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Strategic Foresight Group
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Strategic Foresight Group is a think tank engaged in anticipating and influencing the future in uncertain times. It produces scenarios, creates policy concepts and facilitates political processes. It advises governments and business leaders and informs the public on future trends as well as discontinuities.
Since its inception in 2002, Strategic Foresight Group has worked closely with important institutions around the world. It has advised governments in Asia, Europe, and North America.
It has deposed before committees of the House of Commons and the Indian Parliament.
Media and SFG
Its research findings and views have been covered by the world media including the BBC World Television. CNN, International Herald Tribune, Financial Times, New York Times, The Straits Times, Gulf News, Khaleej Times, The Peninsula, Asahi Shimbun, Arab News, Newsweek, and almost all major newspapers in Pakistan and India.
Global Reputation
Strategic Foresight Group has been able to build a global reputation because
It has strong intellectual assets resulting in research and development of new methods and analytical tools to project alternative futures of the world, regions and countries and to assess the impact of geopolitical and macro-economic developments, particularly, including globalization, extremism and conflicts.
It has strong political assets in most parts of the world – particularly Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America, giving it tremendous convening power and insights into critical developments before they happen. It has earned the reputation as a voice of reason on difficult global issues. It takes action to translate ideas into policy realities. As the world of opportunity competes with the world at risk, Strategic Foresight Group is what the policy community needs.
Research
SFG undertakes long-term research contracts on scenarios and future options for countries, regions and sectors. It delivers its output in the form of confidential or public reports, policy briefs, electronic updates and, personal briefings at the board or committee level. Its research is most relevant for Governments and corporations that want to engage with a new country, region or sector and, want an insight into the long-term prospects for a given geography. In addition, it is relevant to Governments, political parties and security management organizations that want to explore new long term risks and opportunities for their own societies.
Initiatives
SFG was launched in 2002 by the International Centre for Peace Initiatives (ICPI), a pioneering conflict resolution institution in South Asia. Both, ICPI and SFG in their early period were engaged in peace building initiatives in the South Asian region, including shuttle diplomacy to deescalate tension, preparation of a roadmap for peace and, confidence building measures.
Between 2004 and 2006, SFG launched an initiative to reduce the deficit of trust between Western and Islamic countries. It was organized on the background of growing international terrorism and the war in Iraq. It involved organizing three international roundtables of senior political leaders from Western and Islamic countries in partnership with the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in the European Parliament, Friedrich Naumann Stiftung of Germany and, the League of Arab States. The participants were former Heads of Government, former and serving ministers, Parliamentarians, advisers to rulers and, heads of important institutions. It also involved consultations with serving Heads of Government, foreign ministers and senior diplomats, as well as heads of counter-terrorism units in the EU and the United Nations. Finally, it involved publishing reports indicating ideas for broad support. During this period SFG also participated actively in the Middle East Summit of the World Economic Forum, moderating dialogues between Western and Arab leaders. The initiative resulted in recommendations of path-breaking ideas, such as the Inclusive and Semi-Permanent Conference on the Middle East, Arab Islamic Renaissance Initiative, and others.
Since 2007 SFG has launched an initiative for the Inclusive and Semi-Permanent Conference in the Middle East. The SFG policy paper on the subject has been discussed at the roundtables in the House of Lords, London and, the East West Institute, New York.
SFG also has an initiative on the Cost of Conflict. It has completed Cost of Conflict studies on India-Pakistan and Sri Lanka, both of which have prompted public debate. In addition, SFG is in the process of completing a study on the Cost of Conflict to the Middle East.
Another initiative of SFG relates to business, peace and sustainability. In 2008, SFG organized an international conference on the subject which was co-hosted by the United Nations Global Compact - inaugurated by Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil, President of India and, chaired by Steve Killelea, a leading IT entrepreneur from Australia. It concluded with concrete recommendations in the area of energy, sustainability and peace.
Seminars
SFG offers itself as a resource for high level seminars organized by like-minded institutions or clients. It does not organize seminars of its own, except to launch its public reports or, to bring together relevant leaders as a part of its initiatives.
Partnerships
Since its inception in 2002, SFG has partnered with several institutions, including the following:
International Strategic Research Organization (USAK) Ankara, http://www.usak.org.tr
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe in the European Parliament, Brussels.
The League of Arab States, Cairo
The Government of Norway - Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Government of Switzerland – Federal Department of Foreign Affairs
The Government of Sweden – Swedish Emergency Management Agency
The Government of India - Net Assessment Directorate of the Ministry of Defence
The Government of Canada – Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
The Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Cairo
Oxford University – Oxford Union
World Economic Forum
Booz Allen Hamilton
Integrated Research Group (Steve Killelea)
Friedrich Naumann Stiftung
Horasis – Global Visions Community
Malaysian Institute of Management and Urban Forum Malaysia
Europe2020, Paris
International Relations and Security Network, Zurich
In addition, Strategic Foresight Group has been a resource for
United Nations Alliance of Civilizations
India Parliament – committee on foreign affairs
UK House of Commons – committee on international development
Deutsche Bundestag
Swedish Defence Commission
Global Futures Forum
Geneva Security Forum
Madrid+15 Forum
National Defence College, India
College of Air Warfare, India
College of Naval Warfare, India
College of Combat, India
Strategic Foresight Group invites partnerships from governments, business corporations, multi-lateral organisations, foundations, and civil society institutions that can provide financial or strategic input for mutually developed projects.
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