STATE OF THE WORLD FORUM
Addressing the Challenges of a Globalising World

(reported by Jim Garrison and Carman Melendrez)

State of the World Forum was established in 1995 to serve as an incubator, catalyst and integrator for innovative leaders and institutions working to bring greater equity, democracy and accountability required for the effective management of the global system. The strategic intent of the Forum has been to develop a global leadership network drawn from the governmental, business and civil society sectors comprised of eminent individuals ranging from Heads of State to grass roots organizers, Nobel Laureates to business leaders, policy makers to social activists, and from around the world dedicated to working toward a sustainable civilization.

Since its inception, the Forum has convened a series of international conferences that connect leaders and thinkers who may not traditionally interact, but who are united by a shared sense of responsibility for the human future. State of the World Forum gatherings have taken place in San Francisco in 1995 -1999; Guanajuato, Mexico, in 1996; Bhurbon, Pakistan and in the European Parliament in Brussels in 1997; Belfast and Dublin, and Monterrey, Mexico, in 1999; New York in 2000; London in 2001; Mexico City in 2002; and Brussels, Belgium in 2003.

The guiding principle of all Forum endeavors has been to transform conversations that matter into actions that make a difference. In this regard, the Forum has challenged all stakeholders to transform thought into deed, dialogue into action. This has led to the successful development of over a dozen action-oriented Strategic Initiatives with partners worldwide which have addressed a range of pressing global issues, the latest being the Commission on Globalisation. Since 1995, a number of the Forum’s Strategic Initiatives have developed into their own independent organizations, including: The Ethical Globalisation Initiative; Global Equal Access; The Whole Child Initiative; The Coexistence Network; and The Global Security Institute.

The Forum is now embarking on a new program, The Integral Governance Initiative, which it will launch in Berlin in Spring 2004. In partnership with American Express and the International Chamber of Commerce, IGI will bring together a select group of business, government and civic organizations committed to an on-going process of peer learning and collaboration designed to meet emerging governance challenges. The mission of IGI is to better understand the integral nature of the new operating reality and to implement innovative solutions to global problems.

For a Jim and Ken taped dialogue, see Integral Naked.