Description

May 13, 2008


Mr. Shamil Idriss
Acting Director
866 UN Plaza,
Suite 300
New York, NY, 10017

Dear Mr. Idriss,
I was introduced to the Alliance of Civilizations project by Amb. Kenan Ipek who presented the outlines of the program at a special presentation he gave during a luncheon hosted by the Niagara Foundation back in March. I was deeply impressed by the vision he outlined and the great potential and importance of this program in helping to resolve what is perhaps the central issue of our time.
Since that presentation I have taken some time and effort to learn more about the program in particular visiting your website and specifically watching your YouTube video “Shamil Idriss on the Alliance of Civilizations” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzqoa... The video speaks both for itself and to the power of global internet video media.
I have had the privilege of serving as a host for several internet TV talk show programs – Nanotech Today, Eye on Harvard and Insights in Medicine – produced here in the Chicago and broadcast worldwide by the InTimeTV network headed by Mr. Jack McInerney. I’ve interviewed many prominent individuals and while not specifically directed as such have nevertheless hosted several issues pertinent to foreign policy issues and global intercommunication more generally. Some of these episodes have been compiled onto a website (http://allianceofcivilizations.tv/) which could serve as the nucleus for the following idea.
Simply put: an internet TV talk show to facilitate global intercommunication featuring the following three categories of guests.
1. Leading foreign policy leaders and academicians discussing topics at a high-level pertaining to greater communication and understanding among different groups and civilizations.
2. Representatives (both leaders as well as ordinary folk) from different groups that have had historical or present enmities sitting at the same table and discussing their differences as well as shared values broadcast worldwide via internet TV.
3. Using Skype (or related technologies) to bring representatives of these groups together – again via internet TV – to not only open communication among these groups but to demonstrate that it is possible worldwide. In this latter regard, I have a good friend in Israel – a journalist, for example, who would like to share a table and discussion with a leading moderate Hamas politician.
As you know, internet TV is globally accessible, globally searchable and even viewable on certain cell phones making this medium particularly powerful. I have discussed this with several individuals here in Chicago who agree that this is both feasible and desirable. Of course, I recognize that coordination at some level with the overall AOC program at the U.N. is necessary and hence I am writing to you for your input and suggestions for next steps.


Yours sincerely,



Ogan Gurel
gurel@post.harvard.edu (312) 246-5160


cc: Amb. Kenan Ipek (Consul General of Turkey in Chicago), Mr. Gideon Blustein (District Director for Rep. Melissa Bean), Amb. Faruk Logoglu (former Ambassador of Turkey to the United States, Mr. Hilmi Cinar (Associate Director of the Niagara Foundation) and Mr. Jack McInerney (CEO of InTimeTV).


http://www.linkedin.com/in/ogangurel