World Public Forum

Management

The World Public Forum "Dialogue of Civilizations" is an independent, non-governmental, non-commercial organization registered in Austria. The WPF Head Office is situated in Moscow, Russia.

The Forum is headed by the Council of Co-chairmen. The Co-chairmen of the WPF are: Vladimir Yakunin (Joint Stock Company "Russian Railways"), Jagdish Kapur ("Kapur Surya Foundation", India) and Nicolas Papanicolaou ("Titan Capital Corporation", Greece - USA). Oleg Atkov is the Secretary General of the WPF "Dialogue of Civilizations" and the highest official of the Forum.

The International Coordinating Committee (ICC) is a consultative body of the Forum and includes the first figures of world public organizations that are participants of the WPF network. The head of the ICC is a member of the Council of the Crans Montana Forum, ex-secretary general of the Council of Europe, Walter Schwimmer.

Council of Co-chairmen

In July 2002, a public organization, the Center of National Glory of Russia, put forth the initiative to create an international public organization that could organize a platform for promoting a dialogue among representatives of various cultures and civilizations. This initiative was supported by the Indian organization "Kapur Surya Foundation", the Greek company "Titan Capital Corporation" and as a result, the World Public Forum "Dialogue of Civilizations" appeared. The first session of the Forum was held in September 2003 on the Greek Island of Rhodes. The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Center of National Glory of Russia, V.I. Yakunin, the President of the "Kapur Surya Foundation," J. Kapur, and the President of the "Titan Capital Corporation," N. Papanicolaou, became the founders and co-chairmen of the World Public Forum "Dialogue of Civilizations".

Vladimir I. Yakunin
Vladimir Ivanovich Yakunin was born in 1948 in the town of Melenki. In 1972 graduated from Leningrad Mechanical Institute.
He began his working career as a Junior Research Assistant in the State Institute of Applied Chemistry. After serving in the Army, he worked as an engineer and as department chief at the Physical-Technical Institute named after A.F. Ioffe. From 1985 to 1991, he served as a diplomat. In 1991-2000 – he was the Chairman of the Board of Directors, CJSC "International Center for Business Partnership"; Head of North-Western Division, the Chief of the Control Department of the President of the RF. In October 2000, he was Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation. In February 2002, he was First Deputy Minister of Communications. In October 2003, he was First Vice-president of he Public Corporation "Russian Railways". As of June 2005, he holds the post of President of PC "Russian Railways". Vladimir Yakunin is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Center of National Glory and the St. Andrew the First-Called Foundation. The Holy Patriarch of Moscow and All- Russia, Alexiy II, presented Vladimir Yakunin the highest award of the Russian Orthodox Church for secular persons – the Order of Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir (second class).

Nicholas Papanicolaou
Nicholas S. Papanicolaou was born in 1949 in Greece. He studied at Athens College (Greece) and Willinston Academy (USA). N. Papanicolaou received his economics degree at Harvard University and the degree of master of business management at University of Columbia. Nicholas Papanicolaou is the President of Lion Finance S.A. and Titan Capital Corporation. Earlier he held the post of Chairman and Holder of control packet of shares of Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd. N. Papanicolaou is Grand Master of the Order of John of Jerusalem. In the past, he was president of the Athens Polo Club. Mr. Papanicolaou is the bearer of the British title of nobility, and his name is in the list of the Berk book of peers. He is also a member of board of directors of range of public organizations engaged in the study of Greek culture and the Orthodox Church. Since 2003, he is co-chairman and co-sponsor of the World Public Forum "Dialogue of Civilizations".

Jagdish Kapur
Jagdish Chandra Kapur was born at Lucknow in India in 1920. He studied Science, Technology and Engineering at Punjab University and did post graduate studies at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore in India and the Cornell University in the United States. He was associated with a number of high technology companies and has been a successful Industrial Manager and an Entrepreneur. He founded some high technology enterprises and headed or participated in a number of industrial and professional bodies.
He is an internationally known, pioneer solar scientist, environmentalist and founder of the Kapur Solar Farms - as a concept for the integrated development of backward and deprived communities. He is the former President of the Solar Energy Society of India, a fellow of the Institution of Nuclear Engineers, and Bureau of Standards of India and member of other societies.
Mr. Kapur founded the Kapur Surya Foundation through which he participated in the World Public Forum. He is also the Publisher & Editor-In-Chief of the quarterly journal of International Issues, World Affairs.
He has widely contributed to the issues of the human future and has presented a number of keynote addresses to regional, national and international conferences on a variety of subjects including engineering, technology, urban perspectives, rural development and the human future. He has also authored a number of books including "India in the Year 2000", "India Uncommitted Society", "Future of Man: Eastern And the Western View", "Human Condition Today" (Ed) and others, and his latest book "Our Future - Consumerism or Humanism".
He is co-founder and co-chairman of the World Public Forum "Dialogue of Civilizations".

International Coordinating Committee

The International Coordinating Committee (ICC) is the consultative body of the Forum and includes the major figures of the world public organizations - participants of the WPF network. The head of ICC is a member of the Council of the Crans Montana Forum, ex-secretary general of the Council of Europe, Walter Schwimmer. Among the Committee members there are also such persons as Russian scientist and cosmonaut Oleg Atkov, Secretary General of "Comprehensive Dialogue among Civilizations" Foundation Michael Karlen, Executive Director of the WPF "Dialogue of Civilizations" V.I. Kulikov, Secretary General of "Intercultural dialogue platform" Foundation Cemal Usak and prominent French researcher of Latin America, Honorary Director of the National Scientific Research Center (France) Henri Favre.

Walter Schwimmer
Born in 1942 in Vienna. Graduated from Vienna University of law. Doctor of Law. Worked as a head of the Social Department and Political Department of the Austrian Federation of Wage and Salaried Workers, Department of Salary, Insurance and Audit of the Vienna Health Insurance Foundation. Lectured on problems of sociology, public health service and common political issues. Author of a range of monographs and articles. Since 1971 - active participant of the political process. In the period of 1971-1999 - member of the Austrian Parliament. Walter Schwimmer conducts important activities in the sphere of international politics: he is a Chairman of Inter-parliamentary Union of Friendship of Austria and Israel in the Parliament of Austria (1976-1999); member of the National Council of the "Asia-Israel" Association (1973-1999), then its vice-president (since 1977) and president (1982-1999). From 1999 to 2004, he held the post of Secretary General of the Council of Europe. Member of the Board of Trustees and the President of the Crans Montana Forum, Secretary General of the "Mediterranean House Foundation".

Oleg Y. Atkov
Oleg Atkov was born in 1949 in the village of Khvorostyanka. In 1973 graduated from the First Moscow Medical Institute, then from post-graduate studies at the Scientific Institute of Cardiology of the Academy of Medical Sciences of USSR. During many years, he worked as a scientific researcher in the sphere of cardiology. In 1977 he was chosen as one of a group of Soviet cosmonauts and passed through the course of flight training. On February 8th, 1984 made a space flight as a cosmonaut-researcher on board the spaceship "Soyuz T-10V". During 237 days he worked on the orbital station "Salyut-7" where carried out a wide range of research and experiment programs. In 1985-1990, he was the head of the Laboratory of Functional Research Methods at the Institute of Clinical Cardiology. Since 1990, he has been the head of New Diagnostic Methods Department at the Institute of Clinical Cardiology. Oleg Atkov holds a Doctorate Degree in medical sciences; he is the author of five inventions and of more than thirteen scientific monographs. Oleg Atkov holds the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. He was also awarded the highest decoration of India - the Order "Kirti Chakra".

Diana Orlova
Head of the European Headquarters of the WPF "Dialogue of Civilizations"

Vladimir Kulikov
Executive Director of the WPF «Dialogue of Civilizations»

Alexey Fokin
PR-Director

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Laureate of International Award "Dialogue of Civilizations" - Alfred Gusenbauer, Federal Chancellor of Austria.