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The Forum of Federations runs major international conferences that provide a unique forum for practitioners of federalism, academics and NGOs to interact and learn from one another.
The conferences create an opportunity for neutral, safe and free discussion. No theoretical papers are presented. Instead, theme papers provide a springboard for discussion among participants.
Past conferences have fostered a sense of community among participants and an opportunity to network. The conferences also reflect the culture and personality of the host country.
The Fourth International Conference on Federalism
The Fourth International Conference on Federalism was held at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi in November of 2007. The conference was based on four broad themes and twelve subthemes. Each of these was developed by a panel of Indian and international experts who represent some of the leading authorities on federalism worldwide.
The four themes addressed at the conference were:
- Building on and Accommodating Diversities
- Emerging Issues in Fiscal Federalism
- Interaction in a Federal System
- Local Government and Federal Systems
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In March of 2005, a third international conference was held in Brussels, Belgium.
The Belgian conference had a narrower focus in order to address the role of federalism in specific settings around the world. The change represented the increasing interest in the opportunities of federalism in divided societies.
International Conference on Federalism 2002 - Saint Gallen, Switzerland
The International Conference on Federalism 2002 was held Saint Gallen, Switzerland from August 27-30, 2002.
More than 600 people from all regions of the world attended the conference, including the Prime Minister of Canada and the Prime Minister of Belgium. The Conference themes were: federalism and foreign policy, conflict management in multicultural societies, and fiscal federalism. The Belgian Prime Minister announced that Belgium would host another international conference on federalism in 2004.
International Conference on Federalism. Mont-Tremblant, Québec, Canada. October 5 to 8, 1999
The Forum hosted the International Conference on Federalism in an Era of Globalization from October 5 to 8,1999 in Mont-Tremblant, Canada. The Conference brought together over 500 elected representatives, civil servants, academics and private-sector representatives from over 25 countries.
The conference was structured around four themes: citizenship and social diversity, economic and fiscal federalism, intergovernmental relations, and social policy and federalism. The format of the sessions maximized the opportunity for participants to share information, best practices and experiences in problem-solving. Presentations by US President Bill Clinton, Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo, Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, and other leading figures alternated with small roundtable workshops.
Approximately 80 youth were in attendance as full participants in the conference. In addition, the Forum organized a supplementary youth program in Ottawa consisting of a specially-designed intergovernmental negotiation simulation, thus providing youth with first-hand experience in the practical application of federalism.
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