The Third Forum on Human Development will be held in Paris, France, January 17-19, 2005. The forum will feature a G-7 Summit on Africa, the UN Millennium Summit, and the resumption of the Doha Trade Round. Given the significance of 2005 as a year of "make or break" opportunities for achieving the millennium development goals set for 2015, this Forum will focus on two key areas for worldwide human development:

1. The concept of cultural liberty in a globalizing and unstable world, and in particular, policy options to address identity politics and exclusion in democratic, multiethnic states or countries with large populations of immigrants.

2. The dynamics of economic globalization and different dimensions of inequality (within and across nations, in terms of income and in terms of opportunities), including options to rectify imbalances in trade and development financing.

The Forum is sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France and UNDP in cooperation with Sciences-Po and IDDRI. Barring unforeseen events, President Chirac will open the Forum headed by UNDP Administrator Mark Malloch Brown and French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier. Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen will deliver a key note speech to frame and stimulate ensuing discussions.

Organizing co-sponsors include academic, policy research, and civil society organizations. Selected international groups at the forefront of the issues and research will organize parallel sessions to afford more in-depth discussions and technical exchanges.

The Human Development Forums feature the latest thinking, research, and innovation on current issues and aim to shape the international agenda for human development. The Forum venue has limited space and should you want to attend, registration is necessary. We attach a program and registration form. We will be disseminating papers and summaries of the proceedings after the event.

For general information on the Forum please visit our website: http://hdr.undp.org

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Click here to download the REGISTRATION FORM

December 23, 2004.