I.P.O. ANNUAL REPORT 2014

Vienna, 29 December 2014

P/RE/25270c

NEW PUBLICATION

  • Force or Dialogue: Conflicting Paradigms of World Order. Studies in International Relations, Vol. XXXIII. New Delhi: Manak Publications. (Collected papers from the period 2008-2013; forthcoming)

WORLD ORDER AND THE POLITICS OF REGIME CHANGE

In the framework of the annual Rhodes meeting of the World Public Forum "Dialogue of Civilizations," the International Progress Organization (I.P.O.)  organized a special plenary session on "World Order and the Politics of Régime Change" (26 September 2014). Among the keynote speakers at the session were Prof. Richard Falk (Princeton University, USA), Prof. Türkkaya Ataöv (University of Ankara, Turkey), Prof. Lyal S. Sunga (Raoul Wallenberg Institute for International Humanitarian Law, Sweden), Prof. Jane Kelsey (University of Auckland, New Zealand), Prof. Alexander Meziyaev (Head of the Dept. of International Law, University of Management, Kazan, Russia), Christopher Black (Canadian Defense Lawyer at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda), Prof. John Laughland (Director of Studies, Institute of Democracy and Cooperation, Paris), and Dr. David Hoile (Professor at Sudan National University, Khartoum).

POLICY OF VIOLENCE

At the invitation of the Sultan Qaboos Higher Centre for Culture and Science, the President of the International Progress Organization (I.P.O.), Dr. Hans Köchler, delivered a special lecture on "The Policy of Violence and its Destructive Impact on Social Cohesion" (Muscat, Oman, 4 February 2014). The lecture was part of a Scientific Forum held at the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat in connection with the Third "Week of Rapprochement and Human Harmony."

 

I.P.O. BACKS RESOLUTION CALLING FOR COOPERATION WITH BRICS COUNTRIES

On 17 December 2014, the International Progress Organization endorsed a resolution of more than 100 prominent politicians, businessmen, academics, scientists and artists from 20 countries calling on the U.S. and Europe to collaborate with the BRICS nations in the interest of peace and economic development. The resolution was issued in response to the offer of China's President Xi Jinping for the United States to join China's New Silk Road development program and abandon the policies of confrontation with particularly Russia and China.

I.P.O. co-sponsors appeal for truth and justice in the Great Lakes region of Africa

In November 2014, the International Progress Organization co-sponsored the Appel pour la vérité et la justice dans la région des Grands Lacs, signed by criminal lawyers and human rights experts from Belgium, Canada, Democratic Republic of Congo, France, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, and United States.

DIALOGUE AMONG CIVILIZATIONS

On 19 February 2014, at the head office of the I.P.O. in Vienna, the President of the I.P.O. gave an interview for the Network of NGOs affiliated with the World Public Forum "Dialogue of Civilizations" on the organization's contribution to dialogue among civilizations since the 1970s.

On 5 June 2014 the President of the I.P.O. held consultations in Istanbul (Turkey) with Prof. Bekir Karlıga, Advisor to the Prime Minister and Chairman of the National Coordination Committee (Turkey) for the Alliance of Civilizations.

On 30 August 2014 the President of the International Progress Organization delivered a special lecture on "The Importance of the Dialogue of Civilizations for International Relations" (Annual Conference of the "Courage for Ethics" initiative, Sirnach, Switzerland).

From 17 to 19 September 2014 the International Progress Organization participated in the Peace Summit of the World Alliance of Religions for Peace in  Seoul, South Korea. Together with representatives of religious communities from all continents, the I.P.O. signed a solemn Appeal for Religious Unity.

On 17 November 2014 the President of the International Progress Organization delivered a keynote speech on "Dialogue among Civilizations in the Global Era" (11th International Forum of the Nomura Center for Lifelong Integrated Education, Tokyo, Japan).

 

CRISIS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

  • In a statement issued on 24 July 2014, the International Progress Organization called upon the international community, represented by the United Nations, to stop the armed conflict between Israel and the Palestinian authority in Gaza. The I.P.O. stated that a ceasefire agreement must address the root causes of the conflict.

  • On 24 November 2014, the International Progress Organization co-sponsored a Lecture-Symposium on "Islamic State: Perception and Reality in the Context of Global Power Politics" at the University of the Philippines in Manila. The meeting was jointly organized by People's Forum on Peace for Life, UP Institute of Islamic Studies and University of the Philippines Muslim Students' Association.

 

WAR IN UKRAINE / TRAGEDY OF FLIGHT MH 17

On 26 July 2014, the International Progress Organization issued a call for an impartial and independent investigation of the circumstances of the crash of Malaysian Airlines 17 over rebel-controlled territory in Eastern Ukraine. According to the statement of the I.P.O., an investigation has to be international and it must be ensured that no party to the conflict in Ukraine is in a position to influence its outcome.

 

SPECIAL LECTURES BY THE PRESIDENT

  • "The Politics of Status Quo and the Contradictions of World Order": Readers' circle of the newspaper Current Matters (Zurich), Sirnach, Switzerland,  24 April 2014.

  • "The European Union and Geopolitical transformation in Eurasia": International Conference "Europe: Lost in Translation?" jointly organized by German-Russian Forum and World Public Forum "Dialogue of Civilizations," Berlin, Germany, 15 May 2014.

  • "Krieg im 21. Jahrhundert / War in the 21st Century": Special lecture at the National Defense Academy of Austria, jointly organized by Institute for Religion and Peace (Catholic Military Diocese of Austria), Forum of World Religions and Institute for Dialogue as part of the commemorative lecture series "1914 - Peace - 2014," Vienna, Austria, 21 May 2014.

  • "The New Social Media and the Reshaping of Communication in the 21st Century": Center for Global Studies, Foundation for Sciences and Arts, Istanbul, Turkey, 7 June 2014.

  • "The International Progress Organization: Intercultural Dialogue and Peaceful Co-existence among Nations": Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (Mexico), Vienna Seminar: "Austria, Unión Europea y América Latina en diálogo," Vienna, Austria, 26 June 2014.

  • "The United Nations Organization and the Ban on the Use of Force: How to Make it Effective?": Special Session on Conflicts and Peacebuilding, Peace Summit of the World Alliance of Religions, Seoul, Korea, 18 September 2014.

  • "Religious Identity in a Multicultural World": Roundtable "Christianity in the MENA Region," Rhodes Forum 2014, organized by World Public Forum "Dialogue of Civilizations," Rhodes, Greece, 27 September 2014.

  • "The European Union in an Emerging Multipolar World": School of International Politics and Economics, Aoyama Gakuin University, Tokyo, Japan, 14 November 2014.

 

INFORMATION VISITS BY THE PRESIDENT

From 31 January to 7 February 2014 the President of the I.P.O. visited the Sultanate of Oman. He met, among others, with the Secretary-General of the Sultan Qaboos Higher Centre for Culture & Science; Minister of Higher Education; Minister of Culture and National Heritage; Minister of Information; Secretary-General of the Foreign Ministry; and Governor of the South Batinah Region.

From 25 to 27 July 2014 the President of the I.P.O. made a fact-finding visit to the Republic of Moldova.
 

SPECIAL MEETINGS OF THE PRESIDENT

  • 4 February 2014: Mr. Habib M. Al-Riyami, Secretary-General, Sultan Qaboos Higher Centre for Culture & Science, in Muscat, Oman.

  • 6 June 2017: Mr. Adnan Oktar, A9 TV, in Istanbul, Turkey.

  • 11 June 2014: Prof. Fred Dallmayr (USA), Co-President of the World Public Forum "Dialogue of Civilizations," in Innsbruck, Austria.

  • 2 July 2014: Dr. Adolfo Lobarde, Director, International Relations Program, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Santa Fe Campus (Mexico), at the head office of the I.P.O. in Vienna, Austria.

  • 19 September 2014: Dr. Yong-Bock Kim, Chancellor, Asia Pacific Center for Integral Study of Life, in Seoul, South Korea.

  • 19 September 2014: Ignacio Sánchez Amor, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Special Representative on Border Issues, in Seoul, South Korea.

  • 27 September 2014: Amb. Mussie Hailu, Regional Director for Africa, United Religions Initiative (Addis Abeba), in Rhodes, Greece.

  • 15 November 2014: Prof. Y. C. Simhadri, Vice-Chancellor, Patna University (India), in Tokyo, Japan.

  • 16 November 2014: Dr. Mmantsetsa Marope, Director, UNESCO / International Bureau of Education, in Tokyo, Japan.

  • 17 November 2014: Ms. Yumiko Kaneko, Director-General, Nomura Center for Lifelong Integrated Education, in Tokyo, Japan.

  • 25 November 2014: Dr. Atiur Rahman, Governor of the Central Bank of Bangladesh, in Manila, Philippines.

  • 26 November 2014: Dr. Vytautas Landsbergis, former President of Lithuania, in Manila, Philippines.

SELECTED MEDIA INTERVIEWS

  • "Voice of the People" talk show, TV Sonce / Sun TV, Macedonia (2 April 2014)

  • Russian TV station Пятый канал / Channel Five, Saint Petersburg, Russia (15 May 2014)

  • RIA Novosti news agency, Moscow: on the Lockerbie case (29 July 2014)

  • Youth Group of the World Alliance of Religions, Seoul, South Korea (18 September 2014)

  • Belarus Television, Channel 1 (Minsk): Interview Series "DIALOGUE" (26 September 2014)

  • Roma UNO TV and FINANZA magazine, Italy  (28 September 2014)

  • TANJUG News Agency, Belgrade (28 September 2014)

  • National Press Club: international press conference, Manila, Philippines (25 November 2014)

CO-OPERATION WITH NGOs

The International Progress Organization has continued co-operation with the World Public Forum "Dialogue of Civilizations" (Moscow / Vienna) , the Nomura Center for Lifelong Integrated Education (Japan) and People's Forum on Peace for Life (PfL) (Philippines), and agreed to co-operate with the World Alliance of Religions for Peace (Republic of Korea) and Assemblée des Francophones Fonctionnaires des Organisations Internationales (AFFOI).

GUSI PEACE PRIZE AWARDED TO PRESIDENT OF I.P.O.

At a solemn ceremony on 26 November 2014 in Manila (Philippines), Prof. Hans Köchler received the Gusi Peace Prize 2014 in recognition of his contributions to the philosophy of law.

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