Mezinárodní konference The Community of Dialogue

Villa Decius Association

International conference "The Community of Dialogue"
which will take place in Krakow, Poland (October 12-13, 2006).

The aim of The Community of Dialogue program is strengthening of a democratic state of law and civil society through a promotion of an intercultural dialogue and shaping attitudes of openness to the Other. The program is educational and promotional in its character and constitutes a continuation of the Villa Decius Association activities in the field of human rights, eg. Minorities in Everyday Life and My Europe program implemented in the period of 1999-2005.

The programme comprises the following parts:

* Theme-Based Seminars with experts, specialists, and practitioners will focus on issues of intercultural dialogue. The seminars will serve elaboration of  materials for the conference.
* International Conferences held in autumn each year in the Villa Decius in Krakow, organized to discuss problems facing European cultural identity and to confront cultural policies with local practice as seen by the minorities representatives.
* Documentation of the conferences will serve dissemination of best practices and information about the current state of affairs. A special effort will be undertaken to prepare and publish a manual  for teachers and NGOs: “Dialogue: How to Teach Yourself and Others” (working title).

The truth can be found in facts - an international group of intellectuals will be asked to discuss interactions between culture and politics. The subject of the conference will be viewed from the perspective of both cultural heritage and the new challenges faced by the Mediterranean civilization.

Debate 1
The Ambassadors of Ideas

The subject of the debate:
Interdependence and overlapping nature of civilizations and cultures. Multipolarity and complex relationship between today’s conflicts and challenges.
Political and economic grievances based on an unequal distribution of power and resentment against the ways the power is wielded – asymmetry of power and double standards in politics.
Solutions adopted by international organizations.
 
Debate 2
Society under Reconstruction

The subject of the debate:
Deconstruction of a traditionally “in-born” cultural identity has become a fact. The future of civilization depends increasingly on our ability to understand “the other”, on dialogue and compromise. What is regarded as marginal in compromise reaching and what are the limits of integration? Should refugees go home? What are the façades of democracy and what the reality in a democratic state in the Middle East looks like?

Debate 3
People of the Word

The subject of the debate:
The power of words and the weakness of actions – religion against violence and terrorism. Should religious leaders become critical mediators on the public forum since “In the beginning was the Word”?
Can we find efficient collective actions and practical programmes aimed at promoting harmony among societies?

Debate 4
When Women Stay Silent
The subject of the debate:
Political challenges and everyday reality. Women and politics. Who speaks and thinks for women? The role of women in promoting peaceful cohabitation of communities.

Více informací o projektu a programu

or
http://www.villa.org.pl/e_index.php?nr2=192&lng=en.

Grzegorz Pękałaˇ
Stowarzyszenie Willa Decjusza
ul. 28 Lipca 17a, 30-233 Kraków
tel. +48 12 425 36 44
fax +48 12 425 36 63
tel. kom. +48 508 73 84 59
SKYPE: grzegorz_pekala
gpekala@villa.org.pl
www.villa.org.pl