First Congress of the Alliance for a Culture of Peace

During 4 days, 50 influent personalities, i.e. men and women drawn from the worlds of politics, religion, science, NGOs, academia, and diplomacy were brought together, beyond reach of any political, institutional and media pressure.

Their objectives were threefold:

• To share diverse skills and experiences;
• To develop concrete proposals
• To initiate a process favouring the formation of an Alliance for a Culture of Peace and the identification of an Israeli-Palestinian project.

The Congress was designed to open new avenues for thought and action through informal encounters between, on the one hand, representatives of the three major Middle-Eastern cultures and religions and on the other hand, personalities from all over the world, with international legitimacy to perform a thorough analysis of the social, political and religious issues underpinning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Beyond its workshops, the Congress provided an opportunity for major figures caught in a conflictual situation to meet with each other during four days of collective life, in a convivial and informal atmosphere. The location of the Congress provided an ideal environment ensuring the fertility of these discussions.