Following the theme „From Trade to Peace“ the Wittenberg Center for Global Ethics organises meetings for delegations from Israel and Jordan regularly. On an neutral base Israelis and Arabians seek for improving the relationship and communication. Representatives invited are from the economic world and the civil society rather than the political world. These participants aim to promote a peaceful turn in the Middle East while improving economic relations.
The initiative is accommodated from Amman Center for Peace and Development, lead by General ret. Mansour Abu Rashid from Jordan, from Peres Center for Peace from Israel, founded by the winner of the peace-nobelprice Shimon Peres as well as the Wittenberg Center for Global Ethics.
Daimler AG significantly supports these economic and peace talks through the personal involvement of Godel Rosenberg, its representative in Israel as well as the Department of External Affairs and Public Policy in Stuttgart (Josef Schleicher). With this, Daimler sets outstanding example for Good Corporate Citizenship.
The dialogues, which have a continuous flow of new participants year after year, are held with a new motto. In the end of the meetings, declarations are adopted which are in turn, conveyed to the various governments.
In July 2008, the sixth annual "Jordanian-Israeli Forum on Economic Cooperation" in Wittenberg covered the topic "Alternative Energy in the Middle East". Participants from both countries analysed bilateral potentials for cooperation in innovative ways of energy production and supply.
In the Middle East "Water" is a very scarce ressource and the cause of many conflicts. So, the fifth Forum in Wittenberg searched for cooperation between Israelis and Arabs in water issues. A lot of topics were covered, like the River Jordan, the Red-See/Dead-See Project, water management, irrigation, aquaculture, advanced wastewater treatment as well as the different Culture of Water.
In 2006 the motto of the forum was "IT and Internet in the Middle East". The forum took place in politically sensitive period, as it was marked by Israelis offensive on the Hezbollah in Lebanon. Despite grief on a personal level of some participants, the talks were overwhelmed by a unique atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding of each other as well as solidarity with each other. The awareness of a common problem, the search for possible solutions to the conflict as well as a neutral ground, Wittenberg, were the driving forces that inspired.
"Tourism in the Middle East" was the topic of the forum in 2005. The enormous potential of the travel industries were highlighted and collective cross- national offers were discussed. The key importance of stability, security and peace for the good functioning of tourism as well as the effects of tourism on labour and income of less qualified people was underscored.
On the second forum, which took place from June 27th till July 1st 2004, issues of bilateral trade and cross - boarder movement of goods were dealt with. A 19 points catalogue was adopted and further conveyed to the various governments.
In 2003 the "Wittenberg Declaration for Cooperation and Peace in the Middle East" fixed the foundation for a long term cooperation between the involved institutions.
