Gaza in my heart

World Civic Forum 2009

5-8 May 2009, in Seoul Republic of Korea

In recent times, several global agreements including the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have successfully presented a road map and a shared vision of building just societies throughout the world.

Peace, human security, economic prosperity and social justice the four pillars of just societies are the aspirations of each and every citizen of the world. The hope for peace, the search for social justice and indeed the quest for economic prosperity outweigh the experience of terror and war. A new wave of citizen participation and means to organize, globally, nationally and locally has given new meaning to the mission of building just societies. Today, the avowed goals of prosperity, equity and social justice for all are not only a universal ambition, but also regarded as a basic right of all citizens. There is also a collective resolve to realize these goals.

In order to build just societies, governments and civil society organi-zations are now exploring new mechanisms of partnership and devising new ways of running the businesses of the states. International organizations, NGOs and governments are becoming increasingly responsive to public demands for greater space in governance. The result is a redefinition of the state-citizen relationship and evolution of new meanings to the concept of citizenship itself. These new developments warrant creation of new institutions, new skills and new forms of leadership.

The ability of the citizens, governments, businesses, non-governmental and non-profit organizations and other civic entities to work together for the common good of the societies, to build just societies requires both a philosophical commitment to and concerted actions to realize these values.

Call for Papers and Panels:

The World Civic Forum (WCF), jointly initiated by Kyung Hee University and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), will hold its inaugural forum on May 5-8, 2009 at the COEX in Seoul, Korea under the main theme of ?°Building Our Humanitarian Planet.?± The WCF 2009 emerges from the leading collaboration between the UN and institutions of higher learning, and aims to develop into an ongoing global institution with the partnership of like-minded actors such as NGOs, international organizations, governments, private enterprise, and the media. As a venue for global reflection and dialogue to enhance future civilizations, it will address the internationally agreed development goals including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) from various perspectives of education, research, and practice. The WCF 2009, to be followed by succeeding ones biennially thereafter, will highlight the following themes.

MAIN THEME: BUILDING OUR HUMANITARIAN PLANET

Our Earth is calling for a humanitarian regeneration. Despite scientific and technological progress, today we are faced with global problems--in particular, national conflicts and insecurity, environmental destructions and climate change, global injustice and underdevelopment, and alienation between civilizations--due to the loss of values of humanity in the course of modern civilization. Redeeming humanitarian values fully to our lives, however, is a daunting task. It requires integrative collaboration across sectors, disciplines, and nations. As much as damage to humanity has generated complicated ills in every corner of our Planet, we need a holistic initiative transcending conventional boundaries and scopes and reflecting planetary consciousness in order to cure the ills. This integrative, collaborative, and trans-boundary initiative would complement the existing efforts that have been made within a more bounded range of interests and concerns.

KEY THEMES: CIVIC VALUES, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, AND CIVIC ACTION

· - Civic Values for Global Justice

· - Civic Engagement in Public and Global Governance

· - Civic Action for the Global Agenda Including Climate Change

· The themes suggest a necessity for reflection and dialogue to address the global challenges facing humanity and future civilizations. Civic Values have to do with people?¯s perception, understanding, belief, and judgment that typically promote but sometimes hamper a maturation of humanity and civilization. Civic Engagement refers to network, organization, alliance, and partnership in diverse levels and fashions that may contribute to public and global governance. Civic Action involves movement, campaign, and decision-making by a wide range of actors as a reflection of their endeavor to solve global problems including climate change.

Along with keynote speeches by globally renowned figures, the WCF welcomes applications for papers and panels. In an effort to substantiate the main and key themes, the WCF will pay particular attention to papers and panels on the following issues:

· -Climate Change (Global Warming)

· -Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

· -Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development

· -Energy Shortage

· -Economic Prosperity and Equality

· -Poverty and Foreign Aid (ODA)

· -Higher Education for Humane Purposes and Social Responsibility

· -Global Justice and Social Harmony

· -Political Development and Political Stability

· -Human Rights Issues and Human Security

· -Cultural Diversity and Tolerance

· -Global Peace and Global Governance

· -Dialogue Among Civilizations

· -Humane Use of Technology

· -Crisis Management such as Post-conflict and Disaster

· The WCF invites and welcomes submissions for papers and panels on other related themes or topics so long as they emulate the main and key themes. The WCF will have preference for proposals that are interdisciplinary or have practical implications.

HOW TO SUBMIT PROPOSALS

This Call for Papers and Panels is open to all members of the global community--scholars, international organization leaders, NGO leaders, government officials, corporation representatives, journalists, etc. Individuals, institutions, or groups may propose papers or panels by completing the Paper and Panel Proposal Form via on-line at the WCF 2009 official website: http://www.wcf2009.org/callpaper_form.php . A panel consists of three to four paper presentations, a chairperson, and discussant(s), or it can take the form of a roundtable. Individually submitted papers, upon acceptance, will be assigned to appropriate panels or poster sessions. The WCF reserves the right to refuse proposals or alter panel proposals. All submissions should be in English. Accepted presenters must register as conference delegates. All presentations and papers will be published on the conference website. Presentations and papers may also be published (with agreement of authors) in the conference proceedings. Registration fee and incentives for speakers will be announced shortly.

DEADLINE FOR PROPOSAL SUBMISSIONS: January 31, 2009

The deadline for proposal submissions is January 31, 2009. The WCF will confirm acceptance of submissions, at the latest time, by February 28, 2009. Acceptance process will proceed on the first-come-first-serve basis. Proposals received after the deadline may be considered but are unlikely to be included in the program.

CONTACT INFORMATION FOR INQUIRIES

WCF 2009 Secretariat, Kyung Hee University
1 Hoegi-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Korea
E-mail: wcf2009papers@khu.ac.kr

http://www.wcf2009.org/index.html

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