Civil society and social development

May 2000, 27-28

Moscow

Seminar's organizers:
Interregional public foundation for support of the military reform (Russia)
School of peace (Grenoble, France)

Review:

In May 2000, Moscow hosted a seminar devoted to Civil Society and Social Development. It was sponsored by the Grenoble School of Peace and Interregional Public Foundation for Support of the Military Reform. The seminar was attended by: the Centre for International Studies (USA), Analytical Centre for Social Research (France), Centre for Research of Peace and Conflicts (France), Group for Research of Information on Peace and Security (Belgium), Civil and Defence Research Association (France), International Association for Civil Participation (USA), Marne la Vallee University (France), University of Political Rights and Social Sciences (France), International Association for Civil Participation (France), European Centre for Universal Independence and Solidarity, Sacro Cuare Catholic University (Italy), Institute for Political Studies (France), Centre for the Organisation of Canadians (Canada), Foundation for Strategic Studies (France), Savoy University (France), Kaliningrad State University, Minsk State University, Institute for Economic and Social Studies (Russia), General Staff Military Academy (Russia), Defence University (Russia), Moscow State Social University, Institute for Social and Political Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Committee of Soldiers' Mothers (Russia), Civil Society Foundation (Russia), Foundation for Local Government (Russia), Social Partnership Centre of the Moscow Government, Institute for Social Engineering (Russia), Centre for International and Strategic Studies (Russia), Academy of the Directorate of the Interior (Russia), Russian Conservative Party, Public Movement of Free Democrats of Russia, Krasnaya Zvezda Newspaper (Russia) and Vlast Magazine (Russia).
The two-day debate has demonstrated that today the problems raised at the seminar are pressing for all countries since they are closely linked with their current development. First and foremost, it regards interrelationships between political power and social structures. The seminar helped reach understanding on most complex issues as regards to historic development of civil society. The debate focused on some lessons pertaining to globalisation processes, internal conflicts, national security, etc.