'Walk the talk'
The world anno 2009
We live in a challenging , yet confusing age. This may be true for all ages, especially because we cannot predict our future with certainty. As Nobel-prize winner Niels Bohr put it: “We know nothing for certain, especially of our future. But seldom the threats (and opportunities) were so direct!”
The current economic and financial crisis that is not yet overcome; the threats concerning global climate change; the floods and extreme drought; earthquakes and volcanic eruptions; expanding social and cultural tensions; violent conflicts and wars. They all point to a period of extensive changes
In search of
Under these circumstances people search others to find new and sometimes surprising solutions. To come to those solutions they need information and innovative insights and worldwide congresses, symposia and meetings are organised where guest speakers are invited who can make a great contribution in this search.
Sustainability
Wether it’s sustainability, ‘cradle-to-cradle’, ‘people-planet-profit’, the millenniumgoals, green energy, the Earth Charter, etc. it always comes down to the care and concern of our common future. Keeping the world liveable for future generations, economic, ecologic, social, political and cultural. Creative solutions are needed and only solutions that take into account all these aspects can turn out effective in our highly complex world.
Greencross
Environmental organisation Green Cross, founded by president Michael Gorbatsjov in 1983, has launched a new initiative for this development. It consists of a multilingual website that supplies expert speakers worldwide who are committed and enthousiastic on the issues above. These expert speakers have earned recognition and can inspire us to keep thinking about the many things we take for granted but which are crucial for our future.
Walk the talk
From spring 2012 "Green Cross World Speakers" will be online to find suitable speakers who will furthermore, and this is extra special, donate a (sometimes substantial) part of their fee to NGO’s. They will not only in words, but also in deeds help bring closer the world we all wish for. Indeed: a good example of ‘walk-the-talk’.
It can therefore rightfully be said:
GREEN CROSS WORLD SPEAKERS: FOR A JUST, PEACEFUL AND SUSTAINABLE WORLD
I wish 'Green Cross World Speakers' a flying start with this fine initiative!
Prof.dr. Hans van Ginkel
Utrecht, September 2009
1st Christmas day, December 25, 2011 - Yearly Queen Beatrix stages her
Christmas speech from her private residence. This year she addresses her
concern about the unequal distribution of wealth over the world and the urgent
need to take more care about the environment and concervation of our planet.