Suprising alliances

“Form new, unexpected alliances” – this bon mot is attributed to Angela Merkel. Via the German Advisory Council on Global Change, it has now found its way into Joko Winterscheidt’s speech at the German Television Awards. A good motto, we think.

We will not solve today’s problems with yesterday’s structures and rituals. Nor will we solve them by forming ever more polarised opposing camps that are supposed to bring order back into the chaos by simply painting everything black or white. To counter this trend, we have set ourselves the task of building bridges:

For consciously building bridges between supposedly opposing camps, we need the willingness to emphasise the common ground, and to sound out the next possible step forward in each case. The will to meet eye to eye instead of turning away.

For consciously building bridges for people with the power to help shape society, we need the willingness to prioritize the common good, even when we are favoured by the status quo. The will to take an honest look instead of withdrawing.