The Istanbul Forum of the initiative “A Soul for Europe” entitled “Global Challenges – Cultural Visions” took place on 12 and 13 October 2010 in Istanbul. It was initiated as a laboratory to define and implement new forms of collaboration between political decision makers and civil society - including the business sector and the individual citizen - to develop Europe as a cultural project. The final publication including all speeches and discussions is now available for download at citizensofculture.net. The Istanbul Forum has been a crucial step in laying the foundations of one of the newest projects of "A Soul for Europe": The European Culture and Economy Platform. Some leading representatives from both the business and culture sector strongly agreed about the need of such a platform which is a long term project of the "A Soul for Europe" initiative and its partners in the culture and economic sectors. The platform is meant to be a European-wide platform of individuals from the culture and economic sectors with invited European politicians. It will function as a think-tank to develop common strategies, actions and policy proposals and recommendations to ensure the sustainable development of Europe, its regions, its cities and communities in a global contest. The platform is a pure civil society initiative and differs from other institutional platforms. It draws its inspiration from the "European agenda for culture in a globalizing world" and constitutes one of its concrete and far reaching implementation. Another important result of the Istanbul Forum has been achieved at the Istanbul metropolitan level. Various personalities involved with Istanbul European Capital of Culture 2010, artists and others civil society actors have expressed their serious commitment to create a multi-sector platform to deal with the results of the 2010 European Capital of culture project and its long term sustainable effect for the Istanbul metropolitan area after 2010. The Istanbul Forum saw the participation of a series of high-level speakers, including: Doris Pack (Member of the European Parliament, Chair European Parliament's Committee on Culture and Education), Şekib Avdagiç (President 2010 Istanbul European Capital of Culture 2010), Bahadır Kaleağası (International Coordinator TUSIAD - Turkish Industry & Business Association Representative EU and BUSINESSEUROPE Brussels), Beral Madra (Director of the Visula Arts department 2010 Istanbul European Capital of Culture) Paul Scheffer (Professor, University of Amsterdam), Pierluigi Sacco (University IUAV, Venice), Radovan Jelašić (former governor, central bank of Serbia), Ferenc Miszlivetz (Professor, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Director, ISES - Institute for Social and European Studies Foundation. Yolanda Onghena, Senior Researcher, CIDOB - Barcelona Centre for International Affairs, Nevzat Bayhan General Director, Istanbul Municipality Kültür A.Ş., Nele Hertling (Co-founder, A Soul for Europe Strategy Group Member) Dr. Korhan Gümüş (Architect, Founder, IYD -Human Settlements Association, Executive Board Member, Istanbul 2010 European Capital of Culture Agency), Memet Ali Alabora (Theatre Actor, Activist), Gülseren Onanç (President, KAGİDER - Woman Entrepreneurs Association of Turkey) and Kathrin Deventer (Secretary General European Festivals Association, Board Member European House for Culture, A Soul for Europe Strategy Group Member) as well as a large group of engaged young Europeans from many different countries, including the members of the "A Soul for Europe" Strategy Group. The results and consequences of the Istanbul Forum were taken up at the 4th Berlin Conference "Towards a Citizens' Europe" (20 November 2010).