Dear Ladies and Gentlemen!
Today I want to talk to you about the future, the future that we will build together. WIll we recognize the world in 30 years? Yes and no. It is hard to predict technological progress, but human development as a European family is a matter of our actions.
Some people might ask a question of whether democracy is effective and if it will be still around in 2050? After all, today’s rise of nationalist forces is deemed as a “democracy crisis”
The answer is – yes. Democracy is not perfect but it will prevail. The new digital age will bring new decision-making tools and will transform social movements. Democracy is not dying, it is transforming and our main task is to make the political process more equal. In 2050 democracy will not be only be tied to electing representatives. New technologies and upheaval in ideology will give citizens broad tools for managing public affairs and mechanism for workers to manage their workplace. Women, LGBTQ community, ethnic minorities and other underrepresented groups will not only have party channels to get to politics but institutionalized practices that will help them to become policymakers. That way the pluralism of thought will be always guaranteed.
Since the nineties, the percentage of women in main European institutions increased and the number will continue to grow. In 2050 more than half decision-makers on all levels of governing and in all spheres will be women, more women will be elected prime ministers and presidents. Who knows maybe you are looking at one of them?
Economical equality depends on political equality. That is why in Europe in 2050 the citizen participation in politics will be at its highest level. Citizen lobbyists will have the same access and influence on politics as business lobbyists. That is how affordable medical care, free education and decent housing will become a reality for all countries in Europe.
New technologies will bring a new type of security – cyber security. A lot of things will lie in the realm of virtual reality and we won’t have a choice but to perfect our security tools, stop cyberbullying and become media literate. The era of fake news will end. The new era of varified facts and scientific facts will dawn again.
What will get us there?
Achieving progress won’t be easy and will demand a lot of work, but with the energy of the young generation, the wisdom of elders and the potential of a future generation of all ethnicities and backgrounds will carry us forward as one happy family.
Our future is better than you might think.
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