A World Without Walls International Conference 2011

There is a general consensus that the process of globalization is creating a world in which individual nation states are increasingly interdependent and interconnected. National approaches to issues including international politics, trade and economics, healthcare, immigration, tourism, and climate change are therefore increasingly dependent on the policies and approaches of neighboring states and international partners. Despite this growing interdependence, there remain major cultural, political, religious, and economic disputes as well as a large number of conflicts across the world with deep-rooted historical experiences, from political conflict at the international level to violent conflict at the sub-national level. The de-escalation of these disputes and conflicts requires creative thinking and new approaches that take into account both the history of the divisions and the evolving global context within which they are set. The Mediterranean region is both the historical source of many of the world's great civilizations and a current meeting point for continents, cultures, and religions.