Politicians, artists and business leaders from around the globe have been meeting in a small Swedish forest town this week to mull solutions to some of the world's toughest problems such as poverty, climate change and terrorism.
Set against a backdrop of Lake Siljan, some 300 of the world's movers and shakers have come to Taellberg, a small town 270km north of Stockholm, for a five-day brainstorming session to develop a humanistic approach to resolving the downsides of globalization.
Inside a large circus tent -- planted in the mud after a week of rain -- panels of experts have debated weighty issues such as nation building, global terrorism, democracy, the role of women and the future of the European Union.
Earlybird walks in the surrounding forests have been organized for those wanting to mix in a workshop with their morning exercise routine, while yet other discussions have been held over coffee at one of the various hotels in the area.
Among those attending the informal open-air forum are former UN weapons inspector to Iraq Hans Blix, UN undersecretary general Shashi Tharoor, Jordanian Prince El Hassan bin Talal, Polish Prime Minister Marek Balek as well as Georgian President Mikhail Sakaashvili.
The Taellberg Foundation's aim is to give delegates "a chance to spend a few days beyond their ordinary pressures and specific responsibilities and instead step back and look at the whole," said its founder Bo Ekman.
Security in and around Taellberg has been tight for the event, but the atmosphere of the forum has been relaxed and informal as local residents mix with politicians, poets, artists, royalty and business executives at the town centre or village bar.
To enable delegates to clear their minds and let their thoughts sink in -- and perhaps ease potential tension among delegates -- the heaviness of the talks was interspersed with a bevy of concerts and shows by international artists.
Normally a sleepy little town, Taellberg has come alive with outdoor shows by child musicians and singers, dancers, African hip hop, classical music spectacles and art exhibits.
Not to be outdone by the international performers, residents from Taellberg and surrounding towns have organized a classic car and motorbike rally for the duration of the forum, with the roar of Chevy 69s and Harley Davidsons seen, and heard, among the convoys of diplomatic cars and transport vans for the delegates.
The conference, called "How on Earth can we live together? Exploring Frameworks for Sustainable Global Interdependence", opened on Friday and ended yesterday with an outdoor music extravaganza by international artists.
The talk-fest was not aimed at reaching any resolutions or conclusions, other than the recognition for the need for government agencies and multinational corporations to improve their social responsibility to local communities and environment.
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