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Beyond Life-long Learning with Li Andersson [FI] // CONVERSATION

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The COVID Pandemic has forced all the governments in the world to react and change rapidly. However, when we start coming out, the real Transformation work starts. How can governments reimagine themselves, not as agents of industrial growth, but as Arenas of Imagination and experimentation? I nstead of going back to the unsustainable normal, how can we take a new direction? In this conversation, we will discuss these particularly in the context of education and life-long-learning.

The purpose of this session is to find new viewpoints for the current Finnish government from the UNTITLED community. We will explore what education and learning means in a post-industrial and post-growth setting, where the purpose of developing oneself is not solely being able to compete in the labor market, but also to provide a wider benefit to society. 

Li Andersson is the Minister of Education in Finland. She is the Party Leader of the Left Alliance.

 

Twitter: @liandersson

Website: liandersson.fi/

Bio and Photo: Ministry of Education and Culture (c)

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Commodity Defetish By Tuomas Toivonen [FI] // CONVERSATION

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In the time of Planetary and Cognitive capitalism, the total, Extractive logics of the market seek to expand and tap into every potential, transaction, aspect and material of our world and bodies – and also our time. No habitable positions remain “outside” the terrain of profit.To Survive, we all develop defenses against it, and adjust the set of compromises made when inhabiting it.

How do we live “within and against” commodified time? What time is love?

Tuomas Toivonen is a Helsinki-based architect and musician. In 2005, he founded NOW Architectural Studio in partnership with his wife Nene Tsuboi. In 2013, Toivonen and Tsoboi notably designed a public sauna called The Culture Sauna. In addition to Solo musical projects, Toivonen also performs with the Giant Robot music group. [ Bio Source: Finnish Design Shop ]

Twitter: @tuomastoivonen

Website: NOW

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How Can We Create An Alliance of Green Digital Cities? by The New Institute [DE] // CONVERSATION

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THE NEW INSTITUTE  is a mission-driven Institute of Advanced Study and a platform for change.  It is based in Hamburg, privately funded and aims at combining the energy of academia and activism to create Meaningful change, Addressing the most pressing ecological, economic and political challenges, developing concrete solutions. One central project is The New Hanse, supporting the city of Hamburg in its attempt to become a green and digital model city in Europe. We want to present this project, led by Francesca Bria, former CTO of Barcelona. We want to workshop this project. And most of all we want to listen to you and learn from your experiences, pool ideas, connect initiatives and Forge new alliances. We cannot do this alone.The goal is to create an Alliance of green digital cities in Europe. Anyone interested in urban / digital / ecological Transformation should attend this session.

The hosts of this session are:

Georg Diez, Editor-in-Chief of THE NEW INSTITUTE, is a writer and long-time journalist.

Geoff Mulgan, Professor at UCL and Senior Advisor at THE NEW INSTITUTE, is a social entrepreneur, policy-maker and author.

Luisa Neubauer , German climate activist, is one of the main organizers of Fridays for Future .

Nina Rismal, Researcher at THE NEW INSTITUTE, is an economist and philosopher.

Website: thenew.institute

Image: The New Institute (c)

 

 

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Imagining Culture As a Dimension Of Long-Term Environmental Policy by Javier Guillot [COL] // CONVERSATION

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One fundamental axis of debate in the conservation movement and in the formulation of environmental policy originates in the framing of the relationship between ‘nature ’  and ‘culture ’. Should we conceive of ‘culture’ as (epistemologically and ontologically) distinct from nature, or should we reject this dichotomy, Integrating or reconciling the ‘natural’ and the ‘cultural’? Despite its apparently abstract character, this question plays a critical role for designing and mobilizing environmental policy because the answer shapes how humans are understood and engaged with to explain and respond to environmental challenges. And if it makes sense to recognize that there are elements of ‘culture’ (or ‘cultures’?) That are more compatible or consistent with Sustainability and regeneration than others, how should this be translated into policy approaches across sectors, both globally and locally?

Participants will be invited to share their views on this debate on the basis of their own experiences, and to discuss its impact by grounding it on particular fields of action.

Javier is a public and social entrepreneur. He currently serves as the Environmental Culture Lead at the Directorate of Citizen Culture at the Secretariat of Culture of Bogotá. He recently worked as director of the Colombian Public Innovation Team (EiP-DNP), and as cofounder of Círcula, a social enterprise that creates more engaging and consistent ways to deal responsibly with the challenge of trash. In 2018, he was recognized in apolitical’s global “100 Future Leaders” list.

Twitter : @jeguillot 

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/javiguillot

Images: Javier Guillot (c)

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The Transcultural Republic of Nodes by Raphael Thelen and Theresa Leisgang [DE] // EXPERIMENT WORKSHOP

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Ecological collapse accelerates as technology advances. To face both, we’ll need a community, or better than that: a network of independent communities or ‘Nodes’. This experiment workshop will explore how such nodes can share a constitution, collaborate online, and make a Universal Basic Income (UBI) for every member. The nation state as an organizing system is broken. Corporations like Facebook are attuned to the accelerating speed of communication and globalization, but they are profit-driven. Let us reimagine a decentralized self-governing system, based in the real world as much as in the blockchain, that is robust in the face of crisis, innovative through cc-license knowledge sharing and life-friendly by design.

To get started we need Ideas, knowledge, inspiration! What would a Constitution for the 2020s look like? How do we set up a self-financed UBI? How can we harness the power of Blockchain/Aragon? How can we create a new social code that proclaims not freedom from harm, but rather the freedom to self actualize? Imagine an international network of physical open spaces – Nodes – that are based on: shared values, self-financed UBI and an internal, privacy-conscious social network. Its goals would be:

  • Cohabiting peacefully / adverting crisis
  • Creating spaces to navigate and inspire change
  • Providing mutual support
  • Using advancing technologies in communications, production, agriculture and energy

Raphael Thelen lives and works on the fault lines of our global society, where our conflicts and aspirations are thrown into their sharpest relief, where the boundaries between personal and political blurr. He experienced the 2011 Liberation struggle of the people in the Middle East, accompanied by Refugees crossing the Balkans, wrote about the crumbling Dreams of today’s Eastern Germany. His writing has appeared in all major German Magazines. Currently he is finishing his second book. He writes not only as a Spectator, but as someone who hopes to change the conditions he finds.

Theresa Leisgang lives her life on the fine line where local practices and global structures meet. She explores the connections between transculturality and climate crisis, between agriculture and biodiversity-loss, between indiginous knowledge and imperialism.Whether she researches how oil companies exploit the people of the Amazon, works on board of civil rescue ships in the Mediterranean or develops PR strategies for public figures like Carola Rackete – to her all these Missions are sides of the same quest: a good life for all on our shared planet.

Raphael and Theresa are collaborating on a project called Pulse Of  The Earth. They have traveled through Southern Africa, Europe and towards the Arctic Circle to examine how communities deal with the impact of the climate crisis. During their meetings with social-entrepreneurs, feminists, psychonauts, shamans, thinkers, politicians and activists, while living in community houses, squatted forests and on spiritual gatherings, they learnt one thing time and again: community is not only making us more resilient, it is also the solution to many of our most problems.

Twitter: @RaphaelThelen @besal

Photos: Raphael Thelen (c)

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What If We Replaced Partisan Elections With Democratic Lotteries? by of by for [US] // CONVERSATION

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George Zisiadis and Adam Cronkright are the co-coordinators at of by for  and their mission is to get beyond parties and politicians, putting everyday people in front and center. In this discussion, George and Adam will share more about their new vision to replace partisan elections with democratic lotteries. This is a vision now you haven’t heard of yet. But it’s rooted in ancient Athenian democracy, and is re-emerging in the Lottery-drawn Citizens’ Assemblies that are shaping politics around the world.
Participants are invited to partake in small group discussions in breakout rooms, to ask questions, and to share both what excites them and what they’d like to know more about regarding democratic lotteries.
Adam Cronkright is on the Coordinating Committee for Democracy R&D, a network of close to 40 organizations advancing democratic Lotteries in 18 countries around the world.
Before dedicating himself to of by for , Adam co-founded Democracy In Practice , whose work reinventing student government with democratic Lotteries was a finalist for the Council of Europe 2016 Democracy Innovation Award. Democracy in Practice’s work was recently featured on Malcolm Gladwell’s Revisionist History podcast. Adam was Deeply involved in the Occupy Wall Street protests in Manhattan, and Deeply immersed in the peaceful grassroots’ Uprising that toppled an unpopular government in Bolivia in 2019.
George Zisiadis is an artist and designer who leads large, complex projects that speak to People’s hearts. His site-specific public artwork, utilizing the latest technologies, has reimagined San Francisco’s most iconic public spaces – including the Civic Center and Grace Cathedral – and consistently moved people of all ages and backgrounds. His work has been featured in TIME, NPR, WIRED, FastCompany, and more. Two years ago he set aside his art practice to dedicate himself to the study of social movements from past to present

Twitter: @adamcronkright
Website: joinofbyfor.us

Related Untitled Agenda Themes : Reimagining power, Reimagining the contract

Photos: Adam Cronkright and George Zisiadis, joinofbyfor.us (c)

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Building Infrastructure That Transforms Democracy by Anthony Zacharzewski [UK] // CONVERSATION & EXPERIMENT WORKSHOP

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We have to reimagine the democratic process by breaking out of the traditional governmental pattern of “decide, do, defend”. In an age of personalization, people feel left behind by government – decisions are remote and inflexible, and they cannot easily make real changes in their communities and societies. How can we develop a more participatory, conversational, Collaborative and inclusive way of democracy, where participation opportunities are paired with the skills for effective participation, and voices from every community are heard?

Is it possible to break up the concept of democracy as an every-five-year process and bring it directly to People’s daily lives? How can we engage in frequent democratic participation beyond the traditional spaces of government? How can we root social conversations into governance systems? Where could democracy be, on a positive timeline, after 10 years? What changes would be needed? How would decisions be different?

The conversation on Day 1 tackle the long-term vision in preperation for Day 2, where we will think about what the first year of that transformation looks like. What can we do in the present, within a year? What are some practical ways to put down the first brick of the new government model depicted? Decision makers, politicians, policy makers, local organizations, emerging or big corporations, citizens, and really anyone interested in social participation, engagement, democracy and collaboration are all welcome to the sessions.

Anthony Zacharzewski is the founder and president of  The Democratic Society [DemSoc], a non-profit organization focusing on Civic participation and new models of governance. DemSoc works for greater participation and dialogue in democracy. Anthony is interested in supporting governments, parliaments and any organization in the process of decision making. He is also interested in understanding how the sporadic and developing practice of democratic participation can become a stable, sustainable way of working.

Twitter: @demsoc; @anthonyzach

Website:  https://www.demsoc.org/

 

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Trees as Infrastructure by EIT Climate-KIC [EU] // EXPERIMENT WORKSHOPS

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Within cities, trees and humans are enmeshed in a rich network of agencies and dependencies sharing intimate relations and mutual obligations towards preserving a common, liveable place. Recognizing urban trees beyond their Aesthetic presence and treating them as city co-inhabitants might offer a better way to attend to our relations and establish a tangled web of links to support living processes. Urban trees can be companions, communities, providers, expert Witnesses, economies, data stories or resourceful Ancestors.

Using the lens of Trees as Infrastructure, we will imagine and identify the most controversi al to pics. For example – what happens when this topic becomes (inevitabl y) political? What happens if the media use it as a ‘greenwashed feel good piece’ without thoroughly discussing the full breadth of the story? How does this apply to marginalized communities? 

In the workshops, participants will develop, refine, demonstrate, prototype, and launch or initiate transformative experiments. All participants are welcome. Leaders from city and regional governments will also be in attendance, alongside artists, business and other thought leaders. As the Deep Dive session on Day 2 will build on context from Day 1, either of the sessions on Thursday are a pre-requisite for Friday’s session.

PLEASE REGISTER TO THE COGNITIVE CITY HERE if you are participating: https://untitled.cognitive.city

Recommended Readings : Reading 1 and Reading 2 . 

EIT Climate-KIC  is the EU’s climate innovation agency, working to Accelerate the transition to a zero-carbon and resilient world by enabling systems Transformation.

Twitter: @ClimateKIC

Website: www.climate-kic.org

 

Related Untitled Agenda Themes : Reimagining the contract, Reimagining climate, Reimagining power, Reimaging human, Reimagining the economy

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New Metaphors by The Imaginaries Lab [US] // ART & IMAGINATION

Metaphors are central to how we imagine and describe the experiences and systems of everyday life, from climate to pandemic, governments to economies, education to care. Once we notice and think about the metaphors we’re using, it can prompt us to understand our situation better, but also to re-imagine, to use alternative metaphors to think in new ways. 

In this fun session we’ll be exploring how re-imagining, through new metaphors, can help us re-imagine the world, and create new ways of thinking and living. We’ll use the New Metaphors cards along with your own ideas and experiences to experiment with and generate ideas for transforming our imaginaries of some major issues for humanity and the planet. 

The session is run by Dan Lockton and Sanika Sahasrabuddhe from the Imaginaries Lab, an international research studio creating design tools to support people’s imagining, with the aim of more equitable socially and environmentally sustainable futures. Bridging research and practice, we work extensively with Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Design and Tepper School of Business, and collaborate internationally with a variety of organisations in Europe and North America. 

Twitter handles: @imaginari_es and @soopersawnic

Website: imaginari.es 

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Futures frequency – Reimagine the future by Sitra [FI] // Experiment Workshop

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By 2030 our average carbon footprint should be significantly lower to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees. We need to reimagine our Everyday lives, governance, businesses, work – every aspect of our lives to match the earth’s carrying capacity.

Futures Frequency is a 3 hour workshop developed by Sitra . It challenges our assumptions about the future, leads us to imagine preferred Futures and build actions towards it. We will come together to practice Futures thinking and challenge ourselves to see the possibilities for change making. The maximum amount of participants is 20. We will use Zoom and Miro in the workshop. 

Futures Frequency is a workshop method in progress and at the Untitled Festival we test its Prototype to help develop it. We welcome you to this pilot workshop that aims at using the workshop method as a tool to popularize Futures thinking and strengthen the link between Futures thinking and change making. The workshop will be targeted to people and organizations who are interested in these topics, but does not necessarily have any previous experience about them. The workshop is structured around three themes 1) Challenge existing assumptions about the future, 2) Imagine a preferred future, 3) Take action and shape the future. 

Our aim is to use the workshop method as a tool to popularize Futures thinking and strengthen the link between Futures thinking and change making. If we are going to succeed in the transition to a fair and ecologically sustainable society, we need more people to have agency and ownership and to feel that they can have an impact towards the future and to have skills to do that.

We would like to find partners who would be interested in developing the Futures Frequency method further with Sitra. Also, we will make thematic versions of the workshop, meaning Futures Frequency about climate, democracy, data etc, and would love to find partners who work with a specific theme and would be interested in developing these thematic versions with us.

Sitra is an active fund for the future who studies, researches and brings together partners from different sectors in open-minded Trials and reforms. Its future-oriented works are aimed at making Finland succeed as a pioneer of sustainable wellbeing. This session will be Hosted by Jenna Lähdemäki-Pekkinen and Liisa Poussa. Jenna works as a social foresight specialist in Sitra’s Foresight and insight team and Liisa works in Sitra’s Foresight team, producing long-term foresight data in anticipation of the future.

Twitter handle: @SitraFund ,@jennalahdemaki_,@Lillinen
Website: www.sitra.fi/en 

Related Untitled Themes:  Reimagining Human, Reimagining Climate, Reimagining Economy, Reimagining Work, Reimagining the Contract, Reimagining Cities

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