Headline:
The Challenge of Democracy: An Evening with Klaus Töpfer Dedicated to the Future
Why do we find it so difficult to collectively change things that we oppose as individuals? Why are we able as individuals to save for a rainy day, share our money with family members, and invest in long-term insurance policies, but speak of a “dictatorship” or a “denial of liberty” when we’re asked to do the same for society as a whole?
This event wants to get to the root of this paradox and stimulate discussion on the obstacles and solutions to securing sustainable societies by democratic means.
The analytical and sometimes creative answers to the above questions from scientists, writers, politicians and business people contained in the book “Kann Demokratie Nachhaltigkeit?” (Can Democracy Do Sustainability?) (Springer 2014) will serve as a backdrop to the discussion.
Participants in the discussion and the book presentation include:
- Professor Klaus Töpfer (Executive Director, IASS Potsdam)
- Professor Bernward Gesang (Mannheim University, editor of “Kann Demokratie Nachhaltigkeit?”)
- Dr Maja Göpel (Head of the Berlin Office of the Wuppertal Institute and contributor to “Kann Demokratie Nachhaltigkeit?”)
- Andreas Jung (MP and Chair of the Parliamentary Advisory Committee on Sustainable Development)
- Jonas Schubert (Campaigner for Terre des Hommes “Kinder haften für ihre Eltern” (Children are Liable for their Parents))
The journalist Dagmar Dehmer (Der Tagesspiegel) will moderate the discussion.
Time: 14 October, 6.00 to 8.00 p.m.
Venue: Projektzentrum Mercator Stiftung, First Floor Event Room, Neue Promenade 6, 10178 Berlin
Please register for this event by e-mailing Kristina Wagner (Kristina [dot] Wagner [at] wupperinst [dot] org) by 10 October.
The organisers of this event are.
- IASS Potsdam
- Mannheim University
- Wuppertal Institute
- Terre des Hommes