What is expected of sustainable development today?
The term “sustainability” has been around for a while, and as the world has changed and will continue to change, the term “sustainable development” might need to be updated.
At the World Goetheanum Forum in Sekem, Egypt, over 150 participants from all over the world convened to address the question “How can we re-think, re-feel, and re-do sustainable development?” The question was explored in various workshops, plenaries, artistic and musical explorations, as well as on-site and hands-on excursions, which resulted in the creation of a first draft of a new narrative for sustainable development.
My job was to visually record and harvest our collective journey throughout those days. Important points that came up when re-thinking, re-feeling, and re-doing sustainable development were, amongst others:
- consciousness and the inner dimension of self, including the spiritual aspect of the source
- the importance of community and co-creation
- the need to hospice dying elders and to decolonize, including the need to feel the pain when looking out into the world
- the recognition of the more-than-human world
- education and appropriate action
Experience Sekem in all its depth and diversity. All visualizations: Priska Lang; photos: Samuel Knaus.
