Next Century Foundation


The Next Century Foundation is a think tank and track II diplomacy organisation that operates in various conflict zones, primarily the Middle East. Established in 1990 to provide a forum for off-the-record discussions between Palestinians and Israelis, the organisation has expanded its remit by focusing on and operating in Iraq, Kashmir, Kosovo, Sudan, Egypt, Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria and Libya.

Activities

The Foundation describes itself as a 'think and do tank' which produces policy papers as well as facilitating dialogue between various different factions across the Middle East. Thus, most NCF work is second track and behind the scenes. Examples are wide-ranging. For instance the NCF has:
Since 2005, an annual awards ceremony has been held by the International Council for Press and Broadcasting, a subsidiary body of the Next Century Foundation, in London to celebrate high standards of Middle East journalism. The Awards acknowledge journalists and broadcasters who, through the consistently high standard of their work, promote better understanding of the people and politics of the world. Though certainly not limited to the region, the Awards have historically had a special focus on the Middle East and South Asia.
In September 2013, the International Council for Press and Broadcasting merged with The International Communication Forum in a move that will eventually see the Council dissolve with all of its activities, including the annual Media Awards, moving under the banner of the ICF.
In June 2017, the Next Century Foundation hosted the International Media Awards again. The event took place on Wednesday the 28th of June.
The Next Century Foundation has announced that it will hold the International Media awards virtually in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Organization

The founding members were businessmen, politicians, journalist and diplomats including Claud Morris, Lord Arnold Weinstock, David Alliance, Baron Alliance CBE, Jaweed al-Ghussein and Arnold Goodman, Baron Goodman and Haim Yosef Zadok.
The Secretary General is William Morris. The Co-ordinator is Maggie Tomkinson. The trustees are Hon Mark Gregory Hambley, David Alliance, Baron Alliance of Manchester, George Windsor, Earl of St Andrews, Alastair King-Smith, Vivian Wineman and Mili Gottlieb.
The Advisory Board of the Next Century Foundation includes: Andrew Stone, Baron Stone of Blackheath; the Rt Hon Sir Jeremy Hanley KCMG; HE Nasser Bin Hamad M. Al-Khalifa; Michael Binyon OBE; Saad Bin Tefla; Walid Khalid Issa Taha; Jane Kinninmont; Rev. Larry Wright; Col. Richard T. Ryer and Claudia Shaffer.
In April 2017, the Next Century Foundation was granted special consultative status by the United Nations and was in attendance at the Seventy-second session of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2017 to discuss issues such as 'Women's Rights in Bahrain.'