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We have had a very strong and positive reaction to our Istanbul Interdependence Day Forum and Celebration, and it is clear to us that our Turkish gathering with our Youth Summit with participants from the British Council, Koc University, and Institute for Cultural Diplomacy has helped us move from an annual "one-off" event to a civic movement that can help achieve a real change in civic consciousness, increasing the possibility global democracy and justice as we help to secure conditions in which we can confront problems without borders by forging citizens without borders.
Between the working panels on women, Islam and economic development held at Koc University, the new technology and networked cities panels at Rahmi Koc museum, and the conversations with artists and cultural experts prior to our concert at the fourth century St. Irene's church (next to the Hagia Sophie Museum), we were able to enlarge the discussions we have held over the years on key issues.
The participants included of Tavis Smiley, who won this years Interdependence prize, Lord Bhikhu Parekh, His all Holiness Archbishop Batholomew I, Global Humanitarian Forum Executive Director Martin Frick, Turkish Cultural Historian Zeynep Celik, Proffessor Fuat Keymen our host at Koc University, Jacqueline Z. Davis Director of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Osman Kavala of the Anadolu Kultur, Graham Sheffield Artistic Director of the Barbican, Eileen Woods, Philosopher Cornel West, Fes Festival of Scared Music Director Faouzi Skali, and Swiss Artist Not Vital.
We believe that the work that took place in Istanbul, as a culmination of seven years of hard an difficult immersion in interdependence and preparation for earlier Interdependence Days in Philadelphia, Rome, Paris, Casablanca, Mexico City, Brussels and now Istanbul, will pay off handsomely in Berlin next September 10th - 12th; but also in the work we can now do to expand our crucial youth summit program and our year-round schedule of activities and events that will be part of the emerging Interdependence Movement.
Next year Interdependence Day VIII will take place in Berlin (September 10th - 12th) with the partnership of Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Radial System V, the British Council, and the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy.
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