The Round Table (RT) "Importance of Reconciliation and Tolerance for Implementation of the Human Security Concept's Goals 'Freedom from Fear' and 'Freedom from Want' in the Balkans" was held in Belgrade on May 24, 2010. It was organized and held in accordance with strategic orientation of the European Center for Peace and Development (ECPD) towards promotion of peace and stability through reconciliation and tolerance in the Balkans. In that order the ECPD developed and accepted its international project entitled: "National and Inter-ethnic Reconciliation and Religious Tolerance in the Balkans" to which the implementation of the UN Human security concept was added.
This project has been realized since 2005 through organizing of ECPD International conferences and the ECPD International Permanent Study Group (IPSG) work. In the meantime five annual conferences and eight IPSG sessions were held. This RT was at the same time the Ninth IPSG meeting, designed to prepare the platform for the Sixth ECPD International Conference to be held in Ljubljana, 28-29 October 2010.
The Round Table was attended by 52 participants – prominent scholars and scientific and public workers from all Balkan, several other European and non-European countries. Representatives of all three major religious communities in the region were present, as well as several ambassadors and other diplomatic representatives from Belgrade. The RT was chaired by H.E. Prof. Dr Takehiro Togo, President of the ECPD Council and distinguished Japanese diplomat and professor.
According to the general opinion of participants, the RT was very successful. All participants took an active part in the discussions, which were carried out in the atmosphere of understanding and mutual respect, even when expressing certain disagreement. The presented papers will be published in a separate ECPD publication. The final conclusions and reccomendations of the RT were proposed in the Chairman's Closing Remarks (enclosed as ANNEX) and accepted by the participants. Organization of the RT was supported by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung.
