Letter: Forum for the future

Sir: May we congratulate the Independent, Channel 4 and Granada Television for Sunday night's decisive exercise in democracy. This charity is setting up a National Forum that will harness the vision of our people. The objective is to bring together people nationwide to discuss problems of major individual and collective concern, to work together toward such solutions as their common mind can produce, and to implement them.

The National Forum Trust (the subject of a stimulating leading article in this paper in August 1987) is approaching the Millennium Commission for pounds 29m to set up a permanent independent national forum for public debate. Participants, who will be representatively selected, self-selected, expert and political, will not only produce opinion based upon information and discussion but will also share in producing agreed recommendations which the Trust will support into action.

The Trust, which was founded in 1980, is being relaunched in order to celebrate the millennium with the construction of a new 500-seat circular forum building. This will be an event of national significance.

Yours faithfully,

HUGH BERGER

Director

The National Forum Trust

London, W11

9 May