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Conference: A World Civilisation or a Clash of Civilisations

20 January 2007, 10am-8pm

Well over two thousand people attended this important conference and debated the issues for London.

The discussion considered whether the much greater interaction of different backgrounds in a globalising world will create more common shared values in an increasingly global civilisation, or whether there is an inevitable dynamic towards conflict and war, created by the 'clash of civilisations'.

Gavin Esler, BBC Newsnight presenter, chaired the main debate between Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London, and Daniel Pipes, Director of the Middle East Forum, an American think tank that advises US policymakers on the Middle East, on these contrasting approaches and their implications for Londoners. Pipes argues that ‘there is not so much a clash of civilisations as there is one of civilisations vs. barbarism.’ Cllr Salma Yaqoob and Douglas Murray also participated in the debate.

Transcripts of the four main speeches are available to download:

1. Ken Livingstone's speech PDF
   Ken Livingstone's speech RTF
2. Daniel Pipes's speech PDF
   Daniel Pipes's speech RTF
3. Salma Yaqoob's speech PDF
   Salma Yaqoob's speech RTF
4. Douglas Murray's speech PDF
   Douglas Murray's speech RTF

More information on the full programme.

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