In collaboration with the Geneva Diplomatic Club, the opening ceremony of the Caux Democracy Forum will take place at the Caux Palace on 15 July at 16:00 CEST, followed by a reception and concert organised with the support of the Montreux Jazz Artists Foundation.
With an expected in-person attendance of three hundred people, the event will also be streamed online. If you're not planning to attend the entire four-day residential forum, you can still register for the opening ceremony. To secure your place for the Opening Ceremony, we kindly ask you to fill out the online registration form.
A complete line-up of speakers will be announced in the upcoming weeks.
The organisation will leverage the expertise and diverse geographical and cultural backgrounds of members within the Initiatives of Change network, as well as strengthen and cultivate partnerships.
Partnership lies at the heart of the Caux Foundation's endeavors, with a commitment to fostering a collaborative and cooperative mindset that permeates Caux's culture, strategies, and operations.
The Geneva Diplomatic Club is recognised as the official Club of International Geneva by the Swiss Confederation, the Republic and Canton of Geneva, the City of Geneva and the United Nations Office at Geneva. Its mission is to bring the international community together, stimulate links and exchanges, and contribute to the development of relations with the host state. Its 850 members are representative of the diversity of players in International Geneva (diplomats, international civil servants, directors of non-governmental organisations, Swiss personalities and businessmen).
The Caux Initiatives of Change Foundation is a Swiss private charitable foundation with its center for dialogue, the Caux Palace, in Caux, above Montreux, Switzerland. The Caux Palace has become a historic venue bringing together a diverse range of people to address the world’s political, economic and societal challenges together.
Caux Initiatives of Change mission is to provide a safe and privileged space to inspire, equip and connect individuals, groups and organisations from around the globe to engage effectively and innovatively in the promotion of trust, ethical leadership, sustainable living and human security.
Initiatives of Change International is a voluntary, donation- and grant-funded nonprofit association of national legal bodies (national teams) and international programmes. Registered in Caux, Switzerland, they coordinate the world-wide Initiatives of Change people’s movement, uniting a community of people of diverse cultures and backgrounds, who are committed to the transformation of society through changes in human motives and behaviour, starting with their own.
Initiatives of Change International have special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the UN (ECOSOC), participatory status at the Council of Europe as well as a seat at the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
JEAN-MARC VIGNOLI, Violonist
Jean-Marc Vignoli is a musician and lives in France. After training as both a violinist and an engineer, and a long career in industry, he (re)discovered the path to his own creative expression. For the last ten years or so, he has been living and sharing the mysteries of sound, improvisation and creativity and has also recorded several CDs. Jean-Marc Vignoli describes himself as a 'tailor-made' violinist. The music he plays is inspired by the message, the mood and the moment in which it takes place. Having become aware of the therapeutic dimension of music, he has turned his attention to the dimension of sound that soothes, relieves and harmonises, helping to transform and heal the human being in intimate contact with nature.
IGNACIO PACKER, Executive Director Caux Initiatives of Change Foundation
Ignacio Packer was appointed as Executive Director of the Caux Initiatives of Change Foundation in May 2023. Until March 2023, he served as Executive Director of ICVA, the global consortium of humanitarian NGOs. ICVA is a global network of non-governmental organisations whose mission is to make humanitarian action more principled and effective by working collectively and independently to influence policy and practice. Ignacio has over 30 years of experience in humanitarian work and development issues. He served a five-year term as Secretary General of the Terre des Hommes International Federation, and previously worked for the Terre des Hommes Foundation, the Swiss Tropical Institute, the European Association for Development and Health, Medecins Sans Frontieres, KPMG and the European Bank for Latin America. He is an expert on human rights and social issues. He has been strongly engaged in global advocacy on protection frameworks for migrants and refugees with a particular focus on children and youth. Passionate for long-distance challenges, he is also an enthusiastic ultra-trail runner.
JACQUELINE COTÉ, President Caux Initiatives of Change Foundation
Jacqueline Coté was the Director of Public Relations and previously Head of Communications at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva from 2009 to 2021. In that role she was instrumental in building the new campus of the Institute, the Maison de la Paix, as a vibrant centre of conferences and seminars, thus solidifying the reputation and outreach of the Institute in International Geneva and beyond. Prior to that Ms Coté was the Permanent Representative to the UN of the International Chamber of Commerce and also served as Senior Advisor Advocacy & Partnerships to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. In the early part of her career, Ms Coté practiced as an international lawyer in Canada and Switzerland and held management positions with multinational companies SGS and DuPont. Ms Coté believes that the global agenda can best be tackled by linking the public, private and non-profit sectors, and that dialogue and empathy are essential tools to achieve the sustainable development goals. She recently trained as a mediator at Harvard Law School and joined the board of several associations to continue her engagement with International Geneva. Ms Coté has Swiss, Canadian and British nationalities, is a member of the Bar of Quebec and has two grown-up children who share her passion about tackling today’s global challenges in their areas of work.
RAYMOND LORETAN, Chairman Geneva Diplomatic Club
A former Swiss Ambassador to Singapore and Consul General in New York, Raymond Loretan is a political entrepreneur who, after leaving the Foreign Office in 2006, became Chairman and Director of several companies and foundations in fields as diverse as health, the hotel industry, chemicals, watchmaking and documentary cinema. He has been President of the Geneva Diplomatic Club since 2016, with the priority of decompartmentalising the worlds of diplomacy, economics, politics, academia and culture.
AMBASSADOR THOMAS GUERBER, Head of UN Division, Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs
Ambassador Thomas Guerber was appointed Director of DCAF - Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance on 24 November 2015 and took up his function on 1 July 2016. He brings to the position extensive experience in multilateral diplomacy and policy development relating to human security, human rights and sustainable development.
From 2010 to 2013, Ambassador Guerber was Switzerland’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York. From 2007 to 2010, he worked as a Counsellor for financial, budgetary and institutional issues at Switzerland’s Permanent Mission to the UN in New York. Prior to these assignments, he held various functions within the Swiss Department of Foreign Affairs’ Human Security Division, including Head of Section for Peace Policy and Human Security. He entered the Swiss diplomatic service in 1997.
Thomas Guerber holds an LL.M. degree in public international law and international economic law from the University of Berne, a master’s degree in European integration and economics from Institute for European Global Studies (Basel) and a master’s degree in history and literature from the University of Basel. Apart from his mother tongue German, he is fluent in English and French. He is married and has two sons.
NADA AL-NASHIF, United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights
Appointed United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights effective February 2020, Nada Al-Nashif has over 30 years of experience within the United Nations as an economist and development practitioner. Previously, Ms. Al-Nashif served as Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences at UNESCO (Paris), as Assistant Director-General & Regional Director of the International Labour Organization's Regional Office for Arab States (Beirut) and at the United Nations Development Programme in various headquarters (New York) and field assignments. She holds a B.A. in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Balliol, Oxford University and a Master's in Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School, Harvard University.
Three youth from three continents sharing testimonies of their day-to-day life and what democracy means for them
MARUEE PAHUJA, Expressive Arts Therapy Facilitator & Strategist, Visual Artist & Eye-care Practitioner
Maruee Pahuja, an impassioned Expressive Arts Therapy facilitator and strategist, visual artist, and eye-care practitioner, is dedicated to enriching lives through the power of arts and science. As an Expressive Arts Consultant with Caux Initiatives of Change, she contributes strategic insights to foster robust dialogues in peacebuilding using arts-based approaches. Additionally, she serves as a core team member of Creative Leadership, driving content creation and strategy. Currently, she is designing a programme/project on Conscious Art with the School of Conscious Politics and is building on a pilot program in arts-based coaching with Step Ahead Berlin, one of the leading institutes in Expressive Arts, alongside the assistant dean of the European Graduate School. At Natasha Eye Care and Research Centre, she holds the role of Head of Optometry and Specialty Contact Lens Consultant. Here, she leads and trains teams of optometrists and optometry interns, spearheads social media strategies, and delivers exceptional clinical care, specialising in innovative approaches with specialty contact lenses. Maruee's journey is marked by pioneering efforts in developing arts-based therapeutic interventions and leading workshops that inspire profound transformation. From crafting curriculums to strategizing content that incites action, Maruee navigates the complexities of human emotions and societal needs with unwavering creativity and compassion.
JONAS TRUNEH, Project Development Officer at Triangle
Jonas Truneh's journey with Caux began in 2017 during the Just Governance for Human Security conference, marking the start of his deep connection to Initiatives of Change's principles. His subsequent involvement in the Caux Scholars Program in 2018 solidified his commitment. In 2019, Jonas immersed himself in leadership principles at the Caux Peace and Leadership Programme, further cementing his dedication. Now, as a founding member of the Creative Leadership team, he continues to contribute to Caux's mission. Based in Beirut, Jonas serves as a project development officer at Triangle, a social enterprise acting as both a think tank and an international development consultancy. Leveraging his expertise in program development and project management, Jonas spearheads strategic initiatives, drawing from his rich international background. He holds an MSc in International Public Policy from University College London and a BA degree with First-Class Honours in Religion, Politics, and Society from King’s College London.
SIDRA RASLAN, Logistics and Outreach Lead Creative Leadership
Sidra Raslan from Syria is the logistics and outreach lead of Creative Leadership, a youth-led Caux Initiatives of Change initiative for young leaders that organises programmes focused on dialogue and storytelling. Sidra also volunteers on topics of refugees rights and inclusion, inner development, and youth empowerment. Sidra holds a masters degree in environmental, economic and social sustainability from UAB and works at HP on their partner sustainability programme.
SARAH NOBLE, Head of Global Engagement, Caux Initiatives of Change
Sarah Noble is the Head of Global Engagement at the Caux Initiatives of Change Foundation. She is passionate about showcasing people's stories about how we build peace with each other and the planet. She brings with her more than 20 years of experience and has held leadership positions at international organisations focused on peacebuilding, humanitarian issues, and independent media. Sarah is co-founder and curator of the Peace Talks at Interpeace and also served as Director of External Relations at The New Humanitarian, a non-profit newsroom that puts quality, independent journalism at the service of the millions of people affected by humanitarian crises around the world. In her TEDx talk, Storytelling is Our Real-Life Superpower, she invites us to embrace this ability to take on the existential issues of our time and create a better future.
PATRICK CHAPPATTE, Cartoonist
Patrick Chappatte was born in Pakistan in 1967 to a mother of Lebanese origin and a Swiss father. Published in the world's leading newspapers, he quickly made a name for himself with his incisive and caustic take on current affairs in Europe and around the world. He has worked for Le Temps, the NZZ, Der Spiegel, Le Canard enchaîné and The New York Times. He chairs the Freedom Cartoonist Foundation, inspired by Plantu and Nobel Peace Prize winner Kofi Annan, and is involved in a number of initiatives to promote peace and democracy around the world.
17:30 - 18:00 CEST: REFRESHMENTS
18:00 - 18:45 CEST: CONCERT with the support of the Montreux Jazz Artists Foundation
NOLA KIN, Musician and Singer
Nola Kin is all about embracing her inner chaos and staying true to herself. The Zurich-based singer-songwriter brings raw energy to her performances. With a powerful voice and a unique guitar style, backed by a band that can range from four to seven members, including horn sections, she creates an electrifying atmosphere on stage. Nola Kin is an overthinker with a brain that does wild things, which mostly inspired her latest EP, „Mayhem“. Inspired by artists like Blake Mills, Bon Iver, and Dijon, her music blends Indie folk, soul, country, and Americana into a lush sound with attitude. For Nola Kin, music is therapy—a way to let go and be herself. From the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival to venues in Copenhagen, Nola Kin's performances have left audiences captivated. She is currently nominated for the "Artist Award" at the Swiss Music Awards, an honor reserved for exceptional musicians (photo: Andrin Fretz)
19:00 - 20:00 CEST: RECEPTION / BUFFET-STYLE DINNER
20:00 - 21:30 CEST:
The Opening Ceremony of the Caux Democracy Forum will take place on 15 July (16:00 - 17:45 CEST) at the Caux Palace.
If you're not planning to attend the full four-day residential Caux Demoracy Forum, you can still register for the opening ceremony and join us in Caux or online. To secure your place for the Opening Ceremony, we kindly ask you to fill out the online registration form from 20 March onwards.
Please note that for day guests, the event in Caux includes the Opening Ceremony, dinner and the concert: CHF 70.-
The Caux Democracy Forum starts with the Opening Ceremony at the Caux Palace on Monday, 15 July at 16:00 CEST.
Attendees who have booked the full Forum packages (15 - 19 July) are asked to check in from 15:00 CEST on the 15 July. For participants who arrive early on 15 July and would like to drop off their luggage at the Caux Palace before official check-in times a luggage room will be available.
For further information, please get in touch BY EMAIL.
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Please note that if you have already registered or are planning to register for the full residential Caux Democracy Forum at the Caux Palace, you do not need to register separately for the Opening Ceremony as it is part of your package.
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Evelyn Vy Nguyen is from Vietnam and came to Switzerland in 2013 where she studied at SHMS at the Caux Palace and completed her Bachelor degree in International Hospitality Management. She has fallen in love with Switzerland and has a great passion for the business and hospitality industry. She has been to Asia, Europe, America and Australia as she loves to explore many different cultures and cuisines from all around the world.
Amid escalating conflicts worldwide, the arts emerge as a potent force to challenge misconceptions and foster positive perspectives. The pivotal role of artists in creatively raising awareness has never been more important. Last summer, at the Caux Forum, three remarkable artists offered profound reflections on diverse realities.
A dark theatre with dimmed light in blue and purple, just enough to see where you are going without stumbling. In a corner, an accoustic guitar, playing music - etheric, haunting and beautiful. A range of photos projected on the ceiling. And a woman, sitting alone on the stage in front of a camp fire, carving wooden sticks into stakes to protect her home, while behind her, a video projection shows her lying in a glass container in the cold water of a river.
Talking feels out of place, even whispering is conceived as a disturbance. Listening, watching, writing seem the best way to absorb what is going on. The music never stops and neither does the woman on stage, carving the wooden stakes at the fire in the middle of a war, far from home.
Between the rows of empty seats there are signs, maze-like, with stark words in bold: “Shelter” or “Home?” and visitors are discreetly urged to ponder their definition of home before departing.
This evocative visual arts installation, brought to the Caux Palace during the Caux Forum 2023 by Ukrainian artists Polina Kuznietsova and Kateryna (Katya) Tretiakova, alongside Norwegian musician Sveinung Nygaard, offers a poignant testament to the power of art in fostering empathy and understanding amidst turmoil.
Polina and Katya, tell us about yourself!
Polina: I am Polina Kuznietsova, I am an artist from Kharkiv, Ukraine and I do exhibitions. Most of the time I do paintings but I am also interested in analytical psychology.
Katya: My name is Kateryna - or Katya - Tretiakova and I also live in Ukraine. I am a photographer and I am also a psychologist.
Are you both full-time artists or is art a hobby for you?
Polina: There were tense situations in my life when I was wondering whether to become a full-time artist or not and every time I felt it like a crisis. But how can I not be an artist when I am an artist?
Katya: For me it is a bit different. I started studying psychology, but photography has always been my hobby. At some time it turned into my profession. But when I finish with my studies, I am thinking of combining both and bring a more therapeutic sense of psychology into photography. It is something I originally never believed it might be possible. But there is a branch in psychology which is called photo-therapy. It means dealing with and talking about feelings through images, through photography. It can be very helpful, especially for people who find it hard to express what they feel through words.There are different techniques, like choosing and talking about a picture that shows what I feel or picking a picture that I feel is important to me and talk about that. I love talking about this! (laughs).
Do you feel that combining those two fields is going to be important for your country and the people there?
Katya: When the war started I was wondering what I could I do for my country. At the beginning I was thinking that maybe I should go to the front line, but frankly speaking I am not a great warrior. But photography and psychology can help others, so I hope that I can be helpful through what I love doing.
The art project you brought to Caux is called “Home?”. Why is there a question mark at the end?
Polina: The topic of home worries me much because at my home right now not everything is good and this is something I am constantly thinking about. When I travel I always think about what I can do for myself in order to feel at home. Not long ago I went to my original home where I come from. But I didn’t really feel at home anymore. Something was missing. There was a lack of something. I guess it was security.
Where is home for you?
Polina: That is a good question. My home is Ukraine. My home is Kharkiv. This is where my family and friends are. But now it’s so hard to go there and have all this.
At the arts installation there is a also video where we can see you in a glass container in the water. What made you think of this idea - of being in the water but nevertheless visible?
Polina: I actually wrote a long article about this. I was mainly thinking of the attack to a power station in Ukraine and I was thinking of different meanings. The glass container could represent part of a Museum of Anatomy and I was in there, like an object or like an expression, trying to imagine what it could be like to be in cold water. It was very cold and I stayed for 85 minutes in all. I hadn't really thought before how long I would stay in the water. Originally I wanted to do this performance at a different place but then I chose this one because I really liked it.
Katya, tell me about your role in the arts project.
Katya: There was this project I did with a friend back home. She is a photographer and artist and she has been to different places and she was also visiting military. She has been at the front line and I thought it would be interesting to talk about this and express through her story what other people might go through. In the "HOME?" arts installation we projected some of my photos onto the ceiling and I read out aloud our personal views about home to the audience.
While you are in the theatre as a spectator, you ask them to write down what you feel.
Katya: Yes, I ask some people who come in: "What is home for you? Can you please share and also your feelings when you think about this." Some of them shared, but others decided to keep their emotions to themselves.
There is a contradiction when you are in the room – the light and the music made you feel like a cocoon, it felt...nice. On the other hand, the topic is definitely not "nice". Was the way you prepared the setting deliberate?
Katya: Probably it’s what you felt personally. I am actually happy that you experienced it as nice to be there, even though the topic was so difficult. Some people who came just felt bad in general. But everyone has a right to their own feelings.
Do you think there are limits of what art can do, for example in a situation like back at your home in Ukraine?
Katya: My answer is short: Art has no limits!
What encourages you most as an artist? What makes you tick?
Polina: For me, art is a type of reflection of what is happening inside and outside of me.
What is currently on the horizon for you as an artist?
Katya: I hope that I can use photography and my knowledge in psychology in order to help people to build up the confidence they lost through traumatic events in their lives and I would like to support people with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) to come back to life.
Do you think your arts installation has its place here in Caux, that it is important to be here? What is your hope for this installation at the Caux Palace?
Polina: After the attacks when something really terrible happened I realized that the world wasn’t paying much attention to it. When I came here with this performance I was hoping to share about this and I hope that in Caux there are people who will see and notice it. Another reason for bringing the project here was also because it is a way to express what I feel.
Katya: I feel it definitely plays a huge role here, especially for people who don’t know much about what is happening. We didn't only do several performances during the Caux Forum but we wanted to go even further in making people think. So after Polina had finished carving the wooden sticks into pointed stakes, we went into the Caux Palace gardens and stuck them into the ground, like a fence, as a symbolic protection for Caux.
This is your first time at the Caux Palace. How does it feel to be in this environment with so many people from all over the world?
Katya: It’s very exciting, I must confess. I have met and talked to people from countries I have never been to and which whom I have never managed to talk to before. It’s very interesting for me to hear opinions I might not always share, but just to see and hear the difference.
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Polina Kuznietsova was born in 1985 in Kharkiv, Ukraine. She graduated from the Kharkiv Art Academy of Design and Arts at tje Faculty of Fine Arts, specializing in easel painting. She has has been engaged in fine arts since 2008, has taken part in international exhibitions and her paintings are part of private collections in Ukraine, the US, Estonia, China, and the Philippines. Her art has been described as "magical realism." and her paintings often show the space of dreams rather than time and reality. Polina prefers to combine volume with decorative elements rather than perspective. In her texts and paintings, she reflects on external events and internal personal processes and since February 2022, she has been focusing all her creativity and thoughts on raising awareness to the events in her country. As it is not easy for her in current circumstances to dedicate a lot of time expressing herself with painting techniques, Polina has also been engaged in media art and performance where she appreciates the technique of quick and immediate reaction to events.
Kateryna (Katya) Tretiakova was born in Kremenchuk, Ukraine. She is a photographer and currently studying for a degree in psychology. Her favourite genres in photography are portraits and body image. For her, the camera is a tool which helps her freeze a moment in order "to catch a little thought in a person's eyes". Katya is passionate about combining her two activities in order to be able to help others overcome trauma and difficult times in their lives: "They may seem like very different fields, but in my mind, they are very close. (...) Both, conversation and photography, may heal if the listener/viewer is attentive, tolerant and open-hearted."
Sveinung Nygaard is from Norway and works as a professional composer, with MA in Audio Production from University of Westminster. He has composed music for world handball championship in Qatar, the TV series Freej in Dubai and has his own musical project called FLYT which explores how music can unite a mosaic of cultures. Sveinung believes in telling stories with music and connecting people. Sveinung gave several performances last year during the Caux Forum 2023, including the Opening Ceremony and the arts installation "HOME?".
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At Initiatives of Change, the arts have always played an important role in connecting people and in creating bridges across our world's divides. Our concept of Hospitality for Change is not only about providing the best possible welcome and service at the Caux Palace, but also about recognising the power of artistic expression to promote understanding, trust, peacebuilding and positive social change. We are therefore delighted that the Caux Palace theatre continues to serve this purpose and look forward to offering more inspiring events.
Interview & video by Ulrike Ott Chanu
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The Opening Ceremony for the Caux Inner Development Goals Forum will be held at the Maison de la Paix in Geneva. Bringing together 200 participants and distinguished speakers drawn from the Inner Development Goals and Initiatives of Change communities, civil society, government, youth movements, academia and business, the ceremony promises to be a vibrant convergence of ideas and perspectives.
Following the ceremony, attendees will have the opportunity to network and engage further during a coffee break.
JACQUELINE COTÉ, President Caux Initiatives of Change Foundation
Jacqueline Coté was the Director of Public Relations and previously Head of Communications at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva from 2009 to 2021. In that role she was instrumental in building the new campus of the Institute, the Maison de la Paix, as a vibrant centre of conferences and seminars, thus solidifying the reputation and outreach of the Institute in International Geneva and beyond. Prior to that Ms Coté was the Permanent Representative to the UN of the International Chamber of Commerce and also served as Senior Advisor Advocacy & Partnerships to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. In the early part of her career, Ms Coté practiced as an international lawyer in Canada and Switzerland and held management positions with multinational companies SGS and DuPont. Jacqueline Coté believes that the global agenda can best be tackled by linking the public, private and non-profit sectors, and that dialogue and empathy are essential tools to achieve the sustainable development goals. She recently trained as a mediator at Harvard Law School and joined the board of several associations to continue her engagement with International Geneva. Jacqueline Coté has Swiss, Canadian and British nationalities, is a member of the Bar of Quebec and has two grown-up children who share her passion about tackling today’s global challenges in their areas of work.
JAN ARTEM HENRIKSSON, Executive Director Inner Development Goals
Jan Artem Henriksson is the Executive Director of the Inner Development Goals (IDGs) – a global initiative that develops inner abilities, skills and other qualities for people and organizations to contribute to a more sustainable global society. He also initiated ‘MindShift: Growth that Matters’ – a global conference bringing academia, public sector and business together to focus on the link between human growth and sustainable development. In the past, Jan has been a public speaker and adviser for several global organizations and governments, and he also founded two companies: 1) Self Leaders – a Nordic leadership development company that has put 70 000+ people through leadership development programs and, 2) Relate – a relationship building app and thought leader for healthy relationships. Jan is also a faculty member and senior lecturer at Stockholm School of Economics Executive Education and a board member at Ekskaret Foundation.
IGNACIO PACKER, Executive Director, Caux Initiatives of Change Foundation
Ignacio Packer was appointed as Executive Director of the Caux Initiatives of Change Foundation in May 2023. Until March 2023, he served as Executive Director of ICVA, the global consortium of humanitarian NGOs. ICVA is a global network of non-governmental organisations whose mission is to make humanitarian action more principled and effective by working collectively and independently to influence policy and practice. Ignacio has over 30 years of experience in humanitarian work and development issues. He served a five-year term as Secretary General of the Terre des Hommes International Federation, and previously worked for the Terre des Hommes Foundation, the Swiss Tropical Institute, the European Association for Development and Health, Medecins Sans Frontieres, KPMG and the European Bank for Latin America. He is an expert on human rights and social issues. He has been strongly engaged in global advocacy on protection frameworks for migrants and refugees with a particular focus on children and youth. Passionate for long-distance challenges, he is also an enthusiastic ultra-trail runner.
RAJMOHAN GANDHI, Historian, biographer, former President of Initiatives of Change International
DANIEL CLEMENTS, Teacher & Programme Manager Creative Leadership
Daniel Clements is the Programme Manager of Creative Leadership, an international team born from within the Caux Initiatives of Change Foundation. Creative Leadership organises conferences and storysharing programmes based on the belief that we first need to change ourselves in order to generate change within society and authentic leadership. He works as a Maths teacher in the UK with a degree in Mathematics and Physics. Daniel is driven by the conviction that the absence of virtues and values is one of the reasons behind the social and moral decline that the world is witnessing.
ASMAA SLEEM, Educator, Storyteller and Founder of Lifelong Learning Talks
Asmaa Sleem is an Egyptian educator, storyteller, and lifelong learner. She is actively engaged in spreading awareness, fostering inner development, and promoting togetherness. Asmaa is part of the organising team behind the youth-led programme Creative Leadership and is the founder of the Lifelong Learning Talks in Egypt. With postgraduate degrees in teaching methodologies and social sciences, Asmaa focuses on youth empowerment, peacebuilding, and creative leadership. She serves as Vice-President of the Association for World Education (AWE) and has corporate experience in marketing research, notably co-founding and co-leading 'Nielsen Cares' Egypt. Asmaa's work encompasses education, development, CSR, SDGs, and peacebuilding, both locally and internationally, while she pursues further studies in positive psychology and community psychology.
STEVEN LIN, Community Organizer
Steven Lin is passionate about empowering youth to achieve their goals through capacity building, self reflection and soft skill development. Steven has spent the last decade working with various nonprofits to tackle SDG 4 quality education. Some examples include his work with the Alberta Mentorship Program, providing high school students the opportunity to develop their leadership skills or working at the Terra Centre to help teen parents advocate for themselves and for policy and system change. In addition to that, Steven has been engaged with young leaders globally through Creative Leadership as well as Global Shapers to support young professionals in tackling local issues in their community. Steven follows the model of Servant and Authentic leadership in his daily practice. Steven was recognized for his work by Alberta Council for Global Cooperation and named one of Alberta’s Top 30 under 30.
SARAH NOBLE, Head of Global Engagement, Caux Initiatives of Change Foundation
Sarah Noble is the Head of Global Engagement at the Caux Initiatives of Change Foundation. She is passionate about showcasing people's stories about how we build peace with each other and the planet. She brings with her more than 20 years of experience and has held leadership positions at international organisations focused on peacebuilding, humanitarian issues, and independent media. Sarah is co-founder and curator of the Peace Talks at Interpeace and also served as Director of External Relations at The New Humanitarian, a non-profit newsroom that puts quality, independent journalism at the service of the millions of people affected by humanitarian crises around the world. In her TEDx talk, Storytelling is Our Real-Life Superpower, she invites us to embrace this ability to take on the existential issues of our time and create a better future.
JEAN-MARC VIGNOLI, Violonist
Jean-Marc Vignoli is a musician and lives in France. After training as both a violinist and an engineer, and a long career in industry, he (re)discovered the path to his own creative expression. For the last ten years or so, he has been living and sharing the mysteries of sound, improvisation and creativity and has also recorded several CDs. Jean-Marc Vignoli describes himself as a 'tailor-made' violinist. The music he plays is inspired by the message, the mood and the moment in which it takes place. Having become aware of the therapeutic dimension of music, he has turned his attention to the dimension of sound that soothes, relieves and harmonises, helping to transform and heal the human being in intimate contact with nature.
The participation at the Opening Ceremony on 9 July at the Maison de la Paix in Geneva (14:30 - 17:00 CEST) is free! If you wish to attend the Opening Ceremony only without registering for the full Caux IDG Forum, please register here! You can also join us online!
For any further information, don't hesitate to reach out and contact us by EMAIL.
Please note that if you have already registered or are planning to register for the full residential Caux IDG Forum at the Caux Palace, you do not need to register separately for the Opening Ceremony as it is part of your package.
The Caux IDG Forum will start with the Opening Ceremony in Geneva on Tuesday, 9 July (14:30 - 17:00 CEST). Attendees who have signed up for the full residential Caux IDG Forum are encouraged go straight to Geneva and travel up to Caux following the Opening Ceremony. Information on transportation from Geneva to the Caux Palace will be communicated to all confirmed participants prior to the event. For those who prefer to check in earlier or drop off luggage beforehand at the Caux Palace, our reception in Caux will be available from 10:00 CEST on 9 July, 2024. A safe luggage room will also be available at the Maison de la Paix in Geneva.
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A self-taught director, Antonin Lechat began his film career in Central Asia, immersing himself into the region for more than 5 years, including 3 years in Kyrgyzstan, thus considerably broadening his artistic experience. In the course of his cinematic exploration, Antonin has made several short documentaries that have been shown at festivals around the world, including "Du Sang pour les Chevaux" (Blood for Horses), which was self-produced and presented in competition at the FIPADOC festival in Biarritz.
We are delighted to welcome Sarah Noble who joined our team as our new Head of Global Engagement in International Geneva.
Sarah has dedicated her career to peacebuilding for a better world and is passionate about leveraging the power of storytelling to build peace among individuals and for the planet as a whole. In her TEDx talk, Storytelling is Our Real-Life Superpower, she invites us to embrace this ability to confront the existential issues of our time and create a better future.
Prior to joining our foundation, Sarah has held leadership positions at international organisations focused on peacebuilding, humanitarian issues, and independent media. She brings with her more than 20 years of experience in strategic communications, fundraising, and partnerships in the field of international peace and security. Sarah is also co-founder and Curator of the Peace Talks and has hosted over 20 editions of the event in more than 8 countries, with a cumulative audience exceeding 8,000 attendees.
In her new position, Sarah will play a key role in strategic and highlevel representation of the Caux Foundation at the United Nations, external events, high-level working groups and through partnerships. Building and leveraging networks and alliances, she will help strengthen the impact and outreach of the Caux Foundation within International Geneva, and solidify the role of the Caux Palace as a Centre for Inner Development Goals.
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Tell us about your background, Sarah.
My background is in the peace and security sector. I worked for many years in a peacebuilding organisation and also in the non-profit media space.
What are you passionate about in your work?
I am really passionate about the role stories play, how we understand the world and how we make change. Change, starting with each one of us, is one of the core elements of Initiatives of Change and I am therefore excited to be part of the Caux Foundation team.
What inspired you to join the Caux Initiatives of Change Foundation?
I was inspired to join the Foundation because of its mission to promote a more just and peaceful society. That’s the kind of world I want to live in and I want to spend every day that I can ensuring that me and my children and all of us can live in a more peaceful world.
What is your favourite place at the Caux Palace?
It’s the Main Hall where the Caux Forums take place each July, like the two forums coming up this summer on the Inner Development Goals and on democracy. It's not only the beauty of this room with amazes me, but I am also in awe of all those important peacebuilding moments which have taken place right here, like the reconciliation between Germans and French after World War II, the dialogues to promote peace in the Great Lake Region in the early 2000s, or the launch of the international women's initiative Creators of Peace.
Welcome to the team, Sarah, and all the best for this new adventure!
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