www.gov.ph, Saturday March 17, 2007

The International Peace Foundation (IPF), a Vienna-based independent, apolitical and areligious foundation with the common patronage of the 21 Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, will host a first ASEAN wide 50-event series in the Philippines from November 2007 up to April 2008.

His Serene Highness (HSH) Prince Alfred of Liechtenstein, chairman of the IPF Advisory Board, told President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during his call at the Malacanang Music Room this afternoon that the Nobel Laureates have confirmed their participation in the upcoming event.

"We are honored to come to the Philippines. We will bring Nobel Laureates from all fields and they are excited to come," the Prince told the President.

President Arroyo expressed elation over the choice of the Philippines as the first country to host the event.

"Welcome to the Philippines. I am glad that you chose my country to be part of this event," she said.

The IPF, which also has an Asian office in Bangkok, will host an ASEAN wide series called "Bridges – Dialogues Towards a Culture of Peace" starting in the Philippines in November to stimulate the intellectual, scientific and cultural exchanges in the ASEAN region and to enhance its further development.

This is part of the foundation’s previous successful "Bridges" series of events in Europe and Asia where it carried out more than 700 programs and hosted 250 events with 26 Nobel Laureates in Thailand.

Each Nobel Laureate will visit various parts of the Philippines including Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao for at least 4-6 days.

During their visit, the Nobel Laureates will conduct public lectures, seminars, workshops and dialogues in partnership with the Asian Institute of Management, University of Santo Tomas, Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Foreign Affairs and various institutions.

The topics will cover a wide range of issues in the fields of politics, economy, science, culture and will highlight the challenges of both globalization and regionalism and its impact on development and international cooperation.

The Prince was accompanied by Presidential Assistant for Agrarian Reform Heherson Alvarez, Executive Director of the National Commission for Culture and Arts Cecille Guidote-Alvarez, and Uwe Morawetz, chairman of the Board of Directors of the International Peace Foundation.