Many of the problems, challenges and threats facing the world today are multiplying and are not being solved. Philosophers have a responsibility to initiate and maintain a culture of dialogue that will lead to greater understanding, tolerance and cooperation between leaders, politicians, governments, nations, citizens in general and less suffering of individuals, minorities and nations. However, dialogue alone will not eradicate the problems, and the philosophers cannot solve all the challenges in the world. However, we are obliged not to remain silent about the new manifestations of alienation, intolerance, hatred, and forgetfulness of the good.
The very lack of dialogue is one of the reasons why we do not live in a better world, even though in many cases we seem to know the diagnoses and medications that could improve the situation. However, we believe that serious philosophical dialogue has the potential to highlight the nature, sources, and causes of the problems and their consequences.
Exactly this Philosophical Dialogue “EAST – WEST”, which is organized by the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, the International Slavic University “G. R. Derzhavin” and the Philosophical Society of Macedonia has a tendency and intention to contribute to the rapprochement of different civilizational, cultural and other spiritual values. It does not strictly come from a philosophical point of view, but rather it provides an interdisciplinary approach to the various questions raised in philosophy, science, art, religion and their spheres of modern life in the world. To solve them it uses the philosophical key, which in many ways is universal and allows finding different solutions.
The very concept of this dialogue provides the opportunity to access various topics that have their own relevance and are in the focus of the world philosophical and scientific public and refers to current issues in philosophy and sciences. Every year a theme is chosen in which a number of well – known philosophers and scientists from all around the world take part in presenting their creative results. The experience so far has shown that the Philosophical Dialogue “EAST – WEST” is of exceptional quality, both in terms of the importance of the names of the participants and the high level of their submitted works. It is expected that in the future this project will function with those set and established quality standards.
This philosophical – scientific gathering is held once a year, the first being in 2015 and so far has 5 completed editions.