Brasov: 17th WFSF World Conference - September 5 - 9

Why come to Brasov?

The challenges of maintaining cultural diversity while enhancing universal values, and ensuring local development in the new era of globalisation, will be the central theme of the XVII World Futures Studies Federation Conference in Brasov, Transylvania, Romania, 5 to 9 September 2001. Futures-oriented thinkers and researchers from around the world will lead the discussion in daily plenary sessions and concurrent, themed workshops. The conference theme, Many cultures, one world: Globalisation and Local development, is intended to compare the trends to globalism with the countervailing trends to regionalism and localism.

The conference will also join the past to the future. A meeting of futurists in Bucharest, Romania in 1972 agreed to form the WFSF which was registered in Paris in 1973. The Romanian organisers will invite founders and past presidents to return to Romania for a panel discussion with new, young futurists. They will explore the futures of futures studies in one of the plenary sessions.

Another session will explore the futures of community and social development.

Local organisers, the Black Sea University Foundation, plan to bring together futures institutions in Romania with others in Europe. The integration of Europe and the futures of the Two Seas - the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea - will be on the agenda.

Participants from all continents will meet in the historic city of Brasov in the Carpathian Mountains and close to the legendary Dracula’s Castle. Intending participants from developing countries are invited to apply for partial financial assistance. Early registration fees of US$200 apply until 30 June 2000.

Most recently, world conferences have been held in Bacolod City, Philippines (1999), Brisbane, Australia (1997), Nairobi, Kenya (1995), Turku, Finland (1993), Barcelona Catalonia, Spain (1991), Budapest, Hungary (1990), Beijing, China (1988).

For downloadable application form and further details, click here <brasov.htm>

We invite you to join us.

Tony Stevenson and Mircea Malitza