2007 Universal Forum of Cultures

The Universal Forum of Cultures Monterrey 2007 is an international civil-society event that will take place in the city of Monterrey, Mexico. It begins in September and ends in December.

The Forum, as it is called often, is a global event which takes place every 3 years, in a different city each time. Its purpose is to unite citizens from a varied range of cultures, languages, religions for inter-cultural dialogue. This massive event will gather an approximate 1.5 million visitors to Monterrey, and is mostly free of charge.

Historical Background
The Universal Forum of Cultures project was born in the year of 1996 in the city of Barcelona, Spain. 
In 1999, UNESCO signed a cooperation agreement with the Forum Foundation, that established the Organization as the chief partner and main sponsor of the event. 

In 2004, Barcelona there was the first Universal Forum of Cultures: Barcelona 2004, which lasted 141 days and established the event as the major global gathering for arts, culture and dialogues. 

In 2005, during UNESCO’s 33rd General Conference it was decided that UNESCO would again be the main partner of the Forum providing technical assistance and promotion of the Forum with international governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGO).

Main Objectives of the 2007 Forum 
The main objectives of the Universal Forum of the Cultures Monterrey 2007, are the following:
 To establish a Dialogue from a civil-society viewpoint, on the most relevant and urgent matters in the Global Agenda.
 To empower international civil society in becoming relevant actors in the decision-making process in their local communities.
 To promote interconnection and dialogues between the cultures of the modern world.
 To know the world through many perspectives and distinct cultures.
 To generate consciousness and commitment to find sustainable ways of life for our planet and our societies.

Core Concepts 
The Universal Forum of Cultures Monterrey 2007 has 4 Core Concepts. These 4 topics sum up the vast majority of issues and problems faced by global civil society and will remain, according to experts, the most urgent and relevant working areas for the global community. The 4 Core Concepts of the 2007 Forum are:

 Cultural Diversity
 Sustainability
 Knowledge
 Peace

Cultural Diversity
The existence of cultural diversity in the world is an undeniable fact. People often coexist with others who share different beliefs, traditions and customs. Forum seeks to provide knowledge of the circumstances in which others live, new ways to see the world, respect our planet, and seek social advancement.

Sustainability
Sustainability is an issue of major importance in the world of today. It needs to find new options for economic, social, and cultural development and a better use of natural resources for the benefit of the planet and its inhabitants.

Knowledge
The challenge is learning how to make the best use of it so we can achieve an effective improvement in our quality of life. This topic was proposed by the 2007 Monterrey Forum, as it was not debated in Barcelona 2004.

Peace
Paving a way for peace does not only mean preventing armed warfare. In the Universal Forum of Cultures, new dialogues on peace will be instituted on all levels. Peace with ourselves and the people around us, peace with our ecosystem, and peace amongst peoples and nations.

Activities and Events for the 2007 Forum
The 4 Core Concepts of the Monterrey 2007 Forum will be carried out in 4 separate activities programmes. These are:

 Dialogues
 Exhibitions
 Cultural Expressions and
 Special Projects and Events

The 8 Themed Weeks of Forum Dialogues are:

 Week 1: Peace and Spirituality, from September 25 to September 29
 Week 2: Education. Science and Technology, from October 2nd to October 6th
 Week 3: Cities and Population. Natural Resources, from October 9th to October 13th
 Week 4: Knowledge-Based Development, from October 16th to October 20th
 Week 5: Health Culture and Life Quality, from October 23rd to October 27th
 Week 6: Government, Participation. Human Rights and Justice, from October 30th to November 3rd
 Week 7: Identity. Diversity and Cultural Policies, from November 6th to November 10th
 Week 8: Communication, from November 13th to November 17th

Schedule of Events
The Schedule of Events for the 2007 Universal Forum of Cultures will be announced soon via the Forum Website.

Related pages
UNESCO

References

Other websites
Info in English on Forum Barcelona 2004 
Official Web Site of Forum Monterrey 2007 - Spanish and English Versions 
UNESCO's Forum 2007 Information

Ecology
2007 in Mexico
Monterrey