalismus.

Vjaceslav Vsevolodovic Ivanov - profesor z Los Angeleske University of California, ktery studuje problemy spojene s etnickymi a lingvistickymi konflikty a s problemy zachovanf jazyku domorodych narodu. Claude Jasmin - profesor onkologie a zakladajfcf prezident Mezinarodm rady pro globalm pokrok ve zdravotnictvf. Nositel nekolika cen za vyzkum v oblasti AIDS a rakoviny.

Hans Kiing - prezident nadace globalnf etiky a byvaly feditel ustavu pro ekumenicky vyzkum pri univerzite v Tubingenu. Autor mnoha vyznamnych publikacf.

Jack Lang - clen evropskeho 'parlamentu, byvaly francouzsky ministr kultury, ministr zahranicnfch vecf a ministr narodniho vzdelavanf. Profesor prav na paffzske universite "X University-Nanterre".

Joshua Lederberg -nositel Nobelovy ceny za medicfnu (1958). Znamy genetik a clen americke Narodm akademie ved. Nositel americkeho Narodniho vyznamenanf za vedu.

Marguerite S. Lederberg - profesorka psychiatrie na Cornellove univerzite, clenka mnoha lekarskych spolecnostf a pfispevovatelka do mnoha specializovanych casopisii.

Vargas Mario Llosa - znamy peruansky zurnalista a spisovatel, ktery sve usilf za latinoamerickou demokracii a lidska prava vsech etnickych skupin prokazal i v aktivnfm politickem zivote.

Mikulas Lobkowicz - filozof, byvaly rektor university v Mnichove a byvaly prezident Katolicke university v Eichstattu v Nemecku, kde v roce 1994 zalozil ustav pro studia strednf a vychodnf Evropy.

James Lovelock - autor "Gaia" teorie a dalsfch asi 200 vedeckych pracf. Zabyva se vedou zivota na zemi. kardinal Jean-Marie Lustiger - arcibiskup paffzsky a clen Francouzske akademie.

Michael Mann - sociolog, zabyva se dlouhodobym vyvojem evropske spolecnosti a problemy narodmho statu. Autor zname knihy "The Sources of Social Power".

Ton! Morrisonova - nositelka Nobelovy ceny za literaturu (1993), profesorka humanitmch ved na Princetonske univerzite a autorka mnoha literarnfch del.

Hans-Heinrich Nolle - od roku 1978 profesor vychodoevropske historie na universite v Hannoveru. Autor mnoha del zabyvajfcfch se otazkami periferif a vytvafem jednoho sveta.

Michael Novak - teolog a politolog, nositel Templetonovy ceny v roce 1994, autor rady pracf o vztahu liberalm spolecnosti (resp. kapitalismu) a krest'anstvi, napf. "The Spirit of Democratic Capitalism"..

Shimon Peres - pfednf izraelsky politik, ktery se ve funkci ministra zahranicf spolecne s I. Rabinem vyrazne zapsal do mfroveho procesu na Blfzkem vychode, za coz byl ocenen v r. 1995 Nobelovou cenou mfru. John Polanyi - profesor chemie na Torontske univerzite. Zabyva se probieniy vedecke odpovednosti a demokratickych hodnot spojenych s vedou. llja Prigogine - vyznamny pffrodovedec a filozof. NositelNobelovy ceny za chemii (1977). Autor zname teorie chaosu, publikovane v "Order Out of Chaos".

Paul Ricoeur •- filozof, spisovate'l a literarnf kritik zabyvajfd se problemy zla.

Jacques Rupnik - politolog pusobfcf v Panzi, zabyva se denfm ve stfednf Evrope, autor knihy "Jina Evropa" o komunistickem bloku.

Yohei Sasakawa - prezident Nadace Nippon, vzdelan v oblastech ekonomie a politologie.

Helmut Schmidt - kancler Nemecke spolkove republiky v letech 1974-1982. Dovrsite! Brandtovy vychodnf politiky zahajenf diatogu a podepsanf smluv se staty Vychodm Evropy.

John Silber - prezident Bostonske univerzity. Autor knihy "Straight Shooting", bojovnfk za zrusenf trestu smrti.

Rene-Samuel Sirat - velky rabm francouzske konzistofe a prezident stale rady konference evropskych rabmii, vyznamny judaisticky teolog, aktivnf v mezinabozenskem dialogu a v usmirovanf izaelsko-arabskeho konfliktu.

Sulak Slvaraksa - vyznamny budhisticky myslitel, autor "Seeds of Peace: a Buddhist vision for Renewing Society"

Wole Soyinka - historicky prvnf African, oceneny Nobelovou cenu. Cenu za literaturu, v nfz se proslavil zejmena svym existencialne orientovanym dramatickym dflem, obdrzel v r. 1986. Sve celozivotnf usilf venuje boji za lidska prava a demokracii v Nigerii, zije v exilu v USA.

Magda Vasaryova - byvala csl. velvyslankyne ve Vfdni a zakladatelka a prezidentka Slovenske spolecnosti pro zahranicnf politiku.

Zdenek Vasfcek - historik, archeolog, filozof a politolog a byvaly disident.

ImanueS Wallerstein - soucasny prezident International Sociologicai Association. Formuloval znamou teorii World system, v knize "The Modern World System".

Richard von Weizsacker - prezident Spolkove nemecke republiky v letech 1984-94, symbol sjednocem Nemecka a reflexe nemecke valecne viny. 2000

FORUM 2000 CONFERENCE 3 - 7 September, 1997 Prague Welcome to the "Forum 2000" Conference which will take place in Prague between 3 and 7 September, 1997. We would like to inform you about the programme and structure of the conference, which should evaluate the past ahdpresent of mankind and also consider its future.

1 he end of the millennium as a symbolic turn in history makes us refleclon the inconsistent and, for Europe, horrifying 20th century and on the past 1,000 years which have changed the world so dramatically. The start of a new era is first of all a challenge to accepting responsibility for the future of our planet. The world is more "As we prepare to enter the next millen- "This distinguished gathering is meant to and more interlinked, it becomes smaller and there is no place on the planet whose nium, our future is uncertain. The prob- be an opportunity to probe both our con- lems that we face are rooted in our in- science and our memory. Its taking place in Prague is symbolic. Twice betrayed and destinies~do not concern everybody everywhere. Looking for ways to enable the fur- herited cultures and it is only by fully oppressed, this city ought to serve as a examining that heritage and our history warning to those who will inherit the twen- ther existence of mankind, its cultures and civilisations will be the main topic of 3 or that we will come to understand the na- tieth century. It is incumbent upon us to ture of our situation at present and to decode and deepen its meaning. Two to- 4 conferences which will take place in Prague under the name "Forum 2000". recognize the possible ways forward. This talitarian ideologies, countless civil wars, the rise and fall of communism and will be the task of the participants at nazism, the end of colonialism, Hiroshima The 1997 Conference should outline the main issues we are facing. Forum 2000: to review what we have and Auschwitz: What have we learned from learned about ourselves and each other our mistakes? How shall we celebrate to- We enclose the preliminary programme and agenda of the 1997 Confer- and to propose alternatives for the fu- morrow the humanity of man without re- ture." ; calling that by which it was endangered? Vaclav Havel How can we reconcile the victories of science and look forward to meeting you as well as to your personal contributions to ence with philosophical truth? What must President of the Czech Republic be done so as to avoid the traps laid by our discussions. progress if not by emphasizing the individual's and society's need for moral di- rection? It is the urgency of these ques- Secretariat of the FORUM 2000 Conference tions that motivates Forum 2000." Elie Wiesel Nobel Prize laureate Partners: Nippon Foundation The Nippon Foundation was founded in 1962 by Mr. Ryoichi Sasakawa to promote shipbuilding and maritime safety and to stimulate public interest in maritime affairs. It also conducts projects that contribute to enhancing public welfare. The Nippon Foundation's activities transcend politics, ideology, race and religion and reflect the cherished creed of its founder: "The world is one family - all mankind are brothers and sisters". Projects conducted under the Nippon Foundation's assistance programs can be broadly divided into two categories: overseas assistance projects and domestic subsidy and grant - making projects. These are further classified into specific fields of assistance such as disaster relief, creating solutions for food shortages, improving health and hygiene, human resource development, supporting the United Nations and fostering international understanding and goodwill.

Patriae - Foundation for the Development of Czech Society. The Patriae Foundation was established at the beginning of 1993. Its programme is oriented towards the reawakening of historical consciousness in the Czech nation, and the support of a socially aware and confident people proud of their Czech and European citizenship. The Foundation is endeavouring to fulfil its role in the improvement of Czech society on a spiritual, cultural and economic level. To this end, it is systematically building up an independent forum for discussions on the most important issues concerning current political and economic life in the Czech Republic. Through the various activities it undertakes, the Patriae Foundation has become a recognised non-government, non-profit organisation which is now a firmly established part of Czech society. It is thus sought after as a partner for important social, political and" state institutions and foreign organisations.

Bohemiae Foundation The Bohemiae Foundation was established in November 1992 by Karel Schwarzenberg, a former Chancellor to President Vaclav Havel, and is a non-partisan, non-profit making organisation. The aim of the Foundation is to support the international standing of the Czech Republic, to inform other countries about the current political, economic and cultural development in the country, to promote Czech exports and to draw the attention of foreign companies to the opportunities for investing in the Czech Republic.

The foundation endeavours to achieve its goals by hosting seminars, conferences and discussion forums, and by publishing material about the Czech Republic. The Congress of Prague of the New Atlantic Initiative held in co-operation with the American Enterprise Intitule and Conference Bohemiae 1996, organised with the support of the Delegation of the European Commission to the Czech Republic, rank among most prestigious recent partnership projects of the Bohemiae Foundation.

Prague Castle Administration Prague Castle Administration is entrusted by the Office of the President of the Republic with supervising all operations at Prague Castle except the renovation and development of the Castle, matters concerning visitors and guests, and the daily running of the complex. Its role is to administer all cultural and social events held in the Castle buildings and grounds. The public now has permanent access to Prague Castle, which has become a fitting environment for special social, cultural and educational events. Conference Programme: (Tentative version) Wednesday, September 3rd: 18.00 opening ceremony followed by reception VH

Thursday, September 4th: Saturday, September 6th:

9.30 -12.30 welcoming speech and introductory remarks 9.30 -12.30 morning session - "Hopes for the future I" SH by Elie Wiesel keynote speech by Vaclav Havel coffee break RH morning session - "The Inherited Present I" SH 12.30-14.00 buffet luncheon RG coffee break RH 14.00 -16.30 closing session - "Hopes for the future II" SH 12.30 -14.00 buffet luncheon RG coffee break RH 14.00 -17.00 afternoon session - "The Inherited Present II" SH concluding address by Elie Wiesel coffee break RH a word of farewell by Vaclav Havel 19.00 Czech cultural evening Archa Theatre 17.00 multireligious assembly St. Vitus' Cathedral 20.00 concert followed by cocktails Rudolfinum Concert Hall

Friday, September 5th: Sunday, September 7th:

9.30 -12.30 morning session - "Our World Today I" SH during the day: sightseeing and departures coffee break RH 12.30-14.00 buffet luncheon RG 14.00 -17.00 afternoon session - "Our World Today II" SH coffee break RH Vladislav Hall VH Spanish Hall SH 19.00 alternative evening programme: Rothmayer Hall RH # Rudolf II. exhibition Rudolph's Gallery RG * Prague by night - sightseeing & dinner

Latest version of the programme available on http: \\Forum2000-conference.cz from June 1,1997. Spouses' and Accompanying Persons' Programme:

Prague Sightseeing Tour • Thursday, September 4 @ 09.00 -17.00 The tour includes the main attractions of Prague Castle. The castle is more than one thousand years old and since the end of the 9th century has been the official seat of Czech sovereigns and then presidents. Among the most important and attractive monuments is the magnificent Cathedral of St. Vitus, the biggest of Prague churches, built in Gothic style and where the Bohemian crown jewels are stored, the Old Royal Palace with the famous Vladislav Hall, the Basilica of St. George - the oldest preserved church at the Castle dating back to the 10th century, the Golden Lane -the picturesque narrow street lined by a row of tiny houses where according to legend the alchemists lived and worked in the 16th century. All will be visited. Lunch is included. The tour continues by walking across the Charles Bridge from the Lesser Town to the Old Town Square with the Church of Our Lady Before Tyn, the Old Town Hall with its famous Astronomical Clock from the early 15th century, and the St. Nicholas Church.

Jewish Prague » Friday, September 5 © 9.00 -14.00 This specialised walking tour visits the oldest independent quarters of Prague, the Old Town and the Jewish Quarter. The Jewish Town quarter, Josefov, comprises the remnants of a medieval Jewish ghetto. Its monuments include the well preserved Old-New Synagogue (the oldest existing in Europe, built in early Gothic style), the Jewish Museum and famous Old Jewish Cemetery with some 12,000 tombstones and the most frequently visited gravestone belonging to Rabbi Low - the legendary creator of the giant Golem. Lunch is included. After the lunch it is possible to join the following tour.

Mozart's Prague • Friday, September 5 © 14.30 -17.00 It is said that the days spent by Mozart in Prague belonged to the happiest in his life. The tour includes visiting the Estates Theatre, where in 1787 the world premiere of the opera Don Giovanni took place, and the Villa Bertramka - Memorial to W. A. Mozart and the Dusek family. During his several sojourns in Prague Mozart stayed at Bertramka and also composed some of his works here. The tour includes a concert and small refreshments.

Konopiste Castle © Saturday, September 6 © 9.00 -15.00 Konopiste is a magnificent chateau situated about 40 km south-east of Prague. The last private owner was Archduke Franz Ferdinand d'Este, successor to the Austrian throne (assassinated in Sarajevo in 1914). The castle is situated in a lovely park and contains extensive collections of historical weapons, hunting trophies, china and other artefacts. Lunch is included. Prague Castle, the thousand year-old symbol of Czech statehood, is not only closely associated with our country's political life but is also a lively centre of European social, cultural and artistic activities.

I he origin of Prague Castle is usualy put at the second half of the 9th century, when the Pfemyslides, the first Czech princely and subsequently royal family, transferred their seat from Levy Hradec to their tribal territory on the headland near a ford of the River Vltava. In the fortified area the palace of the prince, the palace of the bishop, the churches of Our Lady, St. George andStVitus were built.

1 he Castle underwent major changes in the 12th century, when prince Sobeslav I began, inl!35, tofortifyit "in the roman manner" with walls ofmarley limestone ashlar masonry with mortar. It underwent considerable development in the reigns of the King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV and his son Wenceslas IV. High Gothic style was applied to St. Vitus' Cathedral, the Royal Palace and the All Saints' Chapel. The St. Vitus treasure, the substantial part of which is exhibited in the Treasury, was enriched.

1 he Renaissance left its markparticulary on the environs of the Castle. Under Emperor Rudolph II, the Castle became the centre of science and art as well as the depository of the well-known Rudolphine collections.

In the first half of the 19"' century Prague Castle was considered by the romanticists as a symbol of the former greatness of the Bohemian Kingdom and, consequently, as a stimulus of the rising Czech nationalist movement. In 1918 the independent Czechoslovak Republic originated and the Castle became, once again, the seat of the head of state. This tradition continues in the newly formed Czech Republic. Registration and Hotel Booking Form

Please send the completed registration form as soon as possible to: FORUM 2000 Foundation 3. Travefi arrangements Ms. Veronika Mftkova Tel/fax: +420-2-2431 0989 The organizers will inform you about your flight ticket 119 08 Praha 1 - Hrad. Tel: +420-2-24310991 Departure from: Departure date: Czech Republic E-mail: [email protected] Departure from Prague (date): Destination: 1. Delegate Details Do you have any special request (airlines): Please insert the relevant information for this part in BLOCK CAPITALS. Mr. / Mrs. / Miss Title: Name 4. Hotel Accommodation Surname: Date of arrival: Date of departure: Institution: „ Number of nights: Single room Q Double room '

Mailing address: Sharing the room with: Street: City: Special request & meals (vegetarian): Postal Code: Country: Telephone: Fax: E-mail: I will be able to follow the discussion in English: yes Q no other language: 2* Partner's Badge DetaiBs S, Cancellation conditions / will be accompanied by: Mr. / Mrs. / Miss We kindly ask you to inform us in time about any changes. Title: Name: Surname: Q she / he will be interested in the spouses' programme Date: Signature:. Q she / he will be interested in attending at the conference 2000 FORUM 2000 Foundation

• 119 08 Praha 1 - Hrad • Czech Republic • ' Tel/fax: +420-2-24310989 • Tel: +420-2-2431 0991 < •e-mail: [email protected] • ! ™^ THE SECRETARY-GENER! "S IS IB H I W E \ iAPR 2 3 I99T 1 18 April 1997 1EOSG/CENTRA

Excellency,

I am writing in reply to your letter of 9 December 1996 in which you and Elie Wiesel invited me to attend "Forum 2000: Concerns and Hopes on the Threshold of the New Millennium" in Prague from 3-7 September 1997. Please accept my apologies for the delay in replying. As you can imagine, my assumption of the post of Secretary-General has affected my schedule rather dramatically.

I should like to express my sincere appreciation for your kind invitation, and my support for your initiative in organizing this important event. Unfortunately, it will not be possible for me to attend given the demands of my schedule in preparation for the General Assembly. I deeply regret that I will not be able to visit Prague in September, but very much look forward to the opportunity to do so on some future occasion during my term in office.

Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.

A. Annan

His Excellency Mr. Vaclav Havel President of the Czech Republic Prague UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

"' ^l .' " "t. r:'-. /,'! •.• • POSTAL ADDRESS - :A0RE5^E PpSTAUE- UN IT ECJ . NATIONS, N.Y. IOO17

CABLl ADDRtSS ApRE*»C'TELCCRA*HlQUE: UNAT1ONS NCWYORK

: OF yE^SECRETARY.GENERAL

CABM J uSI JE¥'AIRE'GENERAl.

RKFKRCNCK: 18 April 1997

Excellency, The Secretary-General would be grateful if you could kindly forward the enclosed letter to His Excellency Mr. Vaclav Havel, President of the Czech Republic. It would be appreciated if you could forward the enclosed letter to Mr. Elie Wiesel as well. Copies of these letters are attached for your information. Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.

SVIqbal Riza Chef de Cabjjietr-~'/?

His Excellency Mr. Karel Kovanda Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to the United Nations New York UNITED NATIONS NATIONS UNIES

POSTAL ADDRESS ADRESSE POSTALE: UNITED NATIONS, N.Y. 1OOI7

CABLE ADDRESS ADRESSE TELEGRAPH IOUE- UNATIONS NEWYORK

REFERENCE: TELEFAX COVER SHEET

Telefax No. (212) 963-3511 Telephone No. (212) 963-0839

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

TO: Ms. Olivia Roland FROM: Ian Johnstone Mr. SylvainKern Political Affairs Officer Paris New York FAX NO.: 01 45 48 DATE: 18 April 1997 TOTAL OF PAGES COVER INCLUDED: 1

MESSAGE

Dear Ms. Roland and Mr. Kern,

Further to your FAX of 19 March 1997, I am writing to inform you that the Secretary- General regrets he will not be able to attend "Forum 2000: Concerns and Hopes on the Threshold of the New Millenium". He has written to President Havel and Mr. Wiesel sending his regrets.

Yours sincerely,

/H/iA '-vl Ian Johnstone 19/03/1997 14:34 4548813: OFF 02'

C.H.K. 13, rue de Crenelle 75 007 Paris France Til :Ol 45 44 51 75 Fax: 01 4548 81 in1"7

Attention to: Office of The Secretary General Paris march 19th

Dear Sir,

Following our phone conversation, please find herewith a copy of the letter which as been sent to Kof j Annan by President Vaclav Havel and Elie Wiesel in order to invite him to be a delegate at Forum 2000. a conference they are organizing in Prague next S3piejTibi3r-_

Would you please let us know at the above phone nomber or fax number wether Kofi" Annan will be able to attend this conference or not.

Thanking you in advance, we remain,

Sincerely yours.

Olivia Roland Sylvain Kern

\ .0

RECEIVED TIME MflR.19. 8:22fln 19/03/1997 14:34 45488138 CHK OFF 03

Prague, 9th of Decembert996~-/

Dear Mr. Annan,

The end of the millennium and the beginning of a new one presents us with multiple questions and many challenges. Some time ago, we deliberated together on the significance of this turning point and agreed on a joint project. We would like to convene a selected group of individuals from around the globe, known for their positive human and civic attitudes, in a conference entitled "Forum 2000: Concerns and Hopes on the Threshold of the New Millennium."

The purpose of the conference is to mark the close of the second millennium as a time to take stock of the issues from the viewpoint of the world's diverse cultures and spheres of civilization.

The three-day conference will be held at Prague Castle in the Czech Republic between the 3rd and the 7th of September 1997. We are inviting you to take part in one of the panels that will be convened as part of Forum 2000. You would be expected to contribute as a discussant or to deliver formal remarks at the beginning of the panel.

The enclosed materials contain details regarding the conference as well as a background text outlining some of our thoughts.

It would be a privilege to have you here during the time of the conference, and to hear your thoughts on the past and the future of humankind.

With warm and sincere wishes,

Vaclav Havel Elie Wiesel President of the Czech Republic Nobel Peace Prize Laureate

The Honorable

RECEIVED TIME MflR.19. 8:22flM