The International Symposia on Cultural Diplomacy 2015

"The 70th Anniversary of the End of WW2 and the Establishment of the UN: Developing Initiatives to Promote Cultural Understanding, Global Human Rights & World Peace"

(Berlin, London, New York, Istanbul; May - December, 2015)

Symposia Timetable

The timetable for the Symposia events can be found below:

International Symposium on Cultural Diplomacy in the Commonwealth 2015 »

"The 70th Anniversary of the Establishment of the UN: Developing Initiatives to Promote Cultural Understanding, Global Human Rights & World Peace within the Commonwealth"

(London; July 22nd - 24th, 2015)

Symposium Timetable

Wednesday, July 22st, 2015
11:30 Registrations  
12:30 Welcome Addresses
Mark Donfried (Director General, Institute for Cultural Diplomacy)
Robin Marsh (Secretary General, Universal Peace Foundation)
Dr. Sheikh Ramzy (Director, Oxford Islamic Information Centre)
13:00 Keynote Speech
Sir James Mancham (Founding President, Seychelles; Member ICD Advisory Board)
14:00 “Knowing 'What Works' and How it Works - Why Research and Evaluation is Crucial for the Future of Cultural Diplomacy”
(Keynote Address)
Deborah Bull (Director, Culture at King's College, London)
14:30 “The Role of Cultural Diplomacy in Global Good Governance”
(Keynote Address)
MP Stephen Gethins (Member of the British Parliament) 
15:30 “The Isle is Full of Noises”
(Keynote Address)
Tony Haynes (Co-Founder & Artistic Director, Grand Union Orchestra)
16:00 “History, Identity and Sense of Belonging”
(Keynote Address)
Gosia McKane (Director, Merseyside Polonia)
17:00  “Arts & Business, Business and Arts”
(Keynote Address)
Sarah Meltzer (Artists’ Promoter)
17:30 Participant Papers
19:00 Networking Reception
Thursday, July 23rd, 2015
9:30 Keynote Address
Lord Jack McConnell (Member of the House of Lords; Former First Minister of Scotland)
10:30 The Use of Soft Power to Enhance Global Relations
(Keynote Address)
The Rt. Hon. Lord Swraj Paul (Member of the House of Lords)
11:00 The Spirit of a Global Community.”
(Keynote Address)
Lord Frank Judd (Member of the British Parliament)
11:30  Keynote Address
MP Jim Fitzpatrick
(Member of the British Parliament) 
12:00 Culture the Lowest Common Denominator and Highest Value of Humanity: Reflections on Walks through Fourteen Countries”
(Keynote Address)
Rt Hon Lord Michael Bates (Member of the House of Lords; Former Minister of State, Home Office, United Kingdom)
12:30 Soft Power, a Personal perspective
(Keynote Address)
Baroness Judith Jolly (Member of the House of Lords)
13:00 Gallipoli: Road to Peace out of ‘Gentlemen’s War’
(Keynote Address)
H. E. Amb. Abdurrahman Bilgiç (Ambassador of Turkey to the United Kingdom)
13:30 Lunch Break
14:30 Keynote Address
Sir Simon Hughes (Member of the British Parliament; Former Minister of State for Justice and Civil Liberties of the United Kingdom; Former Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats
15:00 “The Role of Diaspora Communities in the Commonwealth”
(Keynote Address)
MP Keith Vaz (Member of the British Parliament)
15:30 “Cultural Diplomacy in the Face of an EU Referendum”
(Keynote Address)
MP Bill Wiggin (Member of the British Parliament)
16:00 “The Price of Bridge Building in a Multi-Cultural World”
(Keynote Address)
Rt. Hon. Lord Robin Eames (Former Anglican Primate of All Ireland and Archbishop of Armagh)
17:00 Keynote Address
Lord Christopher Holmes of Richmond MBE (Member of the House of Lords)
18:00  “Culture and Diplomacy”
(Keynote Address)
Sian Hansen (Executive Director, Legatum Institute)
18:30 Keynote Address
Dan Golan (Director, Cultural Department, Embassy of Israel to the United Kingdom)
Friday, July 24th, 2015
9:30 Keynote Address
Natalie Louise Bennett (Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales)
10:00 Space, Place, Identity - Notes from a Novelist on Anti-Human Architecture”
(Keynote Address)
Jayne Joso (British Novelist, Playwright, Writer, Artist)
11:00 Keynote Address
H.E. Amb. Diego Gómez Pickering (Ambassador of Mexico to the United Kingdom)
11:30 “Culture as a Diplomatic Tool for Small Nations”
(Keynote Address)
Baroness Jenny Randerson (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Wales Office; Member of the House of Lords; Former Minister for Culture, Sport and the Welsh Language)
12:30 “World Music: Cultural Ringers and the Rest of Us”
Keynote Address
Prof. Dr. Keith Howard (Professor of Music, SOAS, University of London)
13:00 “Sustainable Growth and Inclusion: Commonwealth of Nations”
(Keynote Address)
Dr. Ruth Kattumuri (Co-Director of India Observatory and Asia Research Centre)
14:00 Concluding Remarks

Sir James Mancham (Founding President, Seychelles; Member ICD Advisory Board)
Dr. Yehoeshahfaht Ben Israel (Director, Experience Africa Program, Institute for Cultural Diplomacy)
Robin Marsh (Secretary General, Universal Peace Foundation)
Dr. Sheikh Ramzy (Director, Oxford Islamic Information Centre)
*****

Kosovo Summit on International Law & Human Rights 2015 »

"The 70 Year Anniversary of the End of WW2 and the Establishment of the UN: An Interdisciplinary Review of the Development of International Law in Protecting Human Rights"

(The Supreme Court, Pristina, Kosovo; June 14th - 17th, 2015)
SUMMIT AGENDA
Sunday, June 14th, 2015
Arrival of Delegates
Monday, June 15th, 2015
09:00 Departure from Hotel
09:30 Conference Registration
Venue: Parliament of Kosovo, Plenary Hall
10:00 Welcome Keynote Addresses
President Atifete Jahjaga, President of Kosovo
The Hon. Kadri Veseli, Chairmen of the Parliament of Kosovo
Prime Minister Isa Mustafa, Prime Minister of Kosovo
President Fejzullah Hasani, President of the Supreme Court of Kosovo
The Hon. Enver Peci , Chairman of Kosovo Judicial Council
Mark Donfried , Director General & Founder, ICD
10:35 Introductory Lectures
Moderator: President Fejzullah Hasani, President of the Supreme Court of Kosovo
Minister Hajredin Kuqi, Minister of Justice of Kosovo
Alessandra Roccasalvo, Deputy Resident Representative, UNDP, Kosovo
H.E. Amb. Tracey Ann Jacobson, Ambassador of the USA to Kosovo
President Enver Hasani, President of the Constitutional Court of Kosovo
Judge Xhezair Zaganjori, President of Supreme Court of Albania
Judge Vesna Medenica, President of the Supreme Court of Montenegro
11:35 Reception
11:45 Press Conference
Mark Donfried and President Fejzullah Hasani
12:10 Coffee Break & Beverages
Visit the Residence of the Chairmen of the Parliament & Group Photo
12:15 - 14:40 Lectures and Discussions
Session One - Panel Discussion
"Judges as Guardians of Human Rights Standards and Rule of Law”
Moderator: Mark Donfried , Director General & Founder, ICD
Judge Joel Mermet, Senior Human Rights Expert
Judge Valdete Daka, Judge, the Supreme Court of Kosovo
Mrs. Fisnik Korenica, Senior Research Fellow at the Group for Legal, Political Studies & Constitutional Right Expert
MP Margarita Kadriu, Member of the Parliament of Kosovo
14:50 - 16:15 Lunch Break
Venue: Hotel Sirius, Pristina
20:00 - 21:30 Dinner hosted by the Supreme Court President & Kosovo Judicial Council
Tuesday, June 16th, 2015
09:00 Departure from Hotel to Conference venue
Venue: Government Building – Conference Hall Rilindja Building
09:30 Conference Registration
09:45 Opening Remarks
Presidet Fejzullah Hasani, President of the Supreme Court of Kosovo
Mark Donfried, Director General & Founder, ICD
10:00 - 11:40 Lectures and Discussions
Venue: Government Building – Conference Hall Rilindja Building
“International Law, interpretation and application by domestic authorities”
Session Two - Panel Discussion
Moderator: Judge Valdete Daka, Judge, the Supreme Court of Kosovo
Prof. Dr. Blerim Reka, Former ambassador of Republic of Macedonia in EU & professor of International Public Law in SEEU Macedonia
Ombudsman Sami Kurteshi, Kosovo Ombudsperson
Ms. Flora Macula, UN Women Kosovo
Judge Bekim Sejdiu, Judge, the Constitutional Curt of Kosovo
Prof. Dr. Haxhi Gashi, President of the Board of Peja University
11:40 Reception
12:10 Coffee Break & Beverages
12:15 - 14:15 Session Three - Panel Discussion
“Human Rights, challenges and opportunities in promoting dialogue and peace between communities”
Moderator: Andrew Russell, UN Development Coordinator UNDP, Kosovo
N.L. Narasimha Rao, Chief of UNHCR Mission, Kosovo
14:15 - 14:30 Concluding Remarks
President Fejzullah Hasani, President of the Supreme Court of Kosovo
Mark Donfried, Director General & Founder, ICD
Andrew Russell, UN Development Coordinator, Kosovo
14:35 - 16:00 Lunch Break
Venue: Hotel Sirius, Pristina
16:00 Visit to the Palace of Justice
Sightseeing- Tour guide by Kosovo Judicial Council and EC Representative
Wednesday, June 17th, 2015
Departure of Delegates
*****

The International Symposium on Cultural Diplomacy in Germany »

"The 70th Anniversary of the End of WW2 and the Establishment of the UN: Developing Initiatives to Promote Cultural Understanding, Global Human Rights & World Peace"

(Berlin; May 21st - 24th, 2015)
Thursday, May 21st, 2015
12:30 Registrations
13:30 Welcome Address
Prof. Dr. Ulrich Brückner, Academic Director, Center for Cultural Diplomacy Studies
13:40 Keynote Address
MdB Gitta Connemann, Member of the German Parliament
14:30 Lunch Break
15:30 Keynote Address
Prof. Dr. Ulrich Brückner, Academic Director, Center for Cultural Diplomacy Studies
16:30 Break
17:00 "The 70th Anniversary of the End of WW2 and the Establishment of the UN: Developing Initiatives to Promote Cultural Understanding, Global Human Rights & World Peace"
(Interactive Panel Discussion)
The Hon. Anna Diamantopoulou, Former Greek Minister; Former European Commissioner
Prof. Dr. Ulrich Brückner, Academic Director, Center for Cultural Diplomacy Studies
Mark Donfried, Director General, Institute for Cultural Diplomacy
18:00 Break
18:10 “The EU Economic Crisis: the Case of Greece and the particular Relationship with Germany”
(Keynote Address)
The Hon. Anna Diamantopoulou, Former Greek Minister; Former European Commissioner
19:30 Dinner
Friday, May 22nd, 2015
10:00 “Germany and the United Nations: Past and Future”
(Keynote Address)
MdB Roderich Kiesewetter, Member of the Germany Parliament
10:30 “World against Violence and Extremism as a Paradigm Shift: Middle East in Turmoil"
(Keynote Address)
H. E. Amb. Ali Majedi, Ambassador of Iran to Germany
11:00 Keynote Address
The Hon. Michèle Alliot-Marie, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of France
12:00 "The End of the WW II and the Founding of the UN"
(Keynote Address)
H. E. Amb. Ranko Vilovic, Ambassador of Croatia to Germany
12:30 Break
13:00 “The Day of Liberation. For All Germans? From May 8th - November 9th.”
(Keynote Address)
MdB Marian Wendt, Member of the German Parliament
13:30 Lunch Break
14:30 “International Cooperation and Human Rights. The Allied Policies of Democratization in Occupied Germany as a Case Study”
(Keynote Address)
Prof. Dr. Arnd Bauerkämper, Professor, History Department, Free University of Berlin
15:30 Coffee Break
16:00 "Legacy of Wars and Construction of Powerhouse: A Tale from East Asia"
(Keynote Address)
Dr. Siswo Pramono, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Indonesia to Germany
17:00 “Jammu and Kashmir Dispute and the United Nations”
(Keynote Address)
H. E. Amb. Syed Hasan Javed, Ambassador of Pakistan to Germany
17:30 “Key to Regional Peace and Stability lies in the Solution of Kashmir Dispute”
(Interactive Panel Discussion)
MEP Afzal Khan, Member of the European Parliament
MEP Sajjad Karim, Member of the European Parliament
Dr. Michael Gottlob, Representative, Amnesty International Berlin Germany
Prof. Dr. Hermann Kreutzmann, Chairman, Department of Geography, Free University Berlin
Ali Raza Syed, Chairman, Kashmir Council EU Brussels Belgium
19:00 “Germany's Foreign Policy in a Globalized World”
(Keynote Address)
MdB Charles Huber, Member of the Germany Parliament
19:30 Dinner Reception
(Hosted by the Embassy of Pakistan)
Saturday, May 23rd, 2015
10:00 “European Identity - A Set of (Effective?) Symbols”
Valeria Zincone, PHD researcher of Cultural Diplomacy and International Relations, Center for Cultural Diplomacy studies and the University of Bucharest
10:30 “External Cultural Diplomacy as a ‘Soft Power’ Instrument of National Image Promotion. A Case Study of Poland”
Agata Kielek, Postgraduate student of International Studies at Durham University, UK; specialization in the European Union, diplomacy & European Security
11:00 “Democracy and the Problem of Minorities in Africa”
Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Adam, Associate Professor of Political Science & Director of Cultural Relations and Information University of Bahri, Khartoum, Sudan
11:30 Break
12:00 Keynote Address
H. E. Amb. Ruth M. Chikwira, Ambassador of Zimbabwe to Germany
13:00 ”Eight Principles of Peacebuilding”
Dr. Mohamed Elrashed, Pharmacist of the Medical Project of the Sudanese Red Crescent Society – Sudan, North Kordofan
13:30 Lunch Break
15:00 Keynote Address
The Hon. Abed Nadjib, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Afghanistan to Germany
16:00 - 16:30 “Judicial Enforcement of International Human Rights through Weak Courts in China: A Perspective from an Illiberal State”
Prof. Dr. Shucheng Wang, PhD in Law; lecturer at the City University of Hong Kong
16:30 - 17:00 “Democracy Behind Bars” the democratic struggles facing Bahrain today
(Presentation and Short Film)
Annabella Stieran, Documentary researcher and producer, Shells for Media productions Ltd
17:00 - 17:30 “Al Jawdiah, a Traditional Means Of Conflict Resolving In Sudan”
Dr. Nasir Mohamed Hassan Elsheikh, Associate Professor and Vice Dean, Faculty of Medicine, Kordofan University, North Kordofan, State Elobied, Sudan
17:30 Moderated Interview
H. E. Amb. Ramón Custodio Espinoza, Ambassador of Honduras to Germany
18:30 Concluding Remarks
Mark Donfried, Director General, Institute for Cultural Diplomacy
19:00 Dinner
Sunday, May 24th, 2015
11:30 Day-Long Excursion to the Berlin Carnival of Cultures