2007 Universal Forum of Cultures

This fall Monterrey (our city) will be hosting an international cultural event called "The Universal Forum of Cultures." This 80-day event, popularly known as "The Forum," begins in September and runs through December of this year. It is sometimes called the "Olympics of cultural events" because it is held every four years in different cities around the world and because it is is a global event representing many countries and cultures.

This is really a big deal for Monterrey. According to organizers, the 2007 Forum is expected to attract a whopping 1.5 million visitors from around the world. After the first Forum in Barcelona, Spain in 2004, Monterrey was chosen from among other internationally prominent cities such as Amsterdam, Fukoa (Japan), Montreal, and Durban (South Africa). In preparation for the event, Monterrey has been doing some massive construction and renovation projects down town. For some construction photos, see here.

According to its official web site, the purpose of the Forum is "to celebrate the cultural diversity in arts and letters, language and intellectual production, in the social organizations and in ways of life, in value systems, in traditions, in beliefs, and in the material productions of human groups."



The Forum is a mixture of cultural exhibitions and international dialogue. The cultural exhibitions are educational, and attempt to promote understanding, tolerance and appreciation for the many cultural expressions around the planet. The exhibitions revolve around four core themes or values:

• Cultural diversity, which "is not a static patrimony, but rather a living and renewable treasure that guarantees the survival of humanity."
• Knowledge, which "is the essential instrument for development and the generation of welfare."
• Peace, which "is not only the absence of war, but rather an indispensable condition for welfare and happiness"
• Sustainability, "because we need to think about the future of living species and natural resources."

The dialogue part of the Forum seeks "to reunite citizens from a varied range of cultures, languages, [and] religions to foster inter-cultural dialogue and to promote global civil society empowerment" (from Wikepedia).

The "dialogues" will focus on these key topics/themes:

• Peace and Spirituality
• Education, Science, and Technology
• Cities and Population
• Natural Resources
  
• Knowledge-based Development
  
• Culture of Health and Quality of Life
• Governability and Participation
• Human Rights and Justice
• Identity and Diversity
• Cultural Politics
• Communication

This event promises to be pretty amazing. In many ways it looks like it will be very educational and interesting. On the other hand, I definitely have mixed feelings about it. In many ways it looks like a cross between the Tower of Babel, Mars Hill, and Babylon the Great of Revelation 18. There's certainly a place for cultural awareness and strategic planning for the future, but God's Word makes it clear that peace, international social justice, and true human transformation will never take place through the concerted efforts of the human race. All attempts to create a utopian international community apart from the direct intervention of Jesus Christ, the transforming work of the Gospel, and the establishment of the kingdom of God will ultimately come to naught. Only sinful human pride and self-sufficiency could every imagine otherwise. Please understand me. I'm not saying that men should not try to make this planet a better place. Nor am I saying that peace, unity, and justice shouldn't be vigorously pursued. But I am saying that pursuing those things without the fear of the Lord and apart from (and especially contrary to) his self-revelation will ultimately be unsuccessful. "We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ" (2 Cor 10:5, ESV).

Please pray that God would give us opportunities this year through the Forum to give testimony in this city to the realty of the Kingdom of God and the the transforming power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

"How lovely on the mountains
Are the feet of him who brings good news,
Who announces peace
And brings good news of happiness,
Who announces salvation,
And says to Zion, 'Your God reigns!'"
(Isa 52:7, NASB)

(Unless otherwise noted, all quotations come from the official web site of the Universal Forum of Cultures.)