Initiatives

Strategic Foresight Group undertakes dialogue and policy change initiatives from time to time in response to policy needs. The objective of these initiatives is to seek a positive policy change or to enable parties with conflicting perspectives to find a common ground.

Examples of SFG initiatives:

Cost of Conflict between India and Pakistan (2003-2004). The objective was to sensitize public opinion in India and Pakistan on the huge costs the two countries are paying to carry on with hostile relations. It involved a joint research exercise by scholars from the two countries, along with a few neutral scholars from Europe. The report was reviewed or featured in more than 50 publications and commentaries from the two countries. Pakistan’s most distinguished former Foreign Secretary wrote a Foreword for the publication and, India’s serving Foreign Minister praised it. The Times of India featured it in its main editorial. Since its publication in early 2004, relations between the two countries have experience a thaw and, the report can claim to have made a contribution to the change of policy environment.

West-Islam Relations (2004-2007). Since the war in Iraq and rise in terrorism there has been a deficit of trust between Western and Islamic countries, prompting SFG to lead an initiative to promote better relations between the two societies. In this initiative, it partnered with the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in the European Parliament and, the League of Arab States, in cooperation with the Friedrich Naumann Stiftung of Germany.

• First International Roundtable on Constructing Peace, Deconstructing Terror - held in New Delhi, inaugurated by the Minister of State in charge of the Indian Prime Minister's Office and attended by more than 25 leading thinkers and parliamentarians from North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia, 2004)
  
  
• Consultations with the Government of UK, Prime Minister of Canada, Prime Minister of Turkey, High Representative of the European Union, Foreign Minister of Oman, and other leaders, 2004-2005
  
  
• Second International Roundtable at the European Roundtable, 2005
  
  
• Circulation of a report with several innovative ideas to make breakthroughs in Western-Islam dialogue and engagement process, 2006-2007
  
  
• Consultations with governments and national leaders, 2005-2006
  
  
• Second Freedom South Asian Challenge 2005-2025, 2005
  
  
• Circulation of a report with several innovative ideas to make breakthroughs in Western-Islam dialogue and engagement process, 2006-2007
  
  
• Review meeting at the House of Lords advising SFG to focus on specific initiatives for the Middle East, 2007.

Middle East (2007-2009). The initiative stems from the work on West-Islam relations (above) with strong political mandate. It has two components.

• Cost of Conflict in the Middle East - in partnership with the Government of Switzerland - Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Qatar Foundation and the AK Party of Turkey
• Inclusive and Semi-permanent Conference in the Middle East. It is based on a policy paper prepared by SFG and launched at roundtables hosted in the House of Lords, London, and East West Institute, New York. The paper is in circulation, including amongst senior leaders of the two main parties in the United States. It will be presented for public debate in 2009.