The project Bridging Foundations for a Liveable Future* was born in Europe in the first weeks of lock-down. An exceptional situation, it asked for an exceptional action. Created by two people who today still have not met in person, Sebastian Gaggero and I knew we shared a lot. Most of all, we shared knowing the people who have most inspired our lives and our work. These were the people we invited to join in our project. @liveablefuture
(*we purposely chose the UK spelling for liveable, contrary to the US spelling livable).
Why this? Why now?
When I see big changes, I am reminded that every change is an opportunity of choice. And choice is personal. We choose how we perceive what is happening. Choose how we feel about it. And choose how we want to respond to it.
Youtube: Invitation LiveAble Future
This project is a gift
We can only choose based on what we know. So, we wanted to offer a bit of the wisdom of those whom we most admire. Not by letting them “tell us how things are”, in the form of a monologue. If you seek this, then you will most possibly find great things on the web. No, we wanted the moment to be personal and founded on the current living. So, we invited them for two things.
Firstly, we invited them to share their questions, not their answers. Only too often they are asked for answers. This time we extended them a space where they could share their doubts, their concerns, those things to which they have not “the answer”. To open up for the conversation. Meaningful Questions
Secondly, the invitation was to engage in a conversation. As Humberto Maturana says, a conversation is a form of “living together”. Not to be confused with the situation of two (or more) people saying their part, in the form of a monologue, as we so often experience. Insightful Conversations
The programme
Our invitees accepted only too willingly. We all shared the same desire to reach out and the will to “co-create” something together. We were in good company.
And we were rich. Rich in diversity of all kinds. Some may know many of the speakers, but few (if any) will know them all. And there is something for everyone in the 7 insightful conversations.
Each speaker has a remarkable lifework. To present this would make for a whole book, and a rich one if I may add. I will not do so here. But allow me to share briefly the areas they engaged in during the Insightful Conversations.
Humberto Maturana and Otto Scharmer, two highly influential scholars, talk of humanity, discrimination, trust and honesty and love. In a most intimate manner.
Fritjof Capra and Anil Gupta I was most thrilled could meet each other. How well the science that Fritjof presents about “A System’s View of Life” fits with the Grassroot Innovation that Anil has engaged in for over 3 decades, amazing innovation created by common people. Systems thinking greatly applied and explained.
Vandana Shiva, Michel Bauwens and Pedro Tarak addressed the more economical aspect of initiatives, enterprise and the economy as a whole. The Commons and its comeback was the great common point in this conversation.
Scilla Elworthy and Muhammad Yunus, who’s work have each had such a global impact, shared about the intimate aspects of listening and learning and what it took them to act.
Peter Senge and Gunter Pauli know each other, though the 2 gentlemen had not met in over 10 years. Each have evolved in their work towards learning and creativity, especially by the young. A great recognition is given to “A System’s View of Life” and the contribution of Fritjof Capra to the work of so many of us.
Ann Moradian, Arvind Singh Mewar of Udaipur and Gonzalo Munoz engaged in a conversation about “looking beyond”. Beyond global visions at the COPs, beyond our mind to include our bodies and movement, beyond urban realities to rural ones.
Jane Goodall offered us her view on education, at school and beyond. This served as the basis for the conversation between Marina Silva and Ximena Davila, two extraordinary women who each have pushed boundaries in their work.
Conclusion
Most speakers had not met prior to @liveablefuture and each one engages in their own specific field. This contributed to the richness in the conversations, through the diversity of the individuals, while at the same time connecting, finding common grounds. At times with the emergence of surprising alignments, such as in work around “the Commons” (Shiva-Bauwens), Intimacy (Maturana-Scharmer) or with extraordinary complementarity (Capra-Gupta).
Learning I would say comes out as the thin red line. Learning is of course a personal matter, experienced in mind and body. Intimate and personal, it is connected with our feelings and our movements, our curiosity and our choice for honesty and trust.
Learning is also collective. We learn when we connect with others, offering trust, ‘living together’ in conversation and experience. And it is collective in the societies we represent, the activities we undertake, inventions we develop and economies we create.
My wish through these conversations is for each of us to recognise the choices we have and the daily opportunities to learn and live. To help us collectively create the world we wish to live in, for a liveable future.
Much appreciation to all who participated in this project, our highly valued speakers, Seba, Isabella and the many volunteers and allies from different countries such as Chile, Brazil, Italy, US and more. And kudos to Carlos P. and the team ☺ (more info).
Join us on social media:
Website : http://liveablefuture.today
YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UComxkvMdU9c1GomWYcibGiA
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/liveablefuture/
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/liveablefuture.today/
Twitter : https://twitter.com/LiveableFuture
Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/company/liveable-future/
Camila Amaya-Castro (co-founder)
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