Europe-Asia dialogue: idealistic globalists in Deauville

At the International conference centre in Deauville, France, nearly 250 company leaders and major international groups from Europe and Asia, ambassadors and plenipotentiary attachés, economic, political and cultural observers, gathered on Friday 10 March 2006 to discuss a new, ambitious theme, The World Economy for All: Europe-Asia Dialogue. For its first edition, the World Deauville Forum as it was named by its founders (the Tomorrow’s World association) chose to look at corporate social responsibility (CSR). “New globalisation promises to be even more rapid and intense,” as Guy Caudamine, President of the Forum, declared at the opening session.

“Although globalisation brings uncontested progress, it also deepens the divisions and injustices between different regions of the world and also within these regions. Companies are at the heart of the system and have the power to take up a challenge: developing an economy that benefits all. Why? Because it is a necessity and private companies know that it is in their interests to preserve social peace.” Founded in partnership with the municipality of Deauville, the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) and the Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM), and under the patronage of the President of the Republic, Jacques Chirac, the World Deauville Forum was also an excellent means of developing economic relations between European and Asian countries, especially through cooperation programmes and education. The Korean ambassador Wonil Cho, a founding member of the Forum, expressed his hopes that the dialogue would “play a very important part in forging relations and promoting further reflection and enhanced knowledge of our countries’ different cultures.”

Palpable enthusiasm
The dialogue took place in three plenary sessions and two workshops. Can we trust economic and cultural dialogue between civilisations? Are Asians and Europeans looking to each other in terms of working culture? Does European business tailor its products for the Asian consumer and vice-versa? Does sustainable development create value for companies and organisations? What form of governance in years to come? Representatives from leading companies and international specialists led the discussions on all these issues, before a highly attentive audience. In fact, at the end of each session, small groups quite often formed to continue the discussions. The audience particularly appreciated the frank, objective tone used by the speakers, who sometimes even went against the general consensus. The Forum successfully attained one of its aims: to bring together entrepreneurial, economic and cultural communities. "We are enthusiastic globalists, but we are not always satisfied with the way globalisation is going today. It provides growth, but sometimes forgets to ensure that people are its focal point. This forum has helped us think about values such as protecting our planet, taking into account ethics and respecting human rights" declared Daniel Lebègue, Chairman of the French Institute of Directors.

A word to the wise
As a founding member of the Tomorrow's World association, Christian de Boissieu, who is a university Professor and head of the Economic Council at the French Prime Minister’s Office, took part in the closing session of the World Deauville Forum, reflecting on what brings Europe and Asia together and what separates them. He recommended: “If Europe is to be credible in its discussions with Asia, it must manage to solve its economic problems. When a zone with a 2% growth rate takes the liberty of trying to giving lessons to a zone with a 10% rate, it is likely to lack credibility. Europe must therefore take its future into its own hands, stimulate growth and improve its competitiveness. It must comply with the Lisbon agenda. I also believe that Europe would be in a better position to dialogue with Asia if it gave it the place it deserves. The G8 is dead, but no one wants to admit it. We must set up a G15 or a G20, because the world must give the Asian countries a legitimate place. Europe should lead the way in this". The World Deauville Forum sent many messages to the authorities and most certainly managed to lay the foundations of an ambitious project. Given the enthusiasm of the entrepreneurs who attended the conference, Guy Caudamine made no secret of the fact that he intends to organise another meeting next year, suggesting that it could be held on 23 and 24 March 2007.