World Conversation on World Futures Day, March 1. Join a 24-Hour Around-the-world Conversation for World Futures Day
UNFOLD ZERO and Aotearoa Lawyers for Peace et al.
A global 24-hour conversation commemorating World Futures Day begins in Aotearoa-New Zealand at 12 noon March 1 hosted by Aotearoa Lawyers for Peace, World Beyond War NZ and Youth Fusion, and then travels westward with a new host each hour as people join and leave the conversation.
Youth, elders, policymakers, visionaries, artists, academics, future thinkers and ordinary people interested the future, are coming together in a free-flowing dialogue designed to stimulate ideas and inspire hope for the future. Most people will join the conversation at 12 noon in their time zone, but are also welcome to join at other times.
The opening session will also commemorate Nuclear Remembrance Day, the anniversary of the Bravo-Castle nuclear weapons test, the most destructive nuclear test explosion ever carried out in the Pacific region. “It is fitting that the global conversation begins in Aotearoa-New Zealand, a country that has banned nuclear weapons” says Alyn Ware, International Representative for Aotearoa Lawyers for Peace and one of the co-hosts of the conversation.
“We recall the horrific and ongoing health and environmental impacts of nuclear tests in the Pacific and other regions in the world. We must continue to champion the cause of a nuclear-weapon-free, peaceful and sustainable world.”
This will be the eighth year that futurists and the general public will conduct a 24-hour, round-the-world conversation on World Futures Day, a project initiated and organized by The Millennium Project, in collaboration with the Association of Professional Futurists, Humanity+, UNESCO’s Global Futures Literacy Network, the World Academy of Art and Science, and the World Futures Studies Federation.
“Anybody can pull up a cyber-chair at this global table and join the discussion on zoom,” says Jerome Glenn, CEO of The Millennium Project. “People drop in and out as they like. If they can’t come online at 12 noon their time, they are welcome at any time over the 24 hours.”
“Topics discussed have included pandemics, artificial intelligence, future concepts of work, building space elevators to orbital cities, reducing climate change, guaranteeing safe water and energy, fighting transnational organized crime, developing future forms of democracy, countering information warfare, incorporating global ethics in decision-making, enforcing safety standards for synthetic biology, and the future of humanity.”
Youth Events:
There will also be a parallel youth program and a special inter-generational eventthat will launch the Youth Fusion Elders initiative.
Join the Conversation:
Zoom link to join the conversation is available at World Future Day around-the-world-conversation.
For further information see:
Contacts:
Alyn Ware, Aotearoa Lawyers for Peace. alyn@pnnd.org Ph/WhatsApp +420 773 638 867
Liz Remmerswaal, World BEYOND War Aotearoa/NZ. lizrem@gmail.com Ph/WhatsApp +64 27 333 1055
Vanda Proskova, Youth Fusion. vanda@pnnd.org PhWhatsApp +420 728 407 661
Jerome Glenn, The Millennium Project: Jerome.Glenn@Millennium-Project.org
WORLD FUTURES DAY – 24-HOUR ROUND-THE-WORLD CONVERSION ON THE FUTURE
The Millennium Project
WASHINGTON, DC (February 28, 2021) — World Futures Day is March 1. This will be the eighth year that futurists and the general public will conduct a 24-hour, round-the-world conversation on the future on March 1st at 12 noon in whatever time zone they are in. Each year, total strangers discuss ideas about possible worlds of tomorrow in a relaxed, open, no-agenda conversation. Futures research is shared, collaborations are created, and new friendships are made.
The Millennium Project, a global foresight participatory think tank, will host this conversation on the future in collaboration with the Association of Professional Futurists (APF), Humanity+, UNESCO’s Global Futures Literacy Network, the World Academy of Art and Science (WAAS), and the World Futures Studies Federation (WFSF).
“Anybody can pull up a cyber-chair at this global table and join the discussion on ZOOM at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5221011954?pwd=UEg4TXhYMnU0TGxyNzNsUUd6dXQ4Zz09,” says Jerome Glenn, CEO of The Millennium Project. “People drop in and out as they like. If they can’t come online at 12 noon their time, they are welcome at any time over the 24 hours.”
Each year, for the past seven years, global thought leaders have shared their views about future threats and opportunities – from COVID-19 to governing artificial intelligence, inventing future concepts of work, building space elevators to orbital cities, reducing climate change, guaranteeing safe water and energy, fighting transnational organized crime, developing future forms of democracy, countering information warfare, incorporating global ethics in decisionmaking, enforcing safety standards for synthetic biology, and the future of humanity. Who knows what will be discussed this year? Comments can be added at #worldfutureday.
This year, at 12 noon East Coast US time, we will be joined by Theodore Gordon, Futurist pioneer at RAND, Institute for the Future, Futures Group and The Millennium Project,” according to Glenn. “Gordon was also the manager of the third stage of the Apollo rocket to the moon and co-developed Delphi, Cross-Impact Analysis, and the State of the Future Index.
Members of the press are most welcome to join the conversation asking questions to this diverse group of future-oriented people; however, Chatham House Rule applies: you can quote, use material, but not cite the source. “So,” Glenn continues, “come online and join the conversation with others working to build a better future. This conversation will not be recorded, but the comments and references in the chat box will be saved.”
Co-sponsoring Organization Contacts:
Association of Professional Futurists: Shermon Cruz Shermon@afp.org
Humanity+: Natasha Vita-More, natasha@natashavita-more.com
UNESCO’s Global Futures Literacy Network: Riel Miller futures@unesco.org
The Millennium Project: Jerome Glenn, Jerome.Glenn@Millennium-Project.org
World Academy of Art and Science: Gary Jacobs garry.jacobs@worldacademy.org
World Futures Studies Federation: Erik Ferdinand Overland, secretariat@wfsf.org
In addition to this global event, a special World Future Day for Youth will be held. See: https://www.teachthefuture.org/world-future-day
Here are some comments from last year’s World Future Day 2020:
“Thoroughly enjoyable — thanks for the invitation!” — Vint Cerf, USA
“It was so great to hear such diverse and deep perspectives from some incredible minds — lots of food for thought and ideas for future action.” — Kelli McCluskey, New Zealand
“I have had a terrific time yesterday during the world future day.” Mara, Italy
To Summarize or give key insights on this extremely diverse 24-hour conversation on the future with hundreds of futurists and others is impossible to do objectively…. but here’s some of it:
- Teach critical thinking throughout the education system; train people to evaluate what they see
- Improve systems and create incentives for strong authentication/identification to validate information sources.
- Since disinformation is believed that matches one’s worldview, opening thought about worldviews is needed; science is the best approximation we have of reality; promote citizen science
- Use predictive analytics with massive databanks of disinformation list potential actions to counter before they happen
- If harm results from disinformation, there should be consequences;
- Metrics are needed to know how balance the loss of information, fragmentation of knowledge (filters) with needs to delete damaging information for public safety.
- Much can be done without government, but international agreements are needed to define norms that guide behavior; the ITU is an intergovernmental example while the Global Commission on the Stability of Cyberspace is public-private example.
The Internet has been closed down over 200 times during 2019 in various locations around the world (mostly in Asia), new parallel or alternative systems could fragment the Internet, but Vint Cerf confirmed that the Internet is technically viable even with vast new increasing bandwidth demand.
- It will be hard to escape the internet with the advent of 5G implementations.
- There could be more cost to sustain for connecting as we improve technology.
- We need rules about the responsibilities for our personal AI/Avatar or digital twin after we die? What if it commits a cybercrime or makes a fortune?
- Although the digital divide is closing, the divide in usage/application (AI, etc.) is widening.
Climate change is more a cultural problem than a technical one, we many ways to address this what is lacking is the will and global collaboration to act. Arts can change culture and public will. A key variable in The Millennium Project Work/Technology 2050 scenario 3 was collaboration with writers of music, movies, and TV. If Al Gore got an academy award for a PowerPoint presentation on global warming, what could collaborative talent do in Hollywood?
Easier think of future better appliances than future better humans.
Show videos of respectful discussions within diverse families learning from those disagree with, instead of only parliament disrespectful debate without listening.
We are not taught to collaborate with different people and ideas.
It is easier to imagine better future appliances than it is to imagine better future humans. Star Trek shows all kinds of improved technology, but little improvement among humans.
New Zealand’s Festival for the Future (next one is 24-26 in Wellington) explores global challenges with CEO’s, entrepreneurs, students, and 1,200+ delegates from across the Asia–Pacific.
Australia seawater coastline agriculture could get money from cap and trade. One of its output is to algae, which can be feedstock for cell-based pure meat. This puts three counter global warming strategies in to one strategy: salt water agriculture; meat without animals; and cap and trade.
Oxygen depletion in oceans, acidification, temperature change, are serious long-range issues for next 2020 UN Ocean Conference Lisbon 2-6 June. And Under a Green Sky long-range global warming that could lead to next species extinction. Another organization looking such strategic risks is the Global Catastrophic Risk Institute and the Lifeboat Foundation. The next TransVision Conference Madrid October 16-19, 2020
E2Glats created in Brazil is an experimental platform to invent new ways of being or social organizations with agents and assets, as sort of an online Auroville in India.
Holochain as alternative to blockchain and MetaCurrency explores new concepts of wealth.
Quantum computing may change our 0 – 1 thinking; binary, black/white simplistic thinking — Jim Disbrow; instead of individualism vs. collectivism in climate change actions thin both/and;
Tiny Revolutions in New Zealand uses the 15 Global Challenges as a framework to engage group of “artists, industry experts, activists and members of the public” to come up with and implement “bite-sized actions that pack a societal punch.” Kickstarter and future similar platforms are new ways to get support for new projects.
Iranian Futurist Ahmad Mahdeyan shared a study of futurists per capita around the world.
News broadcasts the worse human behavior every day; most science fiction shows negative futures. So Learning Mind posts seven optimistic scenarios. Singularity University also shares optimist views. The Millennium Project’s 2050 Work/Tech Future Work/Technology 2050 Scenario 3: If Humans Were Free – the Self-Actualization Economy is also a positive view.
SDG targets and indicators
Nice Chronology of Life by Jose Cordeiro
Prospect Theory, an economic theory using experimentation.
White paper on solutions to mitigate climate change and assessment of Danish Strongholds Innovation Fund Denmark’s Climate Solutions Panel
Nordic Health 2030 Moment report from the Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies
What will be the new normal? Alternative narratives
Australia Parliament’s submission received on Financial Regulatory Tech
The Future Evolution of the Conscious Mind Dialogue between Thomas Lombardo and Victor V. Motti talk about Future Consciousness by Tom Lombardo. Also cognitive psychologist Donald D. Hoffman developed and combined two theories: “multimodal user interface” theory of perception and “conscious realism” that the physical world is not objective but is an epiphenomenon caused by consciousness. Other podcasts of Distant Futures of Everything Podcasts by Victor V. Motti
Ikigai is Japanese concept being with satisfaction, happiness & meaning to life as illustrated below:
City Resilience Program is a partnership between the World Bank and the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery for city scale resilience to natural and social disasters. https://www.gfdrr.org/en/crp. The Rockefeller Foundation also the 100 Resilient Cities program.
Library of Global Solutions www.globalregenerationinstitute.com
Since the sun could one day have disturbances big enough to destroy us, or collision with a large enough asteroid, or Hydrogen Sulfide emissions from future changing ocean conditions, or other species threats, it would be wise to let those who want to migrate beyond earth to do so. Human curiosity will take us beyond the solar system. Just as we would not know what you are capable of when you were a zygote totally dependent on your Mother, we might know what humanity is capable of until it gets out of its decency on the Sun and matures into exo-Solar space.
The Earth’s magnetic field that protects us from most of the solar radiation is weakening (separate from the usual weakening before polar magnetic shifts) but seems the Sun and Earth are entangled so that as a big flare occurs, the shape of the field changes that protects us.
The Expanse science fiction TV series on Amazon Prime
Prospect Theory (a solution for applying design of experiments in Economics)
Mark Sackler’s podcasts on the future
Zebras Unite is a global network of entrepreneurs, funders, investors, and allies who are calling for a more ethical, inclusive, collaborative, distributed, and sustainable movement to transform prevailing startup and venture capital culture. Another group explore new approached to capital is Future Capital
30 visions for sustainability organized by Heiner Benking
Martin Kruse – Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies report on financial investments for climate change for the Innovation Fund
Paul Werbos not only warned about the need for governance of future possible AGI but also ANI (NIST new standards for AI). ANI such as autonomous weapons and stock market algorithms could lead to disasters. We have to get design system issues and regulations right and soon. Australian is inviting public comments on these AI issues.
Lucas Pitangueira: Imagine a social network focused on problem solving, forum style, with all kinds of topics people could collaborate on from big topics like economy and climate to small topics like fixing the holes in a street on your town. I just had this insight listening to our conversation. I would like to make that happen, with the help of a group of people who would like to share that vision. On a global scale, that is developing now in the Global Futures Research System.
Time Zone Facilitators for World Future Day 2020 were:
New Zealand: (UTC +12) UTC=Coordinated Universal Time
Yvonne Curtis and Dave Smith
Australia: (UTC +8-10)
Marta Botta Queensland (UTC+10)
Anita Sykes-Kelleher Western Australia (UTC+8):
Pacific (UTC +6 and +7) (plus Scotland, and as needed anywhere):
Marianne Rugard Jarvstrat
Sri Lanka: (UTC +5) Asanga Abeyagoonasekera
India: (UTC +5) Mohan Tikku
Dubai: (UTC +4) Francis John
Iran: (UTC +3.30) Ahmad Mahdeyan
Egypt: (UTC +2) Mounir Wahba Labib
Italy: (UTC +1) Mara Di Berardo
Tunisia: (UTC +1) Jelel Ezzine
Germany (UTC +1) Heiner Benking(and host helping in many or time zones)
Netherlands: (UTC +1) Amanda Jansen
UTC – 0 UK/Paris/Madrid Jose Cordeiro
UTC -2 Kacper Nosarzewski
Brazil: (UTC -3) Rosa Alegria and Bibiana Bosak
USA (Mainland): (UTC -5 to – 8)
Wash., DC (UTC -5) Deyanira Murga (and youth)
Wash., DC (UTC -5) Lori Gordon
Chicago (UTC -6) Mark Sackler
Denver: (TC -7) Mila Popovich (and youth)
San Francisco: (UTC -8) Joe Murphy
Silicon Valley: (UTC -8) Brock Hinzman
Peru: (UTC – 5) Concepción Olavarrieta in Peru with Fernando
Mexico (UTC -6) Alethia Montero Baena
Hawaii: (UTC -10) Christopher B. Jones
General: To facilitate in time zones that are not covered and fill in as needed:
- Jim Disbrow
- Jim Hurd Jim Hurd
Admin:
- Heiner Benking
- Altekruse Joerg
- Jerome Glenn
Hosted by The Millennium Project in collaboration with:
- Association of Professional Futurists
- UNESCO’s Global Futures Literacy Network
- World Academy of Art and Science
- World Futures Studies Federation
- TBC: Humanity+
Some unsolicited comments from 2019 last year’s participants:
- Very inspired by the brilliant and passionate people working in foresight. Phenomenal hearts and minds working globally for our common humanity. Oriana Beaudet, VP, Healthcare Transformation, Array Advisors, Minneapolis-St Paul, USA
- Amazing people, brilliant insights. Provocative, inspiring. Happiest world future day! Thanks much! Shermon Cruz, Executive Director, Center for Engaged Foresight, Manila, Philippines
- Loved it! – Mark Sackler Host “Seeking Delphi” CT, USA
- Great experience. Thank you!! — Asanga Abeyagoonasekera, Director General, Institute of National Security Studies, Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Great experience! What beautiful people! Mila Popovich, World Academy of Art and Science, Denver, USA
