Conference Report

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Original Conference Program

Roger Williams University, Bristol, Rhode Island
The Center for Macro Projects and Diplomacy
April 15-16,2004

Alexander Rossolimo, Stephen White, Ernst Frankel, Karl Sabbagh

Ernst Frankel

Egypt/Gaza free trade zone scheme

Dame Margaret Anstee

SAAHP Student Sean Schmigle

Lower: Dame Margaret Anstee, Izaline Davidson, Frank Davidson, Norio Yamamoto
Upper: Patrick Charles, Steve Ehlbeck, Sally Lapides, Ramone Segree, Adam Maust, Wallace Sellers, Harald Frederiksen

Lester Thurow

William Polk Carey, Roy J. Nirschel

Frank Davidson, Stephen White

Daryl Oster, Hiroshi Hori, Suha Ozkan

Alexander Rossolimo, Henri Teissier du Cros, Ricard Gardiner

Harald Frederiksen, Hiroshi Hori

Colette Teissier du Cros, Janet Caristo-Verrill

Joan Rothermel, Jane Alexander, Timothy Rothermel

Louis Kramp, Mark Sawoski

Charles Hagenah, Ralph R. Papitto, Roy J. Nirschel

Wallace Sellers, Janet Caristo-Verrill, Andrew Lemer

Eugene Taylor

Day 2 Panel: kathleen Brooke Lusk, Ernest Frankel, Ken Sabbagh, Peter Papesch, Christoph von Braun

Denns Morelli, Robert Larson, Jeff Massey, Amy Hutchins, Kevin Morin

The Inaugural Conference of the Center for Macro Projects and Diplomacy, “New Land for Peace: Constructing Prosperity in the Middle East”, was a gathering of 100+ international leaders and professionals, scholars and students at Roger Williams University April 15-16, 2004. Participants began the process of working together with a great sense of urgency to explore, debate, and attempt to reach consensus on a plan to establish new economic initiatives in conjunction with land reclamation from the sea and the desert, as achievable, timely steps forward toward a better future in the Middle East.

The conference was conceived of as a “Decision Seminar” by conveners Frank P. Davidson, The Center’s Founding Advisor and American Co-Founder of the Channel Tunnel Study Group; Ernst Frankel, Professor Emeritus of Ocean Engineering and Management at MIT; and Stephen White, Dean of the Roger Williams School of Architecture, Art and Historic Preservation; with significant input from University President Roy J. Nirschel. Over a two day period, important leaders from interrelated fields began testing the potential of large scale project initiatives aimed at increasing prosperity and environmental change conducive to peace and security in the region, through a series of presentations and working group sessions. This effort is ongoing, and is now at the point of seeking diplomatic, legal and financial interest for the projects’ realization, following the work of a post-conference Study Group in May and June 2004. A first necessity of building for peace will be absolutely fair and reliable arrangements for personal and public security. Within such a framework, a clear development program will require the actual commitment of the appropriate investment funds, and clear and competent supervision of their expenditure.

Day One consisted of presentation and discussion of issues, concepts and preliminary design proposals by noted leaders from the fields of diplomacy, engineering, law, management, architecture, security and finance. Working papers prepared specially for the conference by Ernst Frankel, and by Roger Williams architecture and international relations students of professors Charles Hagenah, Patrick Charles, and Mark Sawoski outlined a basic project concept, framed issues and project proposal responses that together provided a basic background reference for discussions. The conference was introduced by President Nirschel, Dean White and by Frank Davidson, who referring simultaneously to Dutch land reclamation efforts over centuries and a continuing need for optimism, suggested that those gathered had the potential to contribute a solution “to recalcitrant problems where governments have seemed to strike out.” Day One Highlights included:

• Ernst Frankel, Ocean Engineer with experience in 60 countries on trade, shipping and port development, outlined a phased plan for the development of a free trade zone and port development at Egypt-Gaza border, with subsequent future land reclamation off Gaza for further industrial and commercial development.
• Mark Sawoski, Roger Williams Professor of International Relations, with three students outlined briefing papers on key issues in the region, including “The Demand for Macro Projects”, “The Negev Desert”, “Who are the Settlers?”,” Israeli Politics: What’s Ahead?,” and “Connecting the West Bank and Gaza Strip: Questions of Safe Passage.”
• Karl Sabbagh, author and television producer, introduced “Time and Space in the Holy Land”, a perspective on the evolving sense of history and place in the region traced through the family history of the author. Citing the Israeli and Palestinian positions, he stated that large scale projects could make a contribution to the region.
• Dame Margaret Anstee, Undersecretary General, United Nations (retired), discussed “peacebuilding” processes applicable to the region. Confirming that “…peace needs to be homegrown…”, she outlined that incentives and deterrents need to be established, with action on many fronts—military, political, humanitarian, economic and social—in achieving a firm agreement between the conflicted parties.
• Timothy Rothermel, UNDP Special Representative in Jerusalem declared that the current juncture “…is unusually promising…or potentially the situation could become much worse”. He outlined current UNDP projects and future development potentials for Palestine, based on his assessment of the readiness of Palestinians to become full participants and contributors in the region. These included the completion of a new terminal at the Gaza airport, plans for construction of a north-south water carrier, and the looked-for establishment of a multinational organization that could serve as a “Middle East Regional Development Council.”
• John Noyes of California Western Law School outlined legal issues relative to establishment of an offshore island, administrative structure potentials under international law, and different legal processes that could come into play.
• In a focused discussion session, Henri Teissier du Cros, retired member of France’s Administrative Court of Law, the “Conseil d’Etat”, outlined alternative jurisdiction frameworks that could move development forward even where sovereignty issues are currently disputed. Teissier du Cros framed four alternatives: 1) an organization under UN Tutelage, 2) an international organization set up by an international treaty; but with or between states—certainly including Egypt, 3) a public corporation under state law, likely Palestinian, 4) merchant companies exercising a certain range of police powers, on the pattern of medieval institutions such as the Hansa League.
• Roger Williams University architecture professors Charles Hagenah, Patrick Charles and twenty-four students framed seven alternative schemes reclaiming land from the sea and the desert, supportive of economic and diplomatic solutions above. The projects were reviewed by Suha Ozkan, Secretary-General of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, and architects from the region. Schemes were developed for the Egypt-Gaza interface, Khan Younis, Peninsula with port off Gaza City, Linear Island with Port, Tel Aviv coastal islands, Marina Cove near Wadi, and Desert Settlements. Also included were focused studies on climate, water, power, cargo shipping, and airport facilities.
• Alexander Rossolimo of the Center for Security and Social Progress addressed finance and security issues in the region, building on recent world trends. Rossolimo projected that security would have a peace dividend, and that this should attract investors. He outlined an enormous need for investment in the Middle East, from government sources inclusive of foreign aid, investment banks, and private sources.
• Norio Yamamoto of the Global Infrastructure Fund Research Foundation described the role of the group in the past, and the commitment of the Fund to collaborate on the project and the Center in the future.
• MIT’s Lester Thurow addressed economic conditions and the trends in the region, framing a compelling case that economic progress would require a system without excessive bureaucracy or corruption, and should include opportunities to engage half the population which is currently excluded—women. For Gaza, the tasks include maintaining low population growth, mobilizing resources, establishing a motivation system, working together and developing ways to diminish corruption, and improving foreign direct investment.
• In a related University event, investor and philanthropist William Polk Carey of W.P. Carey Company, New York, closed the day with a presentation on “Doing Good While Doing Well”, the Gabelli Lecture.

On Day Two participants worked through collaborative Strategic Working Group Sessions, a lecture exploration of the potentials of constructive service, and a concluding panel discussion, following presentations on land and water resource potentials. Day Two Highlights included:

• Lucien Deschamps of France’s Prospective 2100 outlined precedents for Ocean Cities from the 1995 Monaco Conference, many examples having relevance to the current situation
• Harald Frederiksen, World Bank consultant on Middle East Water Resources, illuminated current Israeli-Palestinian border and sovereignty policies relative to water rights—a major problem in the current struggles.
• Working Group Sessions led by Michael Hager of the Conflict Management Group, author Karl Sabbagh, and technology management consultant Christoph von Braun generally raised a call for a broader discussion of issues and project outcomes, beyond the initial project proposal advanced at the conference.
• Historian/Psychologist Eugene Taylor of the Harvard Medical School and The Saybrook Institute raised the potential of considering “constructive service” as outlined in William James’ famed essay “The Moral Equivalent of War” as a meaningful way forward in the current situation.
• A concluding panel discussion included sharply divided perspectives, along with converging views from Christoph von Braun and Dame Margaret Anstee. Von Braun saw interdisciplinary boundaries of the real world transcending disciplinary boundaries, and encouraged the audience to take heed of warning signals and to act—in ways that previous generations had not. Dame Margaret Joan Anstee, in facing the complexity of the issues and many bitter feelings, closed with the idea that, as Churchill said, “…the impossible, perhaps, takes a bit longer.”
• Peter Papesch and Michael Hager of the Conflict Management Group framed a “Bristol Declaration” outlining a consensus on next steps toward advancing the proposal to create an economic free trade zone and reclaimed land, proposing that it be signed by conference attendees.
• After spirited debate on the merits of a Declaration being made at this time, it was decided that since it would not be possible for all to review a written draft within the remaining time of the conference, that a Study Group would be formed through the Center for Macro Projects and Diplomacy to outline next steps. Dame Margaret Joan Anstee suggested that this was a topic for the Center’s Advisory Board.

Outcomes: New Land for Peace Project

There have been four main outcomes of the conference to date:

• First, issues raised in conference presentations by Ernst Frankel and Harald Frederiksen are being considered in current policy discussions in the Middle East and in the US. Elements of Ernst Frankel’s plan for an economic free trade zone on the border between Gaza and Egypt correspond with those included in Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s Disengagement Plan, as published in The Jerusalem Post on April 16, 2004. Harald Frederiksen’s analysis on the Israeli-Palestinian water situation is being reviewed in the US Congress.
• Second, a working committee was formed in May by the Center to draft a Preliminary Project Proposal: A Phased Economic Development Proposal for Peace and Prosperity in the Middle East, proceeding from proposals and issues raised at the conference. The Preliminary Project Proposal includes the following components:
  • Project 1: Phase 1: 2005-2008
    Construction of a 5-8 square km “Free Industrial Zone” along the Gaza-Egypt border.
  • Project 1: Phase 2: 2008-2014
    Construction of an 8-10 km causeway into the sea to serve as a temporary free port and construction road, for later connection to a 2 square km island and port development
  • Project 2: Time to be explored
    Construction of a tunnel connecting Gaza and the West Bank by secure rail
  • Project 3: 2005-
    Establishment of a Middle East Regional Development Council, and related infrastructure improvements, such as a 120 km canal from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea, whose compatibility Fred Moavenzadeh of MIT has noted. The 1000 ft drop of water—the world’s largest—would produce electricity that could be used to desalinate water economically; and the electrical power would be helpful to the whole region including any new land to be developed.
• Third, a follow-up meeting of Advisory Board members and consultants has been scheduled for June 23-25, 2004, hosted by Frank Davidson at Montfort L’Amaury, France. Several of the Center’s Advisory Board members and guests will work together there to review and further a draft of preliminary project proposal emerging from the conference, alogn with development of the Center and other issues.
• Fourth, the Journal of Macro Projects and Diplomacy will issue its first annual publication in Fall 2004, documenting the work of the conference for the general public.

Outcomes: The Center for Macro Projects and Diplomacy

The response to the conference and its subsequent activities has been extremely positive to date. Participant Harald Frederiksen’s post-conference comments serve as one assessment:

“The concept of the Center for Macro Projects and Diplomacy is new, but the proposed project discussed gave a practical sense of the role intended for the Center. As understood from the material provided, observations and discussions, the entity could be a highly effective vehicle for pursuing international undertakings.

The RWU Center appears to be structured to pursue remedies to serious situations confronting society that are seemingly overwhelmed by the politics or neglect of the international community. An entity such as the Center, one that has the flexibility, independence, responsiveness and resources afforded a university could have a substantial impact…. The ability of a university to mobilize private sector resources enforces its capacity. The second contribution of the Center’s work will be the experience and education provided students engaged in such undertakings; of immeasurable value to them and society.”

Steps are underway to further the agenda of the Center over the upcoming four years with project areas as follows:

• 2004-2005 Reconstruction
• 2005-2006 An Ever Normal Water Supply
• 2006-2007 Energies
• 2007-2008 Habitat Regeneration

Each plan will develop the following deliverable items:

• Working Papers
  prepared by the Center, as pre-conference reference material
• Annual Conference and Conference Report
  for conference participants and interested groups
• Preliminary Project Proposal
  for investors’ and government review
• Annual Publication, The Journal of Macro Projects and Diplomacy

Additionally, the following will be produced, pending interest and funding:

• Feasibility Proposal
  for investors’ and government review
• Occasional Papers
  Organized around topics of importance and timeliness

Conference Participants

• Jane Alexander, President, J&J Agri-Products, Dillsburg, PA
• Dame Margaret Joan Anstee, Undersecretary General, United Nations (retired)
• Christoph von Braun, Technology Strategy Consultant; Director, Andrea von Braun
• Stiftung, Munich, Germany
• John Blackwell, Boston, MA
• Janet Caristo-Verrill, Sunsat Energy Council
• William Coffey; President, Beaufort Maritime Group, LLC, Newport, RI
• Halil Copur, Professor of Management, Rhode Island College
• Frank P. Davidson, American Co-Founder, Channel Tunnel Study Group, Concord, MA
• Mrs. Izaline Davidson, Concord, MA
• Elizabeth R. DeBlois, Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Newport, RI
• Lucien Deschamps, Secretary-General, Prospective 2100, Meudon, France
• Steven Ehlbeck, William Kite Architects, Providence, RI
• Beth Eischen, Cambridge, MA
• John Evans, Electronic Systems Center, Hanscom AFB, Concord, MA
• Mrs. Helen Evans
• Lawrence Fabian, Director, Trans 21, Boston, MA
• Ernst G. Frankel, Professor Emeritus of Ocean Engineering and Management, MIT
• Harald Frederiksen, Consultant, Water Resources, Eugene, OR
• L. Michael Hager, Executive Director, Conflict Management Group, Cambridge, MA
• Hiroshi Hori, International Water Resources Association, Tokyo, Japan
• Ali Jaffrey, Delta Search Labs, Cambridge
• Kamal Jaffrey, CEO, Delta Search Labs, Cambridge, MA
• James Kishlar, Architect, atelier temenos, Miami, FL
• Louis Kramp, President, Common Trust, Washington DC
• Sally Lapides, Member, Board of Trustees, Roger Williams University
• Andrew Lemer, CEO, The Matrix Group, Baltimore; President, The American Society of Macro-Engineering
• Kathleen Brooke Lusk,President, The Center for the Study of Success, Purrington Foundation
• John Noyes, Professor of Law, California Western Law School, San Diego
• Molly O’Brien, Peace River Studios, Cambridge, MA
• Brenda Oster, Evacuated Tube Transport
• Daryl Oster, CEO, Evacuated Tube Transport, Inc.
• Suha Ozkan, Secretary General, Aga Khan Award for Architecture, Geneva
• Peter Papesch, architect/developer, Cambridge, MA
• Alexander Rossolimo, President, Center for Security and Social Progress, Waban, MA
• Mrs. Alexander Rossolimo
• Timothy Rothermel, Special Representative, United Nations Development Programme, Jerusalem, Israel
• Joan Rothermel, attorney, New York
• Karl Sabbagh, author, BBC Television Producer, England
• Francois Screve, Founder, Deltaway Energy, Inc., Miami, FL
• Peter Scriver, Center for Asian and Middle Eastern Architecture, University of Adelaide
• Wallace O. Sellers,The Hudson Institute
• Eugene Taylor, Lecturer, Harvard Medical School, and Professor, The Saybrook Institute
• Henri Teissier du Cros, Henri, Conseilleur d’Etat (retired), Paris, France
• Colette Teissier du Cros, architectural historian, Paris, France
• Lester Thurow, Jerome and Dorothy Lemelson
• Professor of Management, MIT
• Mead Treadwell, Director, Institute for the North, Alaska Pacific University
• Mualla Ustunkok, Bristol, RI
• Alfred L. Weisbrich, President, ENECO Texas LLC; West Simsbury, CT
• Marion White, Vice-President, Aviation Group, Hellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum, Architects; St. Louis, MO
• William Yale, attorney, Newport, RI
• Norio Yamamoto, Executive Vice-President, Global Infrastructure Fund Research Foundation, Japan

Roger Williams University Participants — Faculty and Administration

• Patrick Charles, Assistant Professor of Architecture
• Ulker Copur, Professor of Architecture
• Maling Ehbrahimpour, Dean, Gabelli School of Business
• Lynn Fawthrop, Vice-President, Enrollment Management and Retention
• Charles Hagenah, Associate Professor of Architecture
• Ron Henderson, Visiting Assistant Professor of Architecture
• Ed Kavanagh, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
• Hasan-uddin Khan, Distinguished Professor of Architecture and Historic Preservation
• David Logan, Dean, Ralph R. Papitto School of Law
• Roy J. Nirschel, President
• Paula Nirschel, Founder, Initiative to Educate Afghan Women
• James Noonan, Vice-President for Finance, CFO
• Robert Potter, Dean, School of Engineering, Computing and Construction Management
• Robert Rustermier, Adjunct Professor of Art
• Mark Sawoski, Professor of International Relations
• Ramone Segree, Vice President for University Advancement
• Myron Stachiw, Associate Professor of Historic Preservation
• Okan Ustunkok, Associate Dean and Professor of Architecture and Historic Preservation
• Stephen White, Dean, School of Architecture, Art and Historic Preservation; Director, Center for Macro Projects and Diplomacy

Roger Williams University Students

Architecture Graduate Assistants

• Jason Carr
• Timothy Ganetis
• Kathleen Murtagh

Architecture and International Relations Majors

• Stephanie Balzotti
• William Bartell
• Keith Boyle
• Michael Cortese
• Matthew Fallows
• Michael Gersht
• Amy Hutchins
• Robert Larson
• Justin Lonergan
• Nicholas Lupi
• Alyson Lyons
• Ethan Maron
• Tibor Martin
• Jeffrey Massey
• John Masson
• Adam Maust
• Dennis Morelli
• Kevin Morin
• Christopher Nardi
• Aaron Opalka
• Akta Patel
• Samuel Ruberti
• Martina Ruhfass
• Sean Schmigle
• Vincent Sorrentino
• Brian Troie
• Joshua Vacca
• Benjamin Zoghbi

The Conference Report was prepared by Stephen White, Director of the Center for Macro Projects and Diplomacy, with references to notes and comments prepared by attendees Harald D. Frederiksen, Consultant on Water Resources Management; architect-developer Peter Papesch; Frank P. Davidson, and with input from Okan Ustunkok, Associate Dean and Professor of Architecture and Historic Preservation. “New Land for Peace” was sponsored by Roger Williams University, with additional support from the University’s Ahlborg Interdisciplinary Initiative, and contributions from private individuals.

New Land Options

5 Years 10 Years 20 Years 50 Years

Artificial Islands

Water/Land Interface

Desert Reclamation