Press Release

Published 16.01.2007 Author FSPC – Communication

Davos Open Forum 2007: Gods, money and energy – which brands count?

From 25 to 27 January 2007 the Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches (FSPC) and the World Economic Forum (WEF) are holding the Davos Open Forum for the fifth time. Topical and controversial questions on globalized society will be discussed in the framework of seven panels which are open to the public.

The Davos Open Forum offers the possibility of carrying on an open and critical discussion of globalization, its effects and its future orientation. ‘The Open Forum is not a specialist symposium but a dialogue platform for central topics of social and political discussion, above all human dignity, economic justice and ecological responsibility,’ explains Thomas Wipf, President of the FSPC Council. ‘Here the churches want to make a contribution to ongoing conversation.’

This year too the platform is ready for controversial topics. Is development aid a lost labour of love – and are top salaries which the recipients themselves determine merely grateful recognition? Who controls the raw materials of the earth – and is it consistent to wage war over them? Is a diversity of cultures and religions an illusion in the long term and is branding the future?

Among those expected at the 2007 Davos Open Forum are: Federal President Micheline Calmy-Rey; National Councillors Franziska Teuscher (Green) and Hans Fehr (Swiss People’s Party); Tanzanian President Jakaya M. Kiwete; US Energy Minister Samuel W. Bodman; Caritas Director Jürg Krummenacher; Thomas Minder, the initiator of the campaign against excessive salaries; William Easterly, development aid critic; C.S. Kiang of Beijing University Environment Fund; Samuel Nguiffo, Director of the Environment and Development Centre, Cameroon; Konrad Raiser, Visiting Professor at the Ecumenical Institute, Bossey; Rifa’t Lenzin, Islamic scholar and Vice President of the Swiss Inter-religious Working Group; Gret Haller, former ombudswoman for human rights in Bosnia-Herzegovina; Peter Ulrich, Director of the Institute for Business Ethics of St Gallen University, and many more.

The programme of the Open Forum Davos 2007:

• Thursday, 25 January, 12.45-14.15: CEO Salaries: How High Will They Go? • Thursday, 25 January, 18.00-19.30: Billions of Development Aid: What are the Results?
• Friday, 26 January 12.45-14.15: Sustainable Energy Consumption: Does Anyone Care?
• Friday, 26 January 18.00-19.30: Managing Access to Oil: The Risk of the 21st Century Power Politics
• Saturday, 27 January 12.45-14.15: The Multicultural Society: An Illusion?
• Saturday, 27 January 15.30-17.00: Religions: Source of Peace or Cause of Violence and War?
• Saturday, 27 January: 18.00-19.30: Brands: Today’s Gods?

The Davos Open Forum was held for the first time in 2003. It takes place in parallel to the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum. Events of the Davos Open Forum Davos are open to the public and free of charge. They take place in the hall of the Swiss Alpine Middle School, Guggerbachstrasse 72, Davos.