Globethics launches the new Strategy 2023-2027
Ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for coming, and a very warm welcome to the global launch of the Globethics Strategy 2023-2027 taking place today, online and in-person simultaneously in the Globethics centres around the world. We are gathered in Geneva, Yogyakarta, Bangalore, Nairobi, Accra and Buenos Aires. Greetings to you all, and to more than 600 webinar participants joining online. Please note that during the event there is interpretation available on Zoom in English and in Spanish Por favor notar que durante el evento hay interpretación en el Zoom en inglés y en castellano. Do feel free to post about the event Do feel free to post about the event on social media.
We also have interactive surveys for you to take part in using the Ql codes on cards in front of you on the tables, if you have them, on the screen, and using the link in the chat. So without further ado, it is our pleasure to introduce you now to the President and Founder of Globethics, Professor Dr. Dr. H.C. Christoph Stueckelberger, to make the opening address. Thank you, Lucy, and a warm welcome from my side to all of you excellencies, participants, friends in Geneva and worldwide. Diplomats would now add all protocols observed. It's a great moment to launch and celebrate the new Strategy 2023-2027 of Globethics - not .net, just Globethics now!
As founder and then four-year president, and then 8 years as executive director, during which I could serve our president, Ambassador Walter Fust, who is here, and now since 6 years again, President, I am deeply thankful for how our global ethics community has developed for almost 20 years since 2004. In this short welcome remark let me mention 3 dimensions which I hope will build the identity of our global ethics community. The first point rooted in uprooted times. We have the title of uncertain times, navigating in uncertain times.
Navigating is in the subtitle of this strategy. A majority of people on earth live day by day, fearful in uncertainty. Many are uprooted and without orientation. Being rooted in values, convictions, faith is crucial, standing rooted on both legs and having roots deep. We, as Globethics, are a community of people who try to be and are rooted in our values and traditions, and therefore being open for diversity as global citizens. Only those who are rooted are open to others.
The second dimension, balancing continuity and innovation. Disruption is a fashion word. It seems a disruption is almost positive. For example, disruptive new technologies. Disruption can mean to be disconnected from the past with a hybris to reinvent the wheel and make everything different.
Such disruptions often fail but also stagnation fails because life and history means a constant movement, development, adaptation like swimming in the river. Life is like a river. Now we, as Globethics, are faithful to the past, and at the same time open to innovation, adaptation, or, as the Linsi Foundation said, climbing to the next level and to the top. I experience that we, as Globethics, specifically also with the new Executive Director, Fadi Daou, and all of you in the globe, are balancing continuity and innovation.
My third point is energetic and joyful. For 30 years I have fought to overcome corruption in politics, business, and society as an example of engagement, but it's still a rampant disease worldwide. Resignation could be the result. However, I do not give up. You do not give up. We do not give up. Why?
From a religious perspective, I say, because God, the Divine, who has 1,000 names, does not give up. Why should we give up if our Creator does not give up? We, as Globethics are an energetic community, we aim to make a difference with a fire in our hearts and the love in our hands. Ethics is not only hard work. It leads to joy. We want to show and live that ethics is joyful. Many people think that's a burden, and you will not make it.
It's joyful and joy gives the energy to strive for even greater ambitious impact. I add one word. In the aeroplane this morning from Kinshasa to Geneva, there was an interfaith pamphlet in the airport, and it says, and I read it in French: "And if, in the beginning there was joy and joy was with God and joy was God's, it was, in the beginning, with God.
All things were made by it, and without it, nothing was made. What was made with it was life, and life is the light of humankind." So to be a joyful community gives us energy and strength. Together we make it. Thank you.
Thank you, Dr Stueckelberger, for your inspiring words, encouraging us to be rooted, innovative and joyful. Now let's listen to the youth of the world, to their concerns and aspirations. I have seen in my own life and in the lives of other young people, how transformative education can be.
In Mexico, we experience deep societal rifts leading sometimes to despair and violence, but also hope for another reality. This is why I value the course programmes of Globethics. Education can change the perspective, turning from the mere acquisition of content to leading with purpose, to create better lives.
For me, sustainability is not only a word, it stands for our life and our future. From the Globethics course on responsible leadership, I meant that integrity, competence and impartiality are key values. As a youth leader committed to climate justice, I attempt to implement these values in my daily work. This gives me and my generation hope, especially in Africa, where 60% of the population is under 25 years old.
The threat of cyber attacks on online systems can be very daunting. The Globethics cyber ethics course helps to understand how cyber security can be approached in a systemic way, and it can increase cyber resilience. I find it very stimulating to think, together with others from different contexts on cybersecurity as a public good for humanity and the planet. The respect for different ways of living out one's faith, and still being able to identify common grounds for living together peacefully always inspires me. The Globethics course on interreligious collaboration for peace provided such a rich intercultural learning environment. I appreciated particularly the technique of active listening we learned as a tool that helps me to transform situations of conflict positively.
Solidarity. Accountability. Ethics. Resilience.
Having listened to Lani, Josh, Victor and Gyöngyi, we are pleased to introduce the new Globethics strategy in this next video, our answer to the concerns of today. We are pleased now to invite Professor Dr Amélé Ekué, to speak in Geneva to the first priority: Ethics and Standards in Higher Education. I greet you all most cordially. Welcome to this wonderful opportunity for us to launch together the new Globethics Strategy. Education, to my mind, is a universal language, a language of empowerment and hope.
With education, all people can aspire to transform their own lives and their communities. However, there is no easy segue from education to transformation. Our world is marked by deep societal, economic, political rifts. These disparities have serious repercussions on the world of learning. The major challenges, such as the digital divide or the education of young girls and women and the access to quality educational resources prompt us to reflect urgently on how and to whom education is delivered to nurture future leaders capable to serve as change-makers in the world. We need to turn from an exclusive model of higher education for the few to an inclusive educational approach whose success is defined by the impact young leaders make on their communities.
This is the ultimate benchmark for quality education and Globethics is committed to it. This is why ethics matters. Ethics provides the qualitative framework for an education as the purposeful preparation of the whole person driven by values, oriented towards finding relevant solutions to global challenges.
Nurturing ethical leadership will be at the heart of Globethics' targets regarding this priority. Among these are: 50 researchers and teachers working with Globethics; 120 members in the Consortium on Ethics in Higher Education; 150 new publications, and 500 trained administrative and teaching professionals. We will engage 520 higher education institutions and 700,000 online library users. Last but not least, 1.5 million downloads
of Globethics Publications are our targets. You see, there is so much to do, and so many promises for an education that empowers and offers hope. Let us all work together. Now is the time to build strong international alliances of knowledge co-creation and education for a more just, inclusive and sustainable world. Globethics is looking forward to making this vision a reality.
Are you ready to join us? Thank you, Amélé, for this invitation to join Globethics and make the vision a reality. We go live now to Buenos Aires to hear from Professor Julio Durand from the Universidad Austral. Good morning to everyone here in Buenos Aires, and greetings to the entire Globethics community around the world. Good afternoon to those in Europe, Africa and Asia. Higher education in Latin America is facing a bright future. On the one hand, we have an increase in the number of young people entering university, and on the other hand, it is estimated that the number of universities and higher education institutions will continue to expand.
The main challenge that I visualize is how to transform this expansion into a qualitative improvement of our societies. At this point, I identify the high impact of Globethics' potential strengthening the ethical dimension in the education of all university graduates is a necessity to moderate the extreme inequality that characterizes societies in our region; reduce the levels of corruption in public and private life; consolidate democratic values, and ensure sustainability for the future. Ethics must be lived and assumed by educational institutions so that its teaching is effective and transformed into values lived by the whole community and transmitted to society as a whole. Globethics’ proposals have the potential for high impact to advance this agenda in the Latin American region. Thank you.
Thank you Julio, for your reflections on the potential that ethics has to make an impact in higher education. Dr Mary Naana Essiaw in Accra, Ghana is here to tell us about her experience participating in a Globethics project supporting ethics and standards in higher education. Hello, everyone.
My name is Dr Mary Naana Essiaw I'm the Director of the Institute of Work, Employment and Society, as well as the Director of Human Resources at the University of Professional Studies, Accra. I got to hear about Globethics, when my Vice-Chancellor told me about their request for UPSA to host the first-ever training workshop on the Ethics Model of Excellence Tool for higher education institutions. 13 universities participated in the first training workshop. These universities also participated in the second training workshop at the University of Ghana. Universities that have participated in the training workshop can testify that the model has helped them to develop ethical charters for their universities.
They have also learned how to deal with internal and external stakeholders in an ethical manner. Aside from that, it has helped these universities to develop ethical champions and leaders as they try to become ethical in their dealings with all their stakeholders. Personally, I have benefited a lot from the training program.
It has helped me to deal ethically with all the people I come across as faculty and a manager. The model has equipped me with the standards to assess my behaviour daily as I deal with all my stakeholders. Thank you, Dr Mary, for telling us about your experience using the Ethics Model of Excellence Tool.
Now we have our first interactive survey: a Slido poll for you all to take part in. Please take your mobile phones and you will see on the screen the QR code, on your table and in the chat a link to the online poll about our first thematic priority on Ethics and Standards in Higher Education. So the question we have for you is: what kind of education is needed to nurture the younger generation to become change-makers in the world? We've got 4 options. Choose one of them.
Let's see what you think! Some interesting results coming up. Ethics and values as a foundation for education... That's a strong result.
So now we're moving on to the second priority. Thank you very much for your answers. So thank you for taking part in the short survey. An interesting result! We'll have some more polls for you later. The second strategic priority, as you can see, is the Ethics of Sustainability and Environmental Justice. It is our pleasure to introduce you to Reverend Dr Jose Nandhikkara, joining us live from Bangalore in India.
Namaste. Peace and greetings from Globethics, Bangalore, India. On 23 September 2019, Greta Thunberg dared world leaders at the UN Climate Action Summit in New York: “People are suffering. People are dying. Entire ecosystems are collapsing. And all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth.
How dare you! The politics and solutions needed are still nowhere in sight.” Greta was demanding environmental justice, a sustainable response to the cry of the people and the cry of all other beings living in our common home, Earth. To Greta, to all young people, and all those who suffer the pain of climate disaster, there is good news from Globethics. In our new strategy, we propose a vision and mission for the mitigation of human-induced climate change factors and environmental justice. Ethics of Sustainability and Environmental Justice is the second priority.
Globethics is committed to fostering awareness and developing ethical principles through academic knowledge and policy dialogue on sustainability and environmental justice. So far, Globethics has made substantive inroads in the advancement of awareness and knowledge in these fields. The new Strategy focuses on substantial increase in leadership, formation and social awareness; cross-regional, ethically informed recommendations for education institutions and policymakers; collaborative and international research and publications. As rational beings, we know that we are part of the problem and that we should be part of the solution.
As moral agents, we are caretakers of the earth, and all who live in our common home. On behalf of Globethics, may I invite all people of goodwill to take part, to care for our common home and our most vulnerable sisters and brothers. Loka samastha sukhino bhavanthu: May everyone in the world be happy! Peace, shalom. Thank you, Father Jose, for your reflection, for your invitation, for challenging us to be part of the solution to care for our common home.
Professor Dr Divya Singh, a Globethics course instructor and expert in sustainability joins us now from Stadio Holdings in South Africa. The raison d’être for a module in Social Responsibility and Environmental Justice was the acknowledgement that just too little is being done by governments and businesses to respond to the imperatives for a sustainable future. While policy documents are generally in place, there is an unacceptable sluggishness in execution. University students and business leaders from both the public and private sectors, religious organisations, and civil society are the ideal stakeholder groups to make a difference, either implementing change or mobilising for change.
Social responsibility and environmental justice aim at building better understanding at all levels and challenging participants to think about, what can I do to promote social equity, social cohesion and reduce inequality? What can I do to foster a more just, healthier, sustainable and more equitable society for all? Every day, we can look around us and see the harm of not caring about the future. I congratulate Globethics on its strategic plan for the next period. A plan that is both currently relevant but also intentionally future-focused on a sustainable and better world for all. It is ambitious, but who would have expected anything else from the Globethics leadership? Thank you, Divya, for your encouragement to mobilise for and implement change.
Are you ready now? We have our second poll Again, the QR code is on the screen. and the questions and link in the chat. The question: What is the most important aspect for reaching a more sustainable and equitable world? Four options. Let's see what you think. It's looking like they're all important. Thank you so much for taking part. Very interesting.
Now, with our third priority, Ethics of Digital and Emerging Technologies, we go to Erin Green in Belgium to hear all about it. Thank you, Erin. The so-called fourth industrial revolution has revealed far-reaching impact on the conduct of individual and collective lives. There's no area of human life that remains uninfluenced by technological changes over the past 2 decades. The recent revelations about the power of AI, especially through the ChatGPT example, have raised the level of both excitement and concern.
Globethics is aware of the acute challenges these emerging technologies create with regard to living lives of freedom, respect of dignity, and the broadest possible societal participation. On the one hand, digital and emerging technologies solicit fear that individual freedom, human creativity, mobility, and the right to differences may be undermined or even restricted. On the other hand, new technologies offer the potential for more connectivity, scientific advancement, access to information and improved governance. It's at the intersection of these challenges and opportunities that ethics can play a pivotal role in providing principles and values for the discernment of a humane use of technologies for the progress of humanity and the common good.
Globethics has always been attentive to these developments, and has been part of the international discourse on emerging technologies for many years. Globethics has used online technologies to share and increase access to knowledge and share expertise about ethics all over the world. Globethics has recently also published books in the field, including the title, Data Ethics: Building Trust How digital technologies can serve humanity, which was presented at the 2023 World Summit on the Information Society. The volume brought together 45 contributions from scholars and researchers all over the world.
With a new strategy, Globethics aims to promote ethical and inclusive standards, policies, and practices for digital and emerging technologies, ensuring that first: teachers, professionals and students have access to quality formation and resources about the ethics of digital and emerging technologies, and that, second: digital ethics is brought in at the policy level in higher education and policy dialogue platforms advocating for ethical and inclusive standards. Therefore, by 2027, those efforts should lead to the following results: 4 international organisations join the path; 20 top experts contributing to new global findings in data ethics; 30 policymakers committed to prioritising ethics in digital and emerging technologies; 50 trained leaders in executive courses on data ethics; 140 civil society and faith-based organisations engaged, and nearly 1,700 students complete the online course on cyber ethics. Join us with your ideas and resources in this journey to ensure that humanity navigates safely and effectively the data world. Thank you so much. Thank you, Erin, for sharing these plans with us and for the invitation. We're very pleased now to present Gilles Bach, Globethics course instructor and expert in cyber ethics and AI speaking to us from Geneva.
Thank you, Lucy. Dear audience here in Geneva and everyone globally following this event, we are at an historical turning point. The fast and exponential rise of big data and AI algorithms opens a brand new era. The speed of technological development and the way it spreads around the world is extremely fast.
The impact of massive data circulating and being leveraged for powerful AI algorithms is now getting clearer. These impacts can be both positive and negative. The younger generations will be living in a new era where, hopefully, the positive impacts of such powerful tools will reveal magnificent results: clearing many health conditions, creating agricultural abundance in poor countries, optimizing the decarbonization of the word, and much more. At the very same time, job losses, rising inequalities, social and psychological risks due to an ever faster evolution of the word need to be taken into consideration.
This is why we all need to be educated and equipped with ethical awareness, ethical discernment, and full understanding of those technologies and what they imply in terms of impacts across all areas of life. We are all concerned. Responsibilities exist at all levels from the most famous tech entrepreneurs to each single IT and data professional. From business leaders to political leaders up to each single citizen living on this planet. We all need to shape and build together through ethics the right technologies, and their right implementations, so as to enable the positive, collective, inclusive, fair, and sustainable future we are all looking for. This is what we are engaged in at Globethics, since at least 2018, and even more, for the 5 years to come.
Let's lead the way to a safer, more human and more trusted technological development together. Thank you very much. Thank you, Gilles, for reminding us of the importance of ethics and emerging technologies and the contributions that we can all make in this arena. Now we've got another poll for you on our third priority, digital ethics.
Again using the QR code and the link in the chat. The question, how can the cyber world become more safe and conducive for positive impact in the world? 4 options. So they're looking like they're all important but ethical criteria for assessments has got the edge. Thank you so much.
So we move now on to our fourth and last thematic priority. The Ethics of Inclusive Peace and Responsible Governance. We go live now to hear Professor Dicky Sofjan in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, where the Globethics community is gathered around an Iftar during the holy month of Ramadan. Thank you, Dicky. Assalaamu’alaykum wr. wb.
Selamat malam, siang, pagi di mana pun berada! Peace and blessings be unto you all. Good evening, afternoon and morning, wherever you are. This is from the Globethics Centre in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The fourth thematic priority of the Globethics 2023- 2027 Strategy is Ethics of Inclusive Peace and Responsible Governance.
We believe that this remains to be relevant for the world, and is highly contextual in this divided society we live in today. With the rise of conservatism, populism, and identity politics, ethics and inclusive peace become imperative as people of different colour, race, ethnicity, religion, creed, class and sexual orientation begin to assert themselves and mobilise into political groups. In this context, Globethics is called upon to respond to this challenge of polarisation caused by political, ideological, and religious tensions. We work for introducing the ethics of inclusive peace where people and groups are judged and treated, not by their subjective identities, but rather as equal partners for the maintenance of peace and ushering in a flourishing society, where diversity is celebrated as an asset and not manipulated for segregation and discrimination. After all, wars and conflict occur mainly because of exclusion, while peace cannot be achieved without inclusion. This is where Globethics' innovative responses come into play.
We offer peace-oriented programmes, courses, resources, and policy recommendations to our networks, partners, and stakeholders. Globethics' offering of the Interreligious Cooperation for Peace online course is just one example of such an endeavour. We expect to work with partners on the ground from different parts of the world to collaborate with us, to build more such programmes. This necessitates Globethics and its partners and stakeholders across the world to collaborate at different levels organisationally and at various scopes substantially.
We believe that having more authentic voices and initiatives from the ground up will do us all good and help us and help the vision and mission of Globethics. Terima kasih. Thank you very much! Thank you, Dicky, for the call for a new level of collaboration to overcome division and foster inclusive peace.
We are joined live now from Tunis, Tunisia, by Kamel Ayyadi, to find out about his experience of responsible governance where he is Assalaamu’alaykum wr. wb. I'm Kamala Ayyadi. From Tunisia, where Globethics has recently decided to establish a regional Centre for the Middle East and North Africa.
I'm glad to have the opportunity to speak at this launch event of the strategic plan. Responsible governance is a highly topical issue. I rather prefer this concept to that of 'good governance'.
There is a visceral nuance between both concepts. Good governance is an elusive concept, difficult to grasp. It tends to refer to traditional corporate governance in public discourse.
Our world has witnessed constant growing awareness over the past decades about the necessity to address micro and macro challenges through the implementation of good governance principles. Significant progress has been achieved to translate this concept into concrete actions. International conventions have paved the way for the adoption of local legal frameworks, standards, compliance programmes, and good practices to influence behavioural challenges have flourished However, the results are far behind expectations. Global governance and good intention are incapable of preventing greedy practices.
Corporate governance did not prevent scandals from happening at all levels: environmental, financial, political, and so on. Compliance tends to become a bureaucratic burden with low impact, and business ethics is sometimes just cosmetics. Trust is deteriorating, and rules and compliance are designed as a substitute to fill the trust gaps. For this reason, responsible governance, and authentic ethical leadership are the appropriate solutions, because they value the integrity approach over the compliance approach. They foster strong sense of responsibility and commitment at an individual level.
Responsible governance requires leaders to be ethical, competent and responsive to the needs and aspirations of people they serve. All these combined should create an enabling environment for profound transformation at societal and personal levels, and long-standing behavioural change, which can be achieved only through intensive education. Thank you very much. Shukran jazeelan. Bonne continuation. Thank you, Kamel, for highlighting the gaps in trust and the need for authentic ethical leadership and education as a way to develop responsible governance. We move now to Nairobi, Kenya, where Professor Dr Sister Elizabeth Nduku will tell us about the Globethics Asset Management programme.
Thank you. Greetings from Globethics Eastern Africa, Nairobi, Kenya Ethics in private sector investment is very important in promoting integrity and trust among stakeholders such as investors and customers as well as setting out the correct behaviour beyond government control. To support Churches and Church-Related Organisations in ethical investment, the African Church Assets Programme (ACAP), which is an ongoing programme, was conceptualised and is currently being implemented by Globethics. Its aim is to help leaders in Churches and Church-Related Organisations to build practical capacity in a climate of strong accountability and transparency in the management of assets and resources. This project is operating in a context of diminishing donor funding necessitating diversification of funding by the Churches and Church-Related Organisations on the African continent. The aim of the first two phases of the programme was to share with these churches good examples of best practices on asset mapping and management.
Phase 3 focused on ethical investment following a survey that was conducted and led to the development of L.E.G.S. methodology, aiming at Leadership, Ethics, Governance and Sustainability. Phase 4 focused on the development of national guidelines on ethical investment in the East African region and the Horn of Africa, specifically in Kenya and Ethiopia.
We now look forward to partner with various institutions to chart a way forward in adopting the developed guidelines on ethical investment in a way that will lead to sustainability. Thank you. We thank Sister Elizabeth for her contribution on the programme and the learning from the programme. We're moving now to our very last poll on the fourth priority, using the QR code again, the screen and link in the chat, on the ethics of inclusive peace and responsible governance.
And the question is: What is the most important aspect in bringing about peace in the world? What do you think? 4 options we've given you there. Looks like there's a clear winner... Now option C is coming up. Raising awareness.
Creating safe spaces. Yeah, I think it's clear. The 2 options D and C are winning the race: raising awareness and creating safe spaces.
Thank you for your contributions. So this is what you've been hearing about: the four priorities. I hope you've got them off by heart - I'm not sure I have yet! So you've heard about them, and we appreciate that making them a reality needs all of us.
We are honoured and proud at this moment to introduce you to Isabelle Sommer. Head of International Commitment, and Urban Linsi, President of the Linsi Foundation, who have travelled to join the launch event in Geneva to speak to us today. Thank you both. Greetings to all of you around the world. We are very happy to be here today.
Almost 2 decades of genuine partnership between Globethics and the Linsi Foundation are characterised by this partnership. A partnership based on mutual trust and transparency. The founders of the Linsi Foundation and Globethics share the belief that ethical values are of great importance to us, and that value orientations are fundamental for human action and interaction.
It is of great significance that society develops ethical awareness and that people do not act selfishly, but think of the common good, and act in a responsible way accordingly. This will lead to positive behavioural changes in people's lives recognising the importance of ethics in everyday life and understanding each other. It's important to us, and therefore the Linsi Foundation has been a long-term partner to Globethics, aiming at contributing to a better world justice, sustainability, and peace. The Linsi Foundation shares the vision of Globethics of shaping ethics for the benefit of society. Ethics should guide us, fascinate us, and foster the desire to become part of something bigger than oneself.
A crucial part within our society and on our planet, a member of a community that is guided by the vision and shared humanity that incessantly strives to make the world a better place. The vision of the Linsi Foundation is to act for the common good. We are convinced that with this new strategic cycle 2023 to 2027, Globethics will make a significant contribution to our vision as well. It is our great wish that we can inspire other like-minded people to join us on this journey. Thank you.
Good morning, good afternoon, good evening! My name is Urban Linsi. I'm the chairman of the Linsi Foundation. On behalf of the Linsi family, I would like to welcome all participants, all Globethics employees, the management team, and the Board of Trustees. A big thank you for the excellent work of the management team. I am convinced that this strategy will bring us step by step closer to our common goal. Confidence in the innovation and mission of all stakeholders is a condition for living trust in cooperation, and passing this on to all stakeholders. Trust is gained with credibility, and credibility needs proven impact.
We are convinced that the new strategy cycle will strongly support this, and will be an important pillar of the success of Globethics in the future. I would like to thank everyone involved for their commitment and passion towards our common goal. Together to the top, together for more justice. Thank you very much. Thank you, Isabelle. Thank you, Urban.
Thanks to all of the Linsi Foundation for your inspiration commitment to the common good, and for your trust and cooperation as Globethics launches this new strategy. The thematic priorities that we have heard about are accompanied by four structural priorities. It is our pleasure to invite Globethics Executive Director, Professor Dr Fadi Daou, to take the floor in Geneva to speak to these priorities and to conclude this global launch event Over to you, Fadi. Dear Globetics community gathered now in Yogyakarta, Bangalore, Nairobi, Accra, Buenos Aires, Geneva and online from all over the world, celebrating together the launch of the Globethics Strategy 2023-2027 as a sign of hope in the future.
Dear friends, We live in a world of uncertainties. The recent United Nations Human Development Report was published under the title Uncertain Times, Unsettled Lives. In these challenging circumstances, the most dangerous thing that humanity can do is to doubt itself and its own future. We heard today the concerns of young people. We heard that education is challenged, the environment is disrupted, artificial intelligence is unleashing scary scenarios, and war is devastating many lives and societies. However, this is not a reason to worry.
This is rather a call for all of us to take on our own responsibilities. This is why this new strategy for ethical leadership through higher education and global engagement allows us to envision together, despite all the challenges, a just, inclusive and sustainable world. While religions invite believers to have faith in God, ethics gives us faith in our shared humanity. Ethics allows us to identify the common good through conflicting interests and needs. It shows us the path in dark moments and deep waters. You have heard the ambitious targets that we have set for 2027, and we firmly believe that we will achieve them.
We as Globethics have embarked on a five-year journey, enriched by our global, multicultural and multi-religious backgrounds. We do it as one growing community of more than 200,000 participants in the network from 138 countries; with our 7 regions, and 21 sub-regions of the world; with our 6 regional Centres celebrating this launch with us today, and 2 new Centres opening in Tunisia and South Africa this year, followed by 3 others in Francophone Africa, Northern America, and China. We are taking together this global engagement for a better world based on, first: innovation for transformative impact.
Creating new units for research and policy dialogue and involving the next generation of scholars in ethics, cultivating international thought leadership. Second: resource mobilisation for sustainable impact, aiming to raise with partners from the private and public sectors 22 million US Dollars in 5 years for the successful implementation of the full strategy. The Linsi Foundation, for whom I'm extremely grateful, give an inspiring partnership example in strongly supporting the strategy.
Third: empowering communication with a people-based narrative, making ethical leadership a transformative power of hope. In this regard, I'm glad and honoured to announce the launch of the Globethics Award for Ethical Leadership, with its first edition in 2024. Dear friends, our proactive community, dedicated and engaged team, partners and stakeholders deserve no less than this ambitious strategy. We will meet again in 5 years, Inshallah, as we say, to celebrate the abundant harvest. I also give you a rendez-vous next year to celebrate together 20 years of the existence and engagement of Globethics for this noble mission.
I'm happy to have with us the 2 presidents, the former President and the current President, Founder-President of Globethics, here gathered in Geneva. So now I kindly ask you to stand up here in Geneva, and all those who are also celebrating with us in our different Centres in the world. You may have a small paper boat on your table in front of you, so I would like to ask you to take this boat, to hold it up, because we are taking this journey together.
It's time now to weigh anchor. Let's get on board with our ethical leadership caps on and enjoy the journey. Thank you.
Thank you, everybody. The strategy is officially launched.
2023-05-01 08:01
