Rhodes Forum
Since 2003 the Rhodes Forum has brought together leaders from the business, academic, diplomatic and political communities, including current and former heads of state and government, to discuss crucial issues facing the world today. Throughout its history, its hallmark has been the pioneering spirit, inclusiveness, and moral resilience of its participants in their work to tackle the problems we face. Discussions on the most pressing issues of the international agenda. Networking and brainstorm platform for finding the solutions. Senior policy makers, respected academics and researchers, top media.
The Rhodes Forum aims to facilitate a better understanding of the deep changes our societies are undergoing. It will shed light on initiatives that contribute substantially towards sustainable economic development; propose new concepts for the architecture of international governance in the context of shifts in power within the global economy; and it will examine the restoration of civility and promotion of ethical standards in the digital age.
The Forum is organised around three areas of critical global importance:
Sustainable
economic
development
As the possibility of a global recession looms, the rise of China and India are interesting cases to consider. Against the background of a spectacular record on poverty reduction for millions of Chinese citizens, does the Chinese approach have strong appeal for other struggling economies? Does the Indian model of economic development offer a promising pathway to sustainable development based on democratic foundations? Can solutions be found to solve the problem of global inequality, erase poverty, and simultaneously curb greenhouse gas emissions to meet globally agreed climate policy targets? What would a new model of economic development look like?
Global architecture and global (geo)politics
Today, we are witnessing a reconfiguration – some would say a disintegration – of international institutions and the rise of potential new orders that could completely change the architecture of international governance. The Belt and Road Initiative finds support but also raises concerns about the emergence of a new system of hubs which may alter the character of multilateral cooperation.
New forms of diplomacy in the spheres of science and culture are changing the
conventional practices of international relations. The Forum will discuss emerging forms of international governance, the potential leaders of these movements, and the broader question of how to promote intercivilisational dialogue.
Digitalised lives, ethical standards, and the revival of civility
Many would agree that global public discourse today has moved away from civilised interpersonal exchange into coarse, unrefined, and unrestrained language that undermines norms that have long been considered basic standards of dialogue between people and civilisations. The internet has become a
powerful tool in facilitating this form of public exchange. In an era of digitalisation, public policy has yet to adequately address the use of
global digital space with the purpose of promoting harmony and social cohesion but without curtailing personal freedom and democratic norms. The return to civility is an important condition for human civilisations to thrive in the era of digitalisation.
Video Gallery
Rhodes Froum interviews
Shada Islam: “The real strength of Europe today is its soft power, its smart power”
Shada Islam, Director of Europe and Geopolitics at Brussels-based NGO Friends of Europe, discusses the future of Europe and how the incoming European Union leadership team can capitalise on and maximise the EU’s influence in the world. She spoke to DOC TV on the sidelines of the 2019 Rhodes Forum.
Bruno Maçães: “I’m very sceptical of the notion that we can build a truly universal framework.”
Bruno Maçães, author of ‘The Dawn of Eurasia’, spoke with DOC TV on the sidelines of the 2019 Rhodes Forum. He discussed his interest in the Belt & Road Initiative and how he believes that we live in an age of radical differences which cannot be reconciled immediately in practical politics.
Paul Goldstein: The United States is a leading power in this emerging world, not THE leading power.
Paul Goldstein, President & CEO of Pacific Tech Bridge, spoke to DOC TV on the sidelines of the Rhodes Forum, to discuss the emergence of new orders that are challenging the original context of how the United States managed the globe.
2019 Rhodes Interview Demet Sabanci Çetindoğan: “We are all living in a multicultural world.”
Demet Sabanci Çetindoğan is the Vice President of the Board of Directors of DEMSA A. Ş, sat down with DOC TV at the Rhodes Forum 2019, to discuss the need for educating the younger generations on the need for multicultural dialogue.
TIME / MODERATOR
EVENT
Hall
Moderator: Stefan Grobe, Euronews chief correspondent in Brussels
With HE President Mahamadou Issoufou : Africa and the world (des)order
Exchange with Ms. Gabriela Ramos (OECD Chief of Staff and Sherpa to the G20) & Mr. Jomo Sundaram (Senior adviser Government of Malaysia , former United Nations Assistant Secretary General for Economic Development):
TOWARD AFRICAN ECONOMIC MIRACLE- LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE EAST ASIAN MODEL
Moderator: Stefan Grobe
Richard Higgott, CHRISTOPHER COKER
Civilisation State: Multilaterism and Globalisation
Moderator: Christopher Coker
Raza Jafar, Stefan Grobe
THE ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY: ASCENDING OR DESCENDING?
Moderator: Jean-Chrisophe Bas
Twiplomacy: diplomacy and governance in the age of social media
Moderator: Martina Fuchs
TIME / MODERATOR
EVENT
Hall
- Cultural Infusion – Diversity Atlas launch (Alpha room)
- Private Global Philanthropists Meeting (Epsilon room)
- The EU, a Strategic Partner for the MENA Region (Gamma room)
Chasing the Tiger: Economic Models of the Global South
Moderator: Stefan Grobe
The role of Philanthropy in the new world order
Moderator: Ali Aslan
Peter Mousaferiadis – Martina Fuchs
Examining Geopolitical World Views: Towards the Battle of Giants?
Moderator: Martina Fuchs
Religion as a political factor and ideology
Moderator: Katherine Marshall
Essay Competition Awards Ceremony
Moderator: Ali Aslan
Lunch
Coffee Break
Jupiter Talk
World (Dis)Order and European (In)Security
Moderator: Adrian Pabst
World Order Seen from a Business Perspective
Moderator: Stefan Grobe
Jean-Christophe Bas, Alphons Joseph Kannanthanam, Suresh Keswani
TIME / MODERATOR
EVENT
TUNIS PROCESS
(Morning)
(by invitation only – observer status by request)
Hall
Moderated by Jean-Christophe Bas.
- Professor Alexey Malashenko, DOC Research Institute.
- Hind Arroub, Visiting fellow, Maecenata Striftung; Founder & the Director of ‘Hypatia of Alexandria Institute for Reflexion
- Professor Udo Steinbach, Maecenata Stiftung/MENA Study Centre
- Professor Alma Sultangalieva, Institute of Asian Studies
TIME / MODERATOR
EVENT
TUNIS PROCESS
(Afternoon)
(by invitation only – observer status by request)
Hall
Moderated by Dr. Mohammed Cherkaoui
- Dr. Imam Mohammed Bashar Arafat, Founder & President, Civilizations Exchange & Cooperation Foundation
- Omar Shaikh, Islamic Finance Council UK (via Skype)
- Lea Frydman, Coexister, Interfaith Tour
- Professor Roman Bykov, Tomsk University; co-founder of Tomsk Center of Interreligious Dialogue
Forum Gallery

Dialogue is a non-confrontational communication, where both partners are willing to learn from the other and therefore leads much farther into finding new grounds together.I had the honor and the privilege to participate in the 15th edition of the Rhodes Forum last October and it made me triply happy. First, the Forum allowed me to enrich myself from the exchanges of very high level with the participants of proven expertise. Then, I appreciated the interpersonal skills and professionalism of the DOC Research Institute’s team. Finally, island of splendor and culture, Rhodes conquered me. The Rhodes Forum is both a dynamic and a spirit to be preserved

Dialogue of Civilizations’ Rhodes Forum is a great opportunity to enhance collective thinking on multilateral issues and solutions to the major challenges of our time.

We matured from altruists to very sustainable platform for trying to find a way to avoid clash of civilisations and introduce the paradigm of dialogue.

Problems now have no borders, we have to find solutions together. This (Forum) is something that is global.

Rhodes Forum has massive amount of most interesting people that we can find on a planet. Big hand and applause for Rhodes team for bringing people here and put them together.

I loved Rhodes Forum, it was extremely informative, I can really say that.
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We would like to thank the Mayor and the Municipality of Rhodes for their generous hospitality throughout the 17th edition…
“Enlightened, Interesting, Challenging”. Just a few of the words used to describe this year’s Rhodes Forum 2019 by speakers Gabriela…

The Dialogue of Civilizations Research Institute is an independent platform for dialogue that brings together diverse perspectives from the developed and the developing worlds in a non-confrontational and constructive spirit.
The DOC’s goal is to forge shared world views through dialogue, and to contribute to a fair, sustainable and peaceful world order. To achieve these goals, the DOC believes that globalisation is not just about setting standards – it should have humankind, culture and civilisation at its heart.
The DOC’s research aims to bridge the trust and knowledge gap, and to find innovative solutions to key issues facing the contemporary world. Events held are the dialogue in practice which creates a fair and sustainable world without conflicts.
Organization is headquartered in Berlin, additional offices operate in Moscow and Vienna, as well as representatives in Brussels, Paris and Delhi.