Mike Brown spent a week at the MRA international conference centre in Caux, Switzerland, to find out whether 'honest conversation' is as useful as is claimed.

What has made Middelburg and its neighbouring city Witbank the fastest growing towns in South Africa?

For 45 years, a succession of mayors promised to develop Ramle's Palestinian neighbourhoods on the 'periphery of the periphery' of the town. 'Nobody did anything,' says Michail Fanous, a Palestinian educator, for years one of only two Arabs on the 19-member Council. Schools were so crowded that homes had to be used as classrooms. Roads were pot-holed.

For a century African slaves were landed on the James River in Richmond, Virginia, marched across a bridge in the dead of night, and sold at the slave auctions next day. In June last year hundreds walked the same route, at night, seeking to understand the roots of racial divisions still troubling their city.

Mike Lowe revisits Poland, ten years after its return to democracy.

Current farming controversies give food for thought to Joanna Grigg, a New Zealand hill-country farmer.

Alan Brockman's hope for the 21st century is no less than a revolution in world farming, which will see organic farming coming into its own.

In the last 50 years pupils from many different ethnic minorities have entered the British education system. How well are secondary schools handling the situation, asks Kenneth Noble.

The Victorian Multicultural Commission recently launched a campaign aimed at getting students to value Australia's diversity.

As the countdown clocks tick their way towards the year 2000, Mary Lean looks at plans to mark a global rite of passage.