Today the 10th Anniversary Session of the World Public Forum (WPF) Dialogue of Civilizations finishes its work on the Greek island of Rhodes (Greece). The Forum aims at creating, developing and promoting the culture of dialogue, as well as introducing the spirit of cooperation and understanding into the everyday life of people from different civilizations. The Musical Olympus Foundation organized “Welcome” musical festival within the framework of the Forum.
From October 4 to October 7 the participants of the Forum enjoyed the performance of the ESSe-Quintet instrumental ensemble (Russia), Las Migas band (Spain), The Giving Tree Band (USA), and The Vienna Boys' Choir (Austria). ESSe-Quintet also performed at the festive official opening ceremony of the session.
At the initiative of the President of the Musical Olympus Foundation, Irina Nikitina, the scientific programme of the Forum included the round table titled “The phenomenon of music as a universal language”. In human history music has always been used to evoke a certain mood and to unite people in the time of most significant social events. The human brain reacts differently to music than to speech, but this reaction is the same in all human beings, therefore music may be called a universal means of communication. Music, as well as other non-verbal arts, is the most open and available language for human beings to understand each other – human beings, coming from different cultures, religions, and generations. This means that society bears responsibility for the esthetic education of the younger generations.
It is music that most clearly reflects globalization of the international community in its pure form. This was indicated by the world-music genre that appeared at the turn of the XXI century - music based on tunes and traditions of different peoples and cultures, and its growing popularity in the world attests to this process.
Round table speakers presented concrete projects and research on the following issues: practice of using music and art-therapy in difficult life situations - to relieve aggression, for rehabilitation purposes, in particular for children who suffered in armed conflicts and terrorist acts in war zones of the planet; musical education as a driver of a balanced human personality development; music therapy in treating mental and physical disorders; and the necessity to better integrate music into everyday life as a means of communication and mutual understanding between different cultures.
"Dialogue of Civilizations" is a unique forum promoting humanistic ideas, cultural and spiritual values, says Irina Nikitina. This is an international forum addressing various issues by fostering cooperation and understanding between the civilizations”.
The Rhodes Forum background
Since 2003 every autumn the island of Rhodes hosts a session of the World Public Forum (WPF) "Dialogue of Civilizations". State and community leaders, academics, representatives of cultural, spiritual, business, and media spheres from many countries of the world participate in its work. "Dialogue of Civilizations" sessions show that the work of the Forum is necessary and effective as it highlights issues of intercultural dialogue and draws public attention to the need of developing instruments for collaboration of different cultures and civilizations. The results of the WPF work give hope for a further harmonization of the world dialogue and fostering stability on the planet. The participants of the WPF programmes deem intercultural and intercivilizational dialogue possible. Vladimir Yakunin, the Founding President of the WPF "Dialogue of Civilizations", believes that although the international relations seem to be unstable and contradictory, the events of the Forum demonstrate not only the openness of different civilizations and cultures to dialogue, but also principle practicability of the dialogue in modern society.
“The Forum’s development made it necessary to establish functioning dialogue structures. "Dialogue of Civilizations" aims at creating new international partnership culture and new cooperation culture, as well as at establishing relations. The Forum should encourage new values and set new goals for the international community”, says Vladimir Yakunin.
The WPF "Dialogue of Civilizations" web-site - www.wpfdc.org