The DOC research institute, co-founded by Vladimir Yakunin, is a progressive think tank prioritising inclusion and mutual understanding through open dialogue. It has endeavoured to provide thought leadership on important challenges faced by modern society. The basic premise derives from the idea of a dialogue between civilisations, the term embodies the idea of effective communications between international parties for common goal. This is no more evident than at the DOC institute’s annual Rhodes Forum, its fifteen year history has provided excellent precedent for strong, progressive dialogue to take place. It is a platform where world scholars, businessmen, policy-makers, and heads of government are able to meet and debate pertinent global issues under the umbrella of collusion and mutual understanding. The 2017 forum topic focuses in particular on Multipolarity and Dialogue in Regional and Global Developments: Imagining Possible Futures. Policy makers and thought leaders alike will look to the future to imagine applicable solutions, grounded in shared values, in order to solve these pressing global issues. There will be two focal points; The Summit on Globalisation and the Future of Democracy, and the Summit on Global Infrastructure Development Scenarios, these will be debated with particular focus whilst maintaining the overriding paradigm of open progressive dialogue. The institute rally’s against ideas that clash and conflict are needed for resolution. The focus and general theme of the forum and institute in general to be on finding points of cooperation to respond to existing, new and emerging challenges.