Pressrelease 08 May 2002

Academia Engelberg has published the subject, speakers and programme of the first Engelberg Dialogue on Science 2002

"From Global Inequity towards a Humane World” is the title under which the first Engelberg dialogue on science will take place between October 23 and 25, 2002 in Engelberg Monastery. The conference will look at three main areas a) Science and Public Trust; b) A Call for Better Communication through Participation; C) In Search of Common Goals Among Opponents: the Example of Intellectual Property Rights. Top-caliber speakers including Calestous Juma, Klaus Leisinger, Patrick Moore and Anatole Krattiger will express their thoughts on these subjects.

The programme "From global Inequity towards a Humane World” was developed under the leadership of Professor Klaus Ammann. Through discussion the conference seeks an open interdisciplinary exchange leading towards joint commitment. We will create the foundations for this by suggesting projects this year that can be realized by the time the second conference takes place.

Members of the programme committee are: Professor Klaus Ammann, Bern (Botanical Gardens), Dr Roger Baud and Otto Kern, Zurich (Alliance for Global Sustainability), Dr Biljana Papazov Ammann, Bern (philosopher), Dr Beatrix Rubin, Basel (Institute of Applied Ethics and Medical Ethics, University of Basel), and Professor Hans-Peter Schreiber, Basel (former Chair of Ethics, ETH Center).

Professor Klaus Leisinger (Novartis and Syngenta Foundations), Patrick Moore (Greenspirit Vancouver) and Anatole Krattinger (bioDevelopments/Cornell University) have agreed to speak at this year’s conference. They will introduce the three areas of discussion and lead the three working groups:

1. Science and Public Trust
2. A Call for Better Communication through Participation
3. In Search of Common Goals among Opponents: the Example of Intellectual Property Rights

Academia Engelberg has invited 100 participants to the conference this year in October that will take place at the Engelberg Monastery. With representatives from science, society and the economy, stimulating and collegial exchanges will take place in an open atmosphere within the three working groups. These will also define the subjects and generate projects for the following conference in 2003.