King Abdullah II of Jordan and Elie Wiesel Host Petra Conference of Nobel Laureates

King Abdullah II of Jordan and Elie Wiesel Host Petra Conference of Nobel Laureates

World's best minds gather in ancient city of Petra to solve pressing global problems

PETRA, Jordan, May 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Today is the opening of the inaugural Petra Conference in Jordan hosted by King Abdullah II and Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel. The world's greatest thinkers -- the Nobel Laureates of Peace, Economics, Literature, Physics, Chemistry, Physiology and Medicine -- are gathering to discuss pressing global problems. The event has captured the attention of people around the world including Conference attendees like The Dalai Lama, former U.S. President Bill Clinton and Hollywood actor and activist Richard Gere.

In total, 25 Nobel Laureates have gathered to discuss topics like peace and security; economic development and poverty; health, science and environment; education, media, and culture. The Petra Conference provides a forum for Laureates to reflect on both old and new problems, and propose novel strategies, helping to transform challenges into opportunities. One of the goals of the Petra Conference is to formulate practical solutions that will be presented by King Abdullah II and Elie Wiesel at the World Economic Forum May 20-22 on the banks of the Dead Sea in Jordan.

Former President Clinton will be making remarks on the last day of the Petra Conference followed by Ukraine President Victor Yushchenko. Elie Wiesel, Nobel Laureate for Peace, remarked about what the Conference is attempting to do. "The fact that so many men and women who have given so much for humanity -- gather now to analyze the threats hanging on the world and if possible disarm them with a source of comfort and hope."

King Abdullah II of Jordan announced the formation of the two-day Petra Conference at a press conference in Washington DC in March making the following remarks, "Today more than ever we need creative minds to address the issues of the age. And one of the most urgent is this: How can humanity know so much, achieve so much, and still fail so many people so badly?"

Source: Worldwide Communications & Television

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