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A heartfelt response to a fractured world

A heartfelt response to a fractured world
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On January 20th, 2017, the World Economic Forum gathered together in a call for Responsive and Responsible Leadership. One year later and what’s changed?

Klaus Schwab introduced four primary objectives for 2017 to respond to major societal concerns:

  1. Strengthen Economic Growth
  2. Make Market-Based Systems More Inclusive
  3. Master the Fourth Industrial Revolution
  4. Reimagine International Cooperation  

Citation:  https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/01/a-call-for-responsive-and-responsible-leadership/

So where are we now? 2017 has come and gone, the 2018 World Economic Forum has convened with the theme, Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World. In a world where many believe we are slowly, or some may say quickly, destroying the very things we need as humans to survive, I remain hopeful.   

Some say that hope is deadly, that hope without action actually limits progress. I say that action without hope could do the same. Action without support can result in isolated ventures that fail to get traction in the world. The good news is that both joined up action and realistic hope remain possible at the moment. This year’s WEF tackled topics of education, poverty, gender equality, and climate change among many others. I don’t know if there is a single answer to fix our fractured world, I don’t even know if there is a chance that we can save the world, the people and our livelihood “in time” - but I think like many - I’m willing to hope and try while I’m still here.   

I am not a contributor of the World Economic Forum, but in my small way I can still talk about the issues of the world and do something that can impact the world around me. Making a small individual commitment to doing the right thing can have an impact here where I live; it can help the people in my community. I don’t know anyone that lives in a community that isn’t hurting.  

So, in the spirit of the emerging future, let us not put last year and the annual forum topics behind us. Let us all keep looking for opportunities to work together to be more responsive and responsible, so we can invest in our collective future and make the world in which we live and the organizations in which we work better.

Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world. - Howard Zinn

Carrie Fritz is a Program Manager at Impact Americas.