Dear Friends of ELIANT,
The European elections have shown that within the European population there is growing readiness to work constructively together. There are two obvious areas of interest:
- increasing concern about planet earth
- awareness that civil society plays a decisive role when it comes to addressing big global issues.
In the United Nations "Agenda 2030", 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were set out. These include safeguarding human dignity, protecting the planet, securing peace and well being for all and promoting global partnerships.
The German Government's scientific advisory committee has drafted a commentary that is well worth reading. It states that digitalisation barely gets a mention in Agenda 2030 despite its strong influence on the implementation. It also calls for urgent consideration of the period beyond 2030 in view of the far reaching and long term effects the new technologies will have on all of us – for our private lives as well as the economic and political consequences connected with them.
ELIANT shares this perception. In the long run there needs to be a change of culture including changes in habit and lifestyle. Via the political route and its short term focus it is hardly possible. This is where the support of civil society comes in and where ELIANT also finds itself. Those wishing to learn more are warmly invited to attend the international conference being held at the Residence Palace in Brussels from 23rd to 26th August on the theme of: Soul of Europe - Facing Europe's challenges: Balancing diversity, solidarity and unity.
And another piece of good news: Our petition is taking off. More and more people understand why a citizen's movement for humane education is needed. Technology should serve human beings – and not the other way round. Important though digitalisation is – it should not be introduced in a way that compromises the healthy development of the child or young person.
We are most grateful for each and every supportive signature and for the printing and displaying of our petition sheets.
With warm summer greetings on behalf of the Alliance partners
Michaela Glöckler
