Draft

Working session 1: «Moral and spiritual values, world ethics».

Moral and spiritual values are an integral part of human culture. There are various approaches to understanding and defining spirituality. According to some people spirituality is a cultural heritage including language, art, music, literature, etc.  Others believe that spirituality is closely linked to religion and religious values. They refer to secular and religious perceptions of the concept of "spirituality". The XX century focused on the secular meaning of the notion "spirituality".

Harmonious spiritual values are the basis for harmonious determination of  spiritual person in terms of agreed society-individual communication practice. Moral, spiritual and cultural values are interconnected. Spiritual values have cultural social purpose, for example, non-conflict relations, legal guarantee of work, harmonious existence resources management to fairly ensure good standards of life of every human being. Moral and spiritual values focus people and society on development of future generations. Ideals of spirituality become a conscientious imperative of existence harmonized with environment. Human being is emerged as a free and responsible individual who controls his position towards surrounding world.

The following issues will be discussed at the questions and answers session:

• Is it possible to reestablish moral and spiritual values in globalization and during crises?
• Will globalization result in unification of cultures, loss of moral and spiritual values?
• How important is the role of moral and spiritual values in the process of building a tolerant society?
• Will religion be able to accumulate moral and spiritual values in globalization?
• What is the role of religion in maintaining and developing moral and spiritual values?
• Is religion a universal tool of moral development of society and achieving accord among people?
• How are the notions "morality" and "spirituality" related in their practical implementation?
• To what extent do religion, spiritual values and morality influence each other?
• What are the ways of development of moral and spiritual values in the XXI century?
• "Spiritual vacuum" and its filling in the light of strengthening "religious boom".

Moderators (5 people)
Speakers (3 people)
Experts (3 people)

Working session 2: "Dialogue and cooperation"

The modern world development is characterized by the lack of understanding and tolerance among representatives of various religious and cultural behavior models. At the same time interaction of these historically established models continues to significantly affect interstate relations and international stability as a whole.

A logical result of this lack is the threat of destabilization of the contemporary international relations and destructive developments. This assertion is not an exaggeration bearing in mind that it implies problems of intercultural interaction and mutual perception of civilizational axes such as the West and the East.

Immense and indisputable contribution of the Western and Eastern civilizations to the world history reflects the importance and relevance of the global scale task to lessen and overcome the most glaring contradictions between them. Nowadays these contradictions and reconciliation difficulties are seen at a glance that increases the need of their reconciliation.

On the one hand, instead of being a means of enriching every culture, globalization is becoming an instrument of depriving of cultural identities. It has been instilling the culture of consumerism.

Consumerism brought to materialism when people attach greater importance to what they have rather than to basic human values. Global consumerism is establishing universal culture when ideas of justice are transformed into ideas of rational use. 

Over the last decade the aspiration to justice that has always been in a human nature has become of utmost importance. Continuously striving to universal justice human beings expressing themselves through diverse cultures continue to say about validity of various notions of fair order. These differences provide opportunities to use other values and merits.

The moderators will speak about a number of issues including:

• What is the ideological basis for developing dialogue among civilizations in the XXI century?
• Is there a paradigm of the common character of the Western and Eastern civilizations?
• What is the basis for dialogue among civilizations in the third millennium?
• What are the prospects of "westernization" and "orientalization" in developing a model of dialogue among civilizations?
• What are the possible results of the dialogue among civilizations?

Moderators (5 people)
Speakers (3 people)
Experts (3 people)

Working session 3: "Solidarity, especially in times of crises"

Over the last decade the aspiration to solidarity that has always been in a human nature has become of utmost importance. Continuously striving to universal justice human beings expressing themselves through diverse cultures continue to say about validity of various notions of fair order. These differences provide opportunities to use other values and merits.

The global world where we live today is characterized by unstable world financial system that obviously affects every person. Today the world is on the threshold of food, spiritual and humanitarian catastrophes such as hunger, epidemics and environmental disasters.

The world is still divided into the reach North and the poor South that does not solve existing regional problems but also creates new conflict zones and civil conflicts. The modern world witnesses a confirmation of Samuel Huntington's theory on clash of civilizations when values of Islamic and Christian civilizations are artificially opposed against each other through military conflicts and ideological "wars".

International terrorism covering up its crimes by religious rhetoric aggravates the problem. To make things worse certain politicians trying to increase their popularity say that one religion that is destined to rule all the others and call their followers to reestablish "militancy, sacrifice and intolerance" and to find leaders that are ready to fight. That is why it is not a coincidence that there is an acute need to unite the activity of religious leaders to solve and prevent any religious conflicts.

Today the global community needs to be united and make active steps to develop new forms of international cooperation that will make it possible to ensure stable economic growth and overcome global imbalances.

• What are the scope and implications of the world financial crisis for the global economy and Kazakhstan's economy in particular?
• What are the prospects of fair share of valuables in the world, reducing the gap between the rich and the poor?
• Is social justice subject to virtues in our time?
• Does social justice have to be the basis of virtue in globalization?
• Can justice be an autonomous virtue in a tolerant world?
• How are solidarity, justice, truth, compassion and mercy related?
• What are the prospects of religion as a factor of social changes in the future?
• What is the role of leaders of world and traditional religions in settlement of international war conflicts (Kosovo, Iraq, the Middle East)?
• Is religion able at present to counter on its own ideas of discrimination and xenophobia?
• What are the prospects of joint cooperation of leaders of world and traditional religions in prevention of religious conflicts?
• To which extent can leaders of world and traditional religions influence the process of prevention of armed religious conflicts?
• Is religious tolerance antireligious in essence?
• Will religious tolerance result in indifference to the truth preached by various religions?
• How relevant is postulate that western ideas of religious tolerance are of no value to non western societies?
• To which extent is rapprochement of cultures and religions able to solve issues of regional and international security?
• What is the role of religion and culture in prevention of religious and international conflicts?
• What are the future steps and areas of activity of leaders of world and traditional religions in stabilizing the world order and establishing regional and international security?
• Is social solidarity subject to virtues in our time?
• Does solidarity have to be the basis of virtue in globalization?
• Can solidarity be an autonomous virtue in a tolerant world?
• How are solidarity, justice, truth, compassion and mercy related?
• What are the prospects of religion as a factor of social changes in the future?