The Opening Ceremony of the Caux Forum 2023 titled "Strengthening Democracy: The Journey from Trauma to Trust" sets the stage for two important conferences: Healing the Wounds of the Past, which runs from 17 - 22 July, and Trust and Integrity in Democracy, which takes place from 24 - 26 July 2023.

ABOUT THE EVENT

In a world witnessing a rise in conflicts that threaten our democratic values, our speakers will share their insights on confronting the past, address the key challenges facing community trustbuilding and offer their vision on where we can find hope for a stronger democratic future. It will offer inspiration for us to take action by standing against extremes, promoting dialogue and fostering respect whilst working for a more just, peaceful and sustainable world, one step at a time.

We are delighted to welcome you back to Caux both in person and online. This Opening Ceremony sets the tone for the Caux Forum 2023, which will provide a unique opportunity to discuss, share and discover global issues in a multicultural and diverse setting.

• Time: 10:00 - 12:00 CEST
• Location: Caux Palace - Main Hall, 1824 Caux, Switzerland
• Registration: click here or see below

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THE PROGRAMME

Gerald Pillay, President of Initiatives of Change International and Jacqueline Coté, President of Caux - Initiatives of Change, will open the event with a short welcome address.

We are honored to have a distinguished panel of speakers who are dedicated to human rights, peace building and conflict prevention.

Rea Gehring, Minister and Deputy Head of the Peace and Human Rights Division at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs,  will provide a welcome address, giving the FDFA's perspective on the role Switzerland has played and continues to play in strengthening democracy and supporting individual and national journeys from trauma to trust.

Our keynote speaker is Elena Zhemkova, the Co-founder and Executive Director of Memorial, a human rights organization that was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022 along with Ales Bialiatski, a pro-democracy activist from Belarus, and the Ukrainian human rights organization Centre for Civil Liberties. Ms Zhemkova will talk about honesty as a tool for healing historical wounds, her experience of how that works and the challenges it represents.

Following her speech, Ms. Zhemkova will join a panel discussion with two other important figures in the field of conflict prevention and reconciliation: Corinne Momal-Vanian, the Executive Director of the Kofi Annan Foundation, and Mô Bleeker, Independent Advisor and Former Special Envoy for Peace and Prevention of Atrocities for the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.

The panel will be moderated by Ignacio Packer, Executive Director at Caux - Initiatives of Change, ensuring that the discussion is insightful and thought-provoking. After a short musical performance by Norwegian musician Sveinung Nygaard, there will be a Q&A session open to participants.

SPEAKERS

ELENA ZHEMKOVA - Executive Director of Memorial (Keynote)

CORINNE MOMAL-VANIAN - Executive Director of the Kofi Annan Foundation

Corinne Momal-Vanian is the Executive Director of the Foundation. Previously, she worked in various senior positions and a variety of countries for the United Nations, most recently as Director of Conference Management at the United Nations Office at Geneva (2015-2020) and Director of Information (2010-2015).

Ms. Momal-Vanian served as Special Assistant to Kofi Annan in 2005 and 2006, traveling with him to some 20 countries as he worked to resolve crises, defuse tensions, highlight the plight of communities and individuals suffering from discrimination and abuses, build international cooperation and strengthen support for development and justice. She worked for a total of six years in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General, after serving in two regional economic and social commissions of the United Nations.

Passionate about justice, gender equality, inclusion, innovation and learning, Ms. Momal-Vanian chaired the Steering Group of the International Gender Champions from 2016 to 2019 and was a co-organiser of the three editions of TEDxPlaceDesNations.

A French citizen, she holds a master’s degree in business administration from HEC Graduate School of Management, Paris, an advanced degree in international relations from the Institut Etudes Politiques (Sciences Po) – Paris and an Executive Certificate in Management and Leadership from the MIT Sloan School of Management.

MÔ BLEEKER - Independent Senior Advisor and Former Special Envoy for Peace and Prevention of Atrocities for the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

Mô Bleeker served as a member of the Swiss Foreign Ministry from 2003 to February 2022. During her tenure, she held several key positions such as Special Envoy for Dealing with the Past and Prevention of Atrocities, Special Envoy for Peace in Colombia, Chair of the Transitional Justice and Reconciliation Commission for the Bangsamoro Peace Agreement-Philippines, and Co-founder and Chair of the multilateral prevention platform Global Alliance Against Atrocity Crimes (GAAMAC). She has been actively involved in mediation, negotiation, dealing with the past/transitional justice, prevention, reconciliation, conflict transformation, promotion of human rights, and the rule of law in various contexts including Central and Latin America, Balkans, South and North Caucasus, Central Asia, South-Eastern Asia, several African countries, Middle East, and North Africa. Mô Bleeker has studied anthropology, religious sciences, journalism, social communication, and development.

REA GEHRING - Minister / Deputy Head of the Peace and Human Rights Division (PHRD) / Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA)

Rea Gehring is currently Deputy Head of the Peace and Human Rights Division (PHRD) at the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA). Previously, she was Deputy Head of Mission at the Swiss Embassy in Dakar from 2017 to 2021, with responsibility for Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau and Cabo Verde. Rea Gehring studied in Switzerland and Australia. She holds a Master in Law from the University of Lausanne (2001), where she first studied Forensic Science, and a Master in Strategy and Defence (National University of Australia, 2005). She is currently furthering her studies with an MBA at the Institute for Communication and Leadership (IKF Lucerne). After completing her law degree, she worked for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for three years as a delegate and later team leader in Israel, the West Bank, Iraq, Kuwait and Jordan before joining the Federal Department of Defence (DDPS) in 2005. In 2012, she joined the Swiss diplomatic service and initially completed assignments in Bern and Singapore. From 2013 to 2017, she worked at the FDFA's Crisis Management Centre, including as head of an interdepartmental operational task force for handling kidnapping cases. Rea Gehring has three children.

 MODERATION

IGNACIO PACKER - Executive Director Caux - Initiatives of Change

Ignacio Packer has been Executive Director of the Caux - Initiatives of Change Foundation since 1 May 2023. Prior to this, he served as Executive Director of ICVA, the global consortium of humanitarian NGOs. Ignacio has over 30 years of experience in humanitarian work and development issues. He served a five-year term as Secretary General of the Terre des Hommes International Federation, and previously worked for the Terre des Hommes Foundation, the Swiss Tropical Institute, the European Association for Development and Health, Medecins Sans Frontieres, KPMG and the European Bank for Latin America. Ignacio is an expert on human rights and social issues and has been strongly engaged in global advocacy on protection frameworks for migrant and refugees with a particular focus on children and youth.

 WELCOME ADDRESS

GERALD PILLAY - President Initiatives of Change International

Gerald Pillay has been president of IofC International since January 2022 and has served in senior leadership roles in South Africa, New Zealand, the USA, and England. Appointed Rector of Liverpool Hope University College in 2003, he became Liverpool Hope University’s first Vice-Chancellor in 2005 when the institution was given full University status. In 2021, he appeared in the Queens’s Birthday Honours list when he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for ‘services to Higher Education'. Gerald Pillay earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Rhodes University, a Doctor of Theology degree from the University of Durban and holds dual citizenship of the UK and New Zealand.

JACQUELINE COTÉ - President Caux -  Initiatives of Change

Jacqueline Coté was the Director of Public Relations and previously Head of Communications at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva from 2009 to 2021. Prior to that she served as the Permanent Representative to the UN of the International Chamber of Commerce and was Senior Advisor Advocacy & Partnerships to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.  In the early part of her career, Ms Coté practiced as an international lawyer in Canada and Switzerland and held management positions with multinational companies SGS and DuPont.  She has been president of Caux - Initiatives of Change since April 2022.

MUSIC

SVEINUNG NYGAARD - Artist, Composer and Musician

Sveinung Nygaard is from Norway and works as a professional composer, based in Gothenburg. He holds an MA in Audio Production from the University of Westminster and composes music for TV series, film and documentaries, among others the documentary The Lost Leonardo (Denmark) and the TV series Freej (Dubai). He also has his own musical project called FLYT which combines musicians from different cultures. Before the war in Ukraine, he travelled across Ukraine and recorded music there. He is the founder of the micro-festival TRACKS, seeking to bring Ukrainian and European artists together, and he is also behind the initiative Bards for Climate.

PARTICIPATION FEE

Daily Visitor Rate

• CHF 60 - Day Visitor rate (per person per day, including lunch, dinner and refreshments). Kindly note that this fee does not include accommodation.

Full Package (including Accommodation)

• CHF 150 - Standard rate (for individuals - per person per night and day)
• CHF 210 - Corporate rate (for institutions - per person per night and day)

All participant rates include:

• Accommodation
• Participation in the chosen event
• Materials provided during the event
• WiFi
• Meals, coffee / tea, as well as refreshments
• City Tax

MORE QUESTIONS?

• Practical information for your stay in Caux
• For further information, please get in touch by email!

Caux, high above Montreux overlooking Lake Geneva, is the location of Initiatives of Change Switzerland's conference centre, the Caux Palace. Initiatives of Change Switzerland is hosting the Caux Forum in cooperation with Initiatives of Change International.

Photo Caux Palace: Adrien Giovannelli

After decades in which conflict has gradually reduced around the world, the tide has turned. Conflict is increasing.

This forum will focus on a fundamental cause of this trend: the broken relationships caused by unhealed wounds of the past – personal, national and international.

Join us on 17 - 22 JULY 2023

in Caux Switzerland!

Participants are asked to arrive between 2.00pm and 6.00pm on Monday 17 July for the welcome dinner followed by the introductory session. The forum will end at 12.00 midday on Saturday 22 July.

ABOUT THE EVENT

After the Second World War, thousands of Germans and French came together at Caux and helped their countries build an entirely new relationship. Ever since, Caux forums have reached out across the world, contributing to healing in many painful situations. 

Healing can come. New energy, vision and calling can emerge from each step taken to repair a relationship. Trust can grow again, and with it the cooperation needed to answer the huge environmental, economic and social challenges we face globally.

WHAT WE OFFER

This forum will focus on the experiences of people from all continents and many cultures. It will offer an opportunity to learn from each other, and from quiet reflection amidst the beauty of Caux’s setting.

Through trainings, plenaries, workshops and dialogues, it aims to equip participants to contribute to peace and human security by fostering:

• A greater understanding of the impact of historical wounds
• Heightened skills in dialogue facilitation, conflict transformation, trauma awareness and story-sharing
• Learning from personal experiences of healing past wounds and building trust.

MEET OUR PLENARY SPEAKERS

Plenary, 18 July 2023

JOHN BOND (AUSTRALIA / UK)

Journalist

John Bond has worked with Initiatives of Change in 30 countries. Until recently he was the Secretary of Initiatives of Change International. From 1998 to 2006 he was the Secretary of Australia’s National Sorry Day Committee, which enlisted nearly a million Australians in campaigning for an apology to Aboriginal Australians for cruel and misguided policies. This campaign led to an apology by the whole Parliament in 2008, and new policies to end the tragic social condition of the Aboriginal community. For this he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia. He is a journalist andhas written four books. He and his wife, Mary Lean, live in Oxford, England.

THEMBI SILUNDIKA (ZIMBABWE / CANADA)

Council Member Initiatives of Change International

Cecilia (Thembi) Silundika is a Zimbabwean-born Canadian citizen. She holds Masters Degree in Chemistry and in International Relations. She has spent over 20 years in the Canadian federal public service coordinating international cooperation on Arctic issues. She is a member of the International Council of Initiatives of Change International, and played an active role in the inception of Creators of Peace, the Global Indigenous Dialogue and Women Economic Empowerment. On the Council she carries responsibility for Healing the Wounds of the Past.

Plenary, 19 July 2023

FRANCOIS-XAVIER PRIOLLAUD (FRANCE)

Mayor of Louviers and Vice-President of the Normandy Region

Mayor of Louviers in Normandy, France and President delegate of the Seine-Eure community which brings together 60 municipalities, François-Xavier Priollaud is also Vice-President of the Normandy Region and a member of the European Union’s Committee of Regions. He is Chair of Normandie pour la Paix. A graduate of Sciences Po Paris with a postgraduate degree in Public Law at the Sorbonne, he has served at the Diplomatic Institute of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and was political advisor to the then Minister of Defense, Hervé Morin. A Vice-President of the European Movement – France, and co-founder of the European Book Prize awarded annually by the European Parliament, he is also the author of numerous books and articles of European law and has long taught European issues at Sciences Po and at L'École nationale d'administration.

PROFESSOR GERALD PILLAY (SOUTH AFRICA / UK)

President Initiatives of Change International

Gerald Pillay is the President of IofC International. Born in South Africa of Indian ancestry, he grew up under apartheid, and studied at the University of Durban-Westville and Rhodes University. He holds doctorates in theology and philosophical theology. After serving as Professor of Ecclesiastical History at the University of South Africa he and his wife Nirmala moved to New Zealand where he became Foundation Professor at the University of Otago. He then became the first Vice-Chancellor of Liverpool Hope University in UK. Under his leadership the University became highly regarded for its research culture, and received Gold status in the Teaching Excellence Framework. He is widely published, examining such topics as the relationship between the church and state, the complex interplay between theology and human sciences, as well as seeking to understand how religion can both move with the times yet still stay grounded in tradition and history.

LEWIS CARDINAL (CANADA)

Leader of the Global Indigenous Dialogue

Lewis Cardinal comes from the Woodland Cree people in northern Alberta, Canada. His long track record of public service includes founding Board Member of Alberta Aboriginal Arts, Co-Chair of the Aboriginal Commission for Human Rights and Justice, and Trustee of the Parliament of World Religions. He has received QE II’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for Public Service, the IndSpire Award for Public Service, the Province of Alberta’s Centennial Medal for his work in Human Rights and Diversity, the Distinguished Alumni Award from Grant MacEwan University, and an Honorary Degree of “Doctor of Sacred Letters” from the University of Alberta.

PROFESSOR SCHERTO R GILL (UK) _ MODERATOR

Director of the Global Humanity for Peace Institute

Scherto Gill is the Founding Director of the Global Humanity for Peace Institute, University of Wales Trinity St David. She coordinates the UNESCO Slave Route Project’s Collective Healing Initiative and chairs the G20 Interfaith Forum‘s Education Working Group. She is a Senior Fellow at the Guerrand-Hermès Foundation for Peace, and a Life Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts. She has been nominated for the 2022 Luxembourg Peace Award. As a Professor of Research, Scherto’s interests centre on understanding peace, collective healing, human well-being and global flourishing. She is exploring ways to advance educational innovation, collective healing, peacebuilding, and social transformation. Among her research projects has been the UNESCO Desk Review on Approaches and Practices of Collective Healing.

Plenary, 20 July 2023

MONSIGNOR MICHAEL AOUN (LEBANON)

Bishop of the Maronite diocese Jbeil/Lebanon

DR EBA HATHOUT (USA)

Faculty member at Harvard Medical School

Dr Eba Hathout is a faculty member at Harvard Medical School where she practices Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes. She is the founding President of the Hassan Hathout Foundation, an educational organization spreading the philosophy of her late father, an eminent medical professor who also devoted himself to interpreting Islam to the West, developing interfaith dialogue, highlighting the sanctity of human life, medical ethics and initiatives to reverse the arms race.

VENERABLE GALKANDE DHAMMANANDA THERO (SRI LANKA)

Head of Walpola Rahula Institute for Buddhis Studies

A Sri Lankan and a monk of the Theravada Buddhist tradition, Dhammananda Thero graduated in history from the University of Kelaniya, has a Masters and MPhil from Jawaharlal Nehru University, India and is now reading for his PhD, while also lecturing. He heads the Walpola Rahula Institute for Buddhist Studies where programmes for religious leaders and lay persons aim to support social healing. He is working for social justice and an inclusive plural society, using social media to propagate nonviolence during recent interreligious and interethnic conflicts. He aims to implement the Buddha’s teaching of ‘Bahujana Hitaya’ (for the betterment of all) working across religious, ethnic and social divides to uplift society - especially with the vulnerable, marginalized and discriminated.

WADIAA KHOURY (LEBANON)  - MODERATOR

Associate Professor at the Faculties of Education

Wadiaa Khoury is Associate Professor at the Faculties of Education of the Lebanese University and Université Saint-Joseph. Her  doctorate examined the civic agency of educators, and her teaching and research currently focus on the Lebanese education system and citizenship education. Through her work with Initiatives of Change she has studied the education system of more than 20 countries, and observed their approaches to citizenship education. Currently, her main interest is empowering educators in Lebanon through helping them discover their agency in shaping national policy, rather than suffering the consequences the poor governance that has led the country into despair. Hence, she initiated the Teachers Agents of Social Change (TASC) initiative.

Plenary, 21 July 2023

DR MARIA DE PILAR GRIFFIN (COSTA RICA)

Educational Consultant & Specialist in Conflict Resolution and Mediation

An international educational consultant and a specialist in conflict resolution and mediation, Maria de Pilar Griffin has a doctorate in pedagogical mediation and a Master's in international law with an emphasis on human rights. Coming from Costa Rica, now working in Seattle USA, she has facilitated dialogue among diverse community groups in the USA, Latin America, Africa and Southeast Asia. She is active in IofC’s LatAm support team, and belongs to the leadership team that organizes the Yo Escucho/Eu escuto weekly sessions to inspire, connect and equip Latino-American communities.

PROFESSOR ALI MOUSSA IYE

Founder of AfroSpectives

Founder of AfroSpectives and formerly UNESCO Chief of Dialogue, Ali Moussa Iye holds a PhD in political science from the Institute of Political Science in Grenoble, France. Within UNESCO, he was coordinator of the Culture of Peace programme in the Horn of Africa, and in charge of the UNESCO programme against racism and discrimination. He then headed the History and Memory for Dialogue Department and directed the General History of Africa, the Slave Route and the Silk Roads programmes. He published several books on the history and cultural heritage of the peoples of the Horn of Africa.and on intercultural dialogue, and is currently pursuing research in political anthropology.

MEENA SHARMA (NEPAL)

Peace Practitioner

A Nepali peace practitioner, Meena Sharma has worked with over 200 civil society organisations. She is President of IofC Nepal, a Regional Coordinator of Creators of Peace Asia, Secretary-General of the national campaign, ‘Children as Zones of Peace’. She has worked with the UNDP as a gender expert, with the Ministry of Home Affairs implementing UN resolutions on women, peace and security, and with the National Women’s Commission on strategy development. From 2008-18 she was a Program Manager at Search for Common Ground.

PATRICK MCNAMARA (USA) - MODERATOR

Founder of Partners in Change LLC

Patrick McNamara PhD is a founder of Partners in Change LLC, a leadership coaching, strategy and conflict management firm. He has worked with more than 300 organizations in 16 countries. He has served in numerous positions at the University of Nebraska at Omaha including Senior International Officer, Director of International Studies, Director of Schwalb Center for Israel, Jewish Studies and the Middle East, Director of Sustained Dialogue Initiative, and Director of Omaha World Affairs Council. He is a member of the International Council of Initiatives of Change.

PROGRAMME

Download the full programme here.

WORKSHOPS

Discover all our workshops here.

PARTNER ORGANISATIONS

• Global Indigenous Dialogue
• Creators of Peace
• IofC Trustbuilding Program

PARTICIPATION RATE

Full Package

• CHF 150 - Standard rate (for individuals - per person per night and day)
• CHF 210 - Corporate rate (for institutions - per person per night and day)

All participant rates include:

• Accommodation
• Participation in the chosen event
• Materials provided during the event
• WiFi
• Meals, coffee / tea, as well as refreshments
• City Tax

 
Daily Visitors Rate

•  CHF 60 - Visitor rate (per person per day, including lunch, dinner and refreshments)

The Visitor Rate applies to persons who are only attending one or certain non-consecutive days during the Forum; The rate is charged per day and does not include accommodation.

QUESTIONS?

• Discover the daily programme
• Practical information for your stay in Caux
• For further information, please get in touch by email!

 Kindly note that Healing the Wounds of the Past is now fully booked and registrations are closed. Some elements of the conference will be livestreamed. Stay tuned for the livestream links!

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Caux, high above Montreux overlooking the Lake of Geneva, is the site of the Swiss Initiatives of Change conference centre. Initiatives of Change International is hosting the Caux Forum in cooperation with Initiatives of Change Switzerland. Partners include the Global Indigenous Dialogue, Creators of Peace and IofC’s Trustbuilding Program.