You have read the Draft Outline of the Second World Forum of Spiritual Culture 2013, prepared by our colleague and collaborator Robert Chase. We are grateful to all who sent their notices and comments on this project. This is a good example of a collective discussion and our team work. We all pay tribute to the work done by Robert, his organizational talents and positive vision of our future Forum.
Robert's ideas to use innovative models and include art into the structure of the Forum are very promising, particularly those including art from over the world. If you remember, different artists, not only from Kazakhstan, but also from Russia, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan took part in the cultural program of the last Forum. 39 foreign embassies participated in the exhibition titled "The great of the past are with us" in Astana. We will continue to expand the geography and formats of national cultures participation in the Forum. And of course the population of Astana, brought up in a multicultural environment, always very friendly and open, must be involved in all these activities.
The WFSC rules of procedure will provide time for collective meditation and prayer, suggested by Robert Chase, and with what almost all have agreed.
Meanwhile, the Forum cannot be turned into the Festival of Cultures only. This side of the Forum, of course, is very important, however it should not become dominant. As noted in many of your comments, "Conference needs more direction and focus". Some members expressed wishes to “divide the participants according to their interests”. Thus, along with the plenary session the expediency to organize Forum work in sessions, i.e. to have the thematic areas, was recognized.
Such an approach has worked well at the IV Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional religions, which was held recently in Astana.
Taking into account the experience of Forum I, we will provide more opportunities for interactive dialogue and debate, which also is in line with the proposals of Robert Chase. To do this, we ask all participants to send their reports and presentations in advance so that all interested people can read the texts, and we should have more time for discussion.
We must not leave out of account the important purpose which is to develop a common position regarding the current situation in the world in the light of the ideas and principles of the Declaration of our First Forum. We are to present our vision of the necessary changes in political, economic, social and cultural spheres, as well as the ways to implement these changes.
In our view, it is difficult to foresee in what form we will bring "the bright idea" to the world community, about which Robert Chase says, i.e. the idea, which will be developed collectively during the Forum. We must think carefully what the outcome of the WFSC will be, and we are to discuss and agree in advance on the possible options in all the working languages of the Forum - Kazakh, Russian and English, in order not to spend too much time on its completion, as it happened in 2010.
In regard to the main speakers. Wanting to see in our ranks the world-renowned people, we are aware that their invitation is a complex stage process. They may not respond to the direct appeal, due to their busy schedule. Unfortunately this has already happened. That means we need to seek people who have an impact on the VIP-persons.
We are grateful to all members of the WFSC Presidium, who have submitted their suggestions to the list of potential participants, whom we would like to invite to the Forum. These people have a certain reputation, prestige and extensive connections in different areas. Working with them, we will be able to create the intellectual and structural chains, with the help of which we will promote our ideas and aspirations. We must act today. We must have a list of our determined supporters who are ready to attend the Second WFSC, and a list of those persons who can be involved into our movement. Composition of the conference and the speakers will depend upon it, as well as the formation of discussion groups, and all the content of our work.
I assure you that the Kazakh side will do its best to make the upcoming Forum well- organized and effective to justify the hopes and efforts of those hundreds and thousands of people around the world who wish our Forum success and work hard for the sake of its success.
With best wishes,
Tolegen Mukhamedzhanov