The European Humanist Forum takes stock of its first edition

I European Humanist Forum closes its doors with 500 attendees from 35 different nationalities and the idea of a commitment to nonviolence in thoughts, words and deeds.

This afternoon closed in the World Trade Center in Barcelona I European Human Forum, an initiative of ANH Alliance for a New Humanity. The European Humanist Forum was launched on November 7th to coincide with a major event, the election of Barak Obama in the U.S. going to make a social transformation. The motto of the Alliance is "Being the change."

In the words of Deepak Chopra, president of the ANH: "When there are enough people things can change. Our goal is not to legislate, but to change minds. For this we need to create networks in the fields of communication, entertainment, education and sports ".

I European Humanist Forum brought together 500 people from 35 different nationalities that have established working groups in the area of health, education, personal growth, sustainability, peace and social justice, social, economic.

On the first day after the inauguration by Deepak Chopra, Daniel Cando (Comissionat Hall of the Barcelona Program Solidària de l'Ajuntament de Barcelona) and the former Director General of UNESCO and President of the Fundación Cultura de la Paz, Federico Mayor Zaragoza , highlighted the importance of the decisions of governments to create change, formed working groups and dialogues between experts and attendees at the areas of personal transformation with the speakers: Deepak Chopra (doctor, writer and philosopher), Lynne McTaggart (Journalist and researcher), Mercè Conangla and Jaume Soler (both of the Foundation field), coordinated by Xavier Guix writer in the area of education and led by a professor at the UB, Rafael Bisquerra with Satish Kumar (Writer, activist for peace), Naomi Paymal (anthropologist and creative Teaching TM 3000) and Andrew Martin (Emotional Education Foundation) and simultaneously in the area of health intervention Dr. Jorge CARVAJAL (Writer and scientist), Dr. Eric Perla (Introducer of Reconnection and writer) and Newton Kondaveti (MD), coordinated by Dr. Miquel Samarra . This day was a magnific final concert for Peace, where thanks to the Fundación Pau Casals broadcasted from the receipt of Mr. Casals at the UN, with the delivery of the message of peace, with the intervention of the Cellist Quico Pugés interpreting the "Cannot dels Ocells". Finishing the day with a reception by Barcelona.

During the second day working groups were established in the areas of peace and social justice coordinated by the President of the Catalan Fund for Cooperation for Development of the Barcelona, Teo Romero called the agents of change such as: Fred Mats ( President of the European Committee of ANH), Jaime JARAMILLO (Creator and President of the Foundation "Children of the Andes") and Arcadi OLIVERES (Chairman of the Justice and Peace) and in the area of sustainability guided by journalist Jordi Bigues, Vandana Shiva (Leader of the environmental movement as an activist, awarded by the UN) Joaq uin Araujo (Founder of forests, writer, journalist, environmentalist) and Juan Valera (Ecologista, entrepreneur and founder of the Foundation more trees). Parallel and throughout the day was held a day of directors focusing on social, economic and organizational business collaboration: ESADE Business School, Foundation for the Motivation of Human Resources, AEDIPE Catalunya (Association of People Management and Development) and APDO (Association of Professionals in Organization Development ) with a wide range of speakers who were: Deepak Chopra (doctor, writer and philosopher), Richard BARRETT (Consultant, author and international lecturer), Jean-Pierre LAURENT (Renault Steering Group), Joan Antoni MELE (Territorial Director of Triodos Bank in Catalonia), Koldo Saratxaga(Director of Corporate Mondragón ) Joaquin TAMAMES (expert in legal and financial matters. Fundación Ananta) Jil van EYLE (founder of the concept of "Teaming"), Maria ZAPATA (Director of International Operations of Ashoka-Europe) and their attendance excused for personal reasons, Ariane Arpa (CEO of Oxfam Intermón). The day ended with the activity promoted by the Portuguese Urban Drums with their color tubes made involving all attendees who sharpened memory, concentration and rhythm between guffaws. After the day was held a dinner at the "Reals Drassanes” with performance poet David Gonzalez and the Gospel group in the highest Pijisingers.

The Human Forum I was further plenary sessions, interactive dialogues and workshops for smaller groups divided by subjects with Lynne McTaggart, Dr. Eric Perla, Dr. Jorge CARVAJAL, Mercè Conangla and Jaume Soler, Satish Kumar , Newton Kondaveti, Jaime JARAMILLO, Enric Senabre, Naomi Paymal, Jon Symes and Concha Pinós.

It is embedded at the beginning of these moments of meditation and music from the drummer Ravid Goldschimidt, the young harpist Esther Piñol, the power of the voice of "The Queen and the World artic greatest pearl" and the musician Deejayeko.

Completing spaces enabled Forum is a "Market Place" consists of the WEF Foundation, the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center, Chopra Center and Jaime Jaramillo. Agora will provide a space where different entities including outlining their projects that are: the Association Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center, Brahma Kumaris, Adyayana 22 Association, Association Suryoma, Integral Spanish Association, Campus for Peace, Chapter ANH Japan Foundation Ghandiji, The Foundation Pachamana, Uniting People Foundation, Fred Foundation, Federation of Damanhur, Findhorn Foundation and Consumer Ethnography and Permaculture.

Kim Klinger (Technical Director of the ANH) coordinated a networking area, with the aim of promoting change through the creation of new groups of ANH.

9/11/08 Sunday morning was devoted to explain the findings of the previous days and proposals for the future in which: the personal self as the essence to a global base, we need to change the world to through education and changing education to change the world, the commitment is to reconnect with ourselves. Create a guide ANH events environmental sustainability, making new work groups within companies and network of generators and many more changes that aim to develop the next Forum in San Diego (USA).

The first action that has been carried out almost before finish the European Humanist Forum is the recording of a notice of Deepak Chopra invited to join the ANH. Another video on the Internet with the slogan "I assume the commitment (a commitment to nonviolence in thoughts, words and deeds, a commitment to peace) which was recorded by those attending the event who wanted to join in expressing the words different languages like English, Castilian, Catalan, Basque, Galician, French, Dutch, German, Italian, Hebrew, Indian, Finnish or Vietnamese. With the idea that each attendee to take two people with the commitment and these in turn with two more people, and way out of this growing commitment.

Note that the European Humanist Forum has been carrying out has been a partnership of agencies and entities and the provision of altruistic speakers, organizing committee and volunteers.

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