28 – 30 January 2010

Open Forum Davos 2010

The Open Forum Davos provides the opportunity for an open debate on globalization and its consequences. The Forum was first organized in 2003. The Open Forum Davos 2010 is organized by the Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches and the World Economic Forum.

Free entryThe events of the Open Forum Davos 2010 are free of charge and take place in the auditorium (Aula) of the Schweizerische Alpine Mittelschule, Guggerbachstrasse 3, Davos.The auditorium will open 30 mins. before the start of each discussion. There is a limited number of seats. Reservations are not available.

The debates will be in German and English with simultaneous interpreting for both languages.

Opening welcomeThomas Wipf, President of the Council, Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches

André Schneider, Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer, World Economic Forum

Thursday 28 January 2010, 12.30 – 14.00

Switzerland: Misfit or Model?

Switzerland’s image has recently been tarnished:While Switzerland‘s direct democracy is seen as a model for the world, its decisions have also led to worldwide consternation. International pressures on the Swiss bank secrecy have led to concessions in the provision of tax information. There have, however, been regular accusations of picking and choosing this information. 1. Does Switzerland have to fear for its reputation and economic strength?2. Did Switzerland react well to the international pressure on tax issues?3. What consequences will this have on Swiss diplomacy and its role as a mediator in international conflicts?

• Pascale Bruderer, President of the National Council of Switzerland, Young Global Leader, Switzerland

• Ulrich Thielemann, Vice Director of the Institute forBusiness Ethics, University of St. Gallen, Switzerland

• Peter Maurer, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations in New York

• Haig Simonian, Correspondent, Financial Times, Switzerland• Niall Ferguson, Professor of History, Harvard University,

USA

Moderation:Stephan Klapproth, Swiss Television

Thursday 28 January 2010, 19.00 – 20.30

After the Financial Crisis: Conse-quences and Lessons Learned

The financial crisis has led to an economic crisis around the world. Drastic state measures have prevented the collapse of the economic system as governments have established rescue funds for failing banks and nationalized banks as a means of relaunching economic growth. Central banks have also intervened with important injections of liquidity and have lowered interest rates.

1. What were the causes of the financial crisis?2. How can such crises be prevented in the future?3. What effects will state measures have in the long term?4. What might the global regulation of the financial system be like? Who would then develop and apply the rules?

• Nikolaus Schneider, Deputy Chair of the Council of the Evangelical Church in Germany • Patrick Odier, President, Swiss Bankers Association, Switzerland• Christine Lagarde, Minister of Economy, Industry and Employment, France• Joseph Stiglitz, Nobel Laureate and Professor at Columbia University, USA • Ziya Akkurt, Chief Executive Officer and Board Member, Akbank TAS, Turkey• Juan Somavia, Director-General, International Labour Organization (ILO), Switzerland

Moderation:Stephan Klapproth, Swiss Television

Friday 29 January 2010, 12.30 – 14.00

Climate Change: Financing Urgent Adaptation

The countries that have done the least to precipitate climate change are often those faced with the greatest climatic consequences. Developing countries will require up to 200 billion euros a year to combat drought, water shortages, and floods, to limit deforestation, and to introduce climate-friendly sources of energy. It is thus of existential importance that these countries are granted immediate financial support.

1. How can climate-friendly adaptation measures be financed in emerging and developing countries?2. In what ways can international solutions to climate change be developed? What was the outcome of the Copenhagen Summit?3. What is the price of inaction? What is there to gain from a more radical challenge to our current understanding of growth and wealth?

• Matthew Wale, Minister of Education and Human Resources, Solomon Islands• Barbara Stocking, Chief Executive, Oxfam GB, United Kingdom• Judith Rodin, President, Rockefeller Foundation, USA• Haruhiko Kuroda, President, Asian Development Bank, Manila• Patrick Hofstetter, Head of the Climate Policy Department, WWF Switzerland

Moderation:Romaine Jean, Swiss Television

Friday 29 January 2010, 19.00 – 20.30

Religions motivate people to relate to each other, to bring about understanding and to foster peace. But religions can also be abused to support political ideologies. Framed as a universal right to truth, religion can turn into a claim to power, which may lead to violence. Recognizing this, the World Council of Churches proclaimed a Decade to Overcome Violence, which will end in 2010.

1. Does religion tend to impose its claim to truth through violence? Under what conditions does this occur?2. How is communal life possible in a society with multiple claims to truth?3. Do political worldviews also entail claims to truth, especially when they legitimatize themselves religiously?

• Thomas Wipf, President of the Council, Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches, Switzerland• Marcia Pally, Professor of Multilingual Multicultural Studies at New York University, USA• Edna Brocke, Head of the Old Synagogue Memorial in Essen, Germany• Imam Muhammad Ashafa, Co-Executive Coordinator, Interfaith Mediation Centre, Kaduna, Nigeria• Muhammad Abdul Bari, Secretary-General, Muslim Council of Britain, United Kingdom Moderation:Urs Leuthard, Swiss Television

Does Religion’s Claim to Truth Lead to Violence?

In 2030, one quarter of the Swiss population will be older than 65. Life expectancies will continue to rise in the industrialized countries. This development will fundamentally challenge our social system and our working environment.

1. Which challenges are facing our ageing society?2. What role will older people play in our society? Does growing old entail a loss of one’s ability to work? What would a work environment be like in an ageing society?3. What philosophy is our current health system based on? Are our attitudes to health, disease and death still up-to-date?

• Thomas Held, Director, Avenir Suisse - A Think Tank for Switzerland • Angeline Fankhauser, Co-president of «Graue Panther Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt und Region», Switzerland • Ruth Baumann-Hölzle, Head of the Interdisciplinary Institute for Ethics in Health Care, Switzerland• Urs Tannò, Managing Partner at Top Fifty AG, Switzerland • Ludwig Gärtner, Vice-director, Federal Social Insurance Office, Switzerland Moderation:Urs Leuthard, Swiss Television

Saturday 30 January 2010, 12.30 – 14.00

The Ageing Society – Still Young at 65?

Saturday 30 January 2010, 15.30 – 17.00

US President and Nobel Peace Laureate Barack Obama has awakened high expectations with his slogan «Yes, we can!». After one year of presidency, we are already able to see where Barack Obama has introduced political innovation and where he has not.

1. To what extent has the impact of the financial and economic crisis been curbed in the US?2. What are the relations like between the US and the Arab countries?3. To what extent has international climate policy changed to reflect the new position of the US?4. Has Obama’s Nobel Prize hurt or helped his politics?

• Susan M. Collins, Senator from Maine, USA • Riz Khan, Anchor, Al Jazeera, USA• Martin Sorell, Group Chief Executive, WPP, United Kingdom• Ulrike Lunacek, Member of the European Parliament, Speaker of the European Green Party, Austria• Ken Roth, Executive Director, Human Rights Watch, USA

Moderation:Christine Maier, Swiss Television

«Yes, we can?»

Saturday 30 January 2010, 19.00 – 20.30

US President Obama and Russian President Medvedev want a follow-up agreement to reduce nuclear weapons. In other parts of the world, countries are seeking to build their own nuclear weapons: While North Korea has developed nuclear capabilities, Iran will soon be able to produce a nuclear explosive device. India, China and Pakistan have also modernized their nuclear armed forces.

1. Who could, or should, prevent the spread of nuclear weapons? Why do some countries have the right to own weapons of mass destruction and others do not?2. To what extent are countries to be denied the civil use of nuclear energy for fear that they could use it for military purposes?3. Why is Iran now working toward having nuclear weapons, although it has long rejected weapons of mass destruction for religious reasons? How do Iran’s religious leaders explain their production of weapons of mass destruction?

• Salpy Eskidjian-Weiderud, Church Consultant, Sweden and Cyprus • Karl-Theodor Freiherr zu Guttenberg, Federal Minister of Defence of Germany, Germany • Ikram ul-Majeed Sehgal, Chairman, Pathfinder G4S, Pakistan• Gareth Evans, Co-Chair, International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament, Australia

Moderation:Romaine Jean, Swiss Television

A World without Nuclear Weapons: Utopia?

The Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches is a federation of 26 member churches throughout Switzerland, representing Swiss Protestantism at the national and international level.

The World Economic Forum is an independent international organization committed to improving the state of the world by engaging leaders in partnerships to shape global, regional and industral agendas.

All updates can be found at:www.openforumdavos.chwww.weforum.org/openforumwww.sek.ch

The Organizers of the Open Forum Davos 2010

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Location

Schweizerische Alpine Mittelschule DavosAulaGuggerbachstrasse 37270 Davos Platz/GR

Televised broadcast of the Open Forum Davos 2010 Highlights of the Open Forum Davos 2010 will be televized throughout the day on SF Info from 28 to 30 January. Some discussions will be broadcast live and others will be summarized in reports.