European Commission, con- sidered these and other ques- tions surrounding religion in the modern world.

At Institut Aspen France\u2019s board of trustees meeting in Paris on June 12, Jean-Paul Bailly, chairman of La Poste, and Charles Beigbeder, CEO of Poweo, were nomi- nated to the Supervisory Board. In addition, eight new members were nominated to the Advisory Board: Michel Barnier, former French Min- ister for Foreign Affairs; Isabelle Berrebi-Hoffmann, researcher with CNRS; Emmanuel Cueff, executive director of Le Point; Martin Hirsch, chairman of Emma\u00fcs France; Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric Lenoir, editing director of Le Monde des Religions; Jean- Christophe Ruffin, chairman of Action contre la Faim; Javier Santiso, deputy direc- tor and chief development economist with OCDE; Hubert V\u00e9drine, former French Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Regional conference in pre- lude to the World Life Sci- ences Forum, organized in partnership with BioVision

119, rue Pierre Corneille
69003 Lyon
France
Tel. + 33 4 72 41 93 12
www.aspenfrance.org

Institut Aspen France, founded in 1983, is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, international center for discussion and dia- logue. Aspen France has two goals: to help regional, national, and international leaders \u2014 from the economic, political, academic, and nonprofit sectors, unions, and the media \u2014 identify the challenges they must face in seeking solutions to the problems of our times; and to facilitate informal meetings of leaders from different geo- graphical, cultural, and professional worlds.

To these ends, Institut Aspen France, located in Lyon since 1994, offers international conferences and semi- nars addressing the major economic, social, and politi- cal issues of the day. It also hosts meetings and debates on regional issues.

At its third International Conference on Transatlantic Relations in May, Institut Aspen France narrowed its focus to Europe-US relations \u2014 specifically external chal- lenges that could strain them. Conversation immedi- ately turned to Russia, Iran, and energy supplies, and, eventually, the Bush Admin- istration\u2019s policies. Partici- pants including Boyden Gray, US ambassador to the EU, former French defense minister Alain Richard, NATO deputy assistant sec- retary general Patrick Hardouin, and trustees of the Institute (US) built conversa- tion around three topics: \u201cWill the Atlantic Alliance still be a reality beyond sim- ply a symbolic role?\u201d; \u201cThe

Energy Challenge: the United States and Europe facing Russia and Iran\u201d; and \u201cExpansion of Democracy: European and American Viewpoints and Outlooks.\u201d

What impact have religions felt from globalization, and how will they evolve under its influence? Will they in turn have an influence on globalization? If so, how? In July in Lyon at the second International Conference on the Stakes of Religious Issues, 40 experts including Peter Oppenheimer, presi- dent of the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies; Thimothy Shah, senior fel- low for religion and world affairs at the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life; and Michael Weninger, political adviser to the president of the

INSTITUT
ASPEN
FRANCE

European government leaders discussed relations with the United States
at Institut Aspen France\u2019s third annual International Conference on
Transatlantic Relations in May in Lyon.

ety. Participants agreed gen- erally that patriotism \u2014 not protectionism \u2014 is a positive force that means attracting investments to Italy, reinstat- ing the rule of law, and rein- forcing control mechanisms. Participants weighed future challenges for Italy and dis- cussed ways to preserve the country\u2019s cultural legacy.

As a part of the Institute\u2019s \u201cWorld Economy\u201d series, Aspen Italia held a confer- ence July 7\u20138 in Florence, where discussion centered around the Asia-Pacific link. Participants looked at how the East is reshaping the West, the increasing disparity between the developing world and the developed world, energy security, and the prospects for a more effective and efficient global governance, especially in light of strong, dynamic growth in the East \u2014 not just in China and India but in Japan as well.

Finally, on July 17 in Milan, a fourth Aspen Italia conference focused on new frontiers in biotechnology. Participants considered the

consequences of modern developments in science and technology on human health, reproduction, food supplies, economic growth, and quality of life. Discus- sion focused particularly on how Italy might take advan- tage of new discoveries.

Since April 2006, Aspen Italia has also published three issues of its prestigious journal on international affairs,A s p e n i a. Contribut- ing authors include Bob Geldof, Peter Sutherland, Jeffrey Sachs, Carlo Scog- namiglio, Ali Mufuruki, Prince Hassan of Jordan, Robert Kaplan, Daniel Ver- net, Alvin Toffler, Beppe Sev- ergnini, Ivor Roberts, and many more. Visit www. aspeninstitute.it to read a selection of articles from past issues.

The Aspen Women\u2019s Work- shop: \u201cThe Future of the Broader Middle East\u201d

International Conference and Transatlantic Dialogue on \u201cBusiness and Democ- racy: Bringing the Middle East out of Crisis\u201d

Piazza dei Santi
Apostoli, 49
00187 Roma
Tel. + 39.06.9784511
www.aspeninstitute.it

Aspen Institute Italia has established itself as a leader in promoting enlightened dialogue in Europe and across the Atlantic through conferences, seminars, and studies on international issues relating to economics, business, politics, and security. It has significantly increased its membership over the past several years, with a current total of more than 300 board members. It has also con- siderably broadened its outreach through its quarterly journalAspenia, which is sold at bookstores throughout Italy as well as distributed to embassies, universities, and think tanks all over the world.

Aspen Italia\u2019s policy programs concentrate primarily on Euro-American issues, including the reorganization of a 25-member European Union, economic global gover- nance, and the political and economic evolution of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries. Aspen Italia conferences and roundtables bring together high- level international leaders from business, politics, finance, and academia in off-the-record settings, often with in-depth focus on a single topic.

The Aspen Seminars for Leaders represent an innova- tive, enriched, and distinctly European interpretation of the Aspen Executive Seminar. Open to top managers of enterprises, organizations, and associations (including non-members), these discussions have recently included themes such as infrastructure and transportation; the postmodern society; information, democracy, and com- munications; and the challenge of a global market for southern Italy.

Since April 2006, Aspen Italia has organized several roundtables and conferences on domestic issues such as telecommunications, eco- nomic leadership, banking, the national interest, Italian culture, poverty, and entre- preneurialism. At a round- table on political and eco-

nomic stability in the Balkans, the Aspen Institute announced its new interna- tional partner in Romania (see page 27).

Aspen Italia also organ- ized a conference specifi- cally for the Aspen Junior Fellows on May 19\u201320, focusing on redefining patri- otism in Italy in terms of economy, culture, and soci-

, a multidisciplinary jour-
nal with articles by Italian and
international figures on a variety
of issues.

The fourth installment of the Aspen Dialogue on World Economy Series,
entitled \u201cThe Asia-Pacific Link: How the East Is Reshaping the West,\u201d was
held in Florence July 7\u20138.

In early June, the Aspen Institute Japan co-sponsored the Corporate Values Con- ference in Tokyo with Booz Allen Hamilton, Fuji Xerox, and the Fuji Xerox Learning Institute. Ralph Shrader, CEO of Booz Allen Hamil- ton, opened the conference by reporting the findings of a joint-research project on the topic conducted by the Aspen Institute and Booz Allen Hamilton.

In late September, a new five-day Executive Seminar for business executives and local government officials was launched in the Tohoku area, the northern part of Honshu Island. After the seminar, Aspen Institute Japan held a public sympo- sium in Yamagata City in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the sister-state relationship between the Yamagata Prefecture and the state of Colorado. Modera-

tors from the previous Execu- tive Seminar served as speak- ers on the panel at the sym- posium.

The International House
of Japan
11-16 Roppongi 5-chome
Minato-ku
Tokyo 106-0032
Japan
Tel. + 81-3-3470-3211
i-house@aspeninstitute.jp

Seminar Office
3-1-1 Roppongi
Roppongi T-CUBE 14F
Minato-ku
Tokyo 106-0032
Japan
Tel. + 81-3-5574-1801

In Japan, the Aspen idea has been adapted to incorpo- rate Eastern \u2014 especially Japanese \u2014 ideas. Aspen Institute Japan offers the Nippon Aspen Executive Sem- inar (NAES) three or four times each year. Based on the traditional Aspen Executive Seminar, NAES features many of the original\u2019s essential characteristics: exten- sive reading and intensive discussion; an emphasis on self-teaching, not training; and diversity as a priority at the discussion table.

As much as the seminars have in common, the read- ings from NAES diverge from those of the original. Compiled by two Japanese scholars who have taken the Aspen Executive Seminar, the readings have been adapted to include both Western and non-Western \u2014 in particular Japanese \u2014 values, history, traditions, and philosophy so that they may better fit Japanese leaders.

Each seminar focuses on five themes: Japan and the World; Nature and Life; Cognition; Beauty; and Faith, Humanity, and Democracy. Readings from Western sources include Dante\u2019s Divine Comedy; the Dialogues of Plato; Immanuel Kant\u2019s Perpetual Peace; John Locke\u2019s

Concerning Civil Government;Alexis de Tocqueville\u2019s Democracy in America;Charles Darwin\u2019s Origin of Species;and Francis Bacon\u2019s Advancement of Learning.

Following the success of its first Young Executive Semi- nar, Aspen Institute Japan held its second Young Execu- tive Seminar in Kanagawa in late May. The seminar,

which provides rising young executives with valuable opportunities to talk about common experiences and challenges, incorporated readings by great authors both from the East and the West. The third seminar is scheduled for early Decem- ber 2006.