The Universal Forum of Culture will officially open in Monterrey on September 20 th and will continue for 80 days. The Forum is held every year with the purpose of providing an open platform for civil organizations to come together and voice their opinions, enabling people with different ideologies to meet, discuss world issues and exchange ideas.

The Monterrey 2007 Universal Forum of Culture has adopted UNESCO's stance on acknowledging cultural diversity as "the common heritage of humanity"; considering it as necessary for human beings as biological diversity is to living organisms. The forum also states that cultural diversity is not a static legacy, but rather a living, renewable treasure that guarantees the survival of our species.

In their Millennium Summit Declaration, the U.N. General Assembly states "It is necessary to act with discretion when classifying all living species and all natural resources in accordance with the principles of sustainable development. Only through compliance with these guidelines, will we be able to conserve and transfer our limited natural resources to future generations. It is important that we modify our current trends of unsustainable production and consumption to guarantee our future well-being, as well as that of future generations."

Addressing these issues will help raise awareness among the general populace, and the compilation and distribution of theses findings will aid in the greater understanding of current scientific breakthroughs and technological developments.

The Forum will also promote the issues of peace and safety, in different contexts, such as within the family, community and city. This embraces a popular current demand focused towards the need to create evolutionary models that take into account not only economic factors but individuals, as well as ethnic groups, cultures, and the environment. Discussions, exhibits of cultural expression and special projects will be held, all in a slightly different manner from previous lectures and congresses. The aim is to encourage all participants to join in the discussions, pose questions and work out solutions together.

Some of the exhibits taking place include "Man and Steel", "Buddha the Enlightened One", and also a display of archaeological pieces from the Museum of Beijing. Others include "2502 Immigrants", an exhibition of immigrant groups on the border of Southern Mexico; "Immigration in America", " Isis and the Feathered Serpent", as well as a special tribute to Frida Kahlo on the 100 th anniversary of her birth.

In addition, there will be an array of diverse cultural expressions, such as theater, dance, music, films, a circus, and poetry, intended to yield understanding and appreciation of culture as a spiritual, material, intellectual and an emotional legacy that distinguishes humans and gives them identity, self-worth and a sense of belonging.

Definitely the Monterrey 2007 Universal Forum of Culture promises to be an opportunity to celebrate and prove that humans are capable of peaceful communication. You can't miss it!