‘Rethinking Tomorrow’ premieres 2021 with Facundo Manes and Iñaki Gabilondo

The uncertainty we are experiencing these days has highlighted the need to consider what the postcovid-19 era will be like. What awaits us around the corner? How is our world going to change? There is no way of knowing these things for certain in a world that might be completely different. However, we at Fundación Telefónica would like to make our contribution to the discussion.

To this end we have launched ‘Rethinking tomorrow’, a series of forums in which people can reflect on what awaits us, such as the ‘STEAM Challenge’ aimed at young people looking for answers to important questions. The programme seeks to offer an open window on to the subjects allowing those taking part to recognise and reflect on what is happening, establish priorities and look for ways to reconstruct and reinvent society.

The ‘Rethinking tomorrow’ programme

The need to disseminate scientific, technological, humanistic and cultural knowledge and make it available to all has never been more important. The programme gives a voice to leading Spanish and international experts in disciplines such as science, the economy, politics, culture, digital humanities and communication in order to build a better future.

It began with the participation of the worlds most renowned sociologists: Saskia Sassen, winner of the 2013 Prince of Asturias Prize for Social Science and Richard Sennet, professor of Sociology at MIT and Humanities at New York University. Other well-known figures that have taken part are the philosopher and essayist Daniel Innerarity, the journalist Marta Peirano, who specialises in technology, and the American philosopher and technologist David Weinberger.

In the near future we will be accompanied by the 2012 Turing Award laureate, the scientist Shafi Goldwasser; the writer, consultant, futurologist, humanist and technologist Gerd Leonhard; one of the most incisive of current European philosophers, Srećko Horvat and the press correspondent working in areas of social unrest for The Guardian and New Statesman, Paul Mason, among others.

The programme will be analysing areas as wide-ranging as human values and ethical challenge, the role of digitalisation during the Covid-19 crisis and in the future, the impact on governments, education, work and the economy, above all on the most vulnerable groups, the effect on democratic systems and the balance of power in the world and the geopolitical system.

Videos:

– Saskia Sassen & Richard Sennett

– Daniel Innerarity & Miguel Poiares Maduro

– David Weinberger

–  Paul Mason

– Gerd Leonhard

Telos 113: Sustainability

The magazine Telos, published by Fundación Telefónica, dedicated the cover of number 113 to Jeremy Rifkin, the American sociologist and activist who for decades has spoken of the need to move from an industrial society toward more sustainable models.

The debate will take place within the context of a programme of events dedicated to the publication of Telos 113, featuring a series of interviews with the authors who have contributed their work. Among others taking part will be the Spanish Journalist, Marc Amorós; the novelist and artist and founder of Fabric Poetry, Almudena Solana; Jorge Pérez, professor at the UPM School of Telecommunications Engineering and Internet Governance Forum (IGF) coordinator and Oscar García, director and CEO at First Workplaces, a pioneer in the field of flexible offices and corporate co-working.

VIDEO AGENDA AND INTERVIEWS     |     DOWNLOAD #TELOS113

Furthermore, as part of the “Rethinking tomorrow” programme, Telos has asked for proposals for the day after Covid-19, a “call for papers” open to all who wish to take part and share their analysis of and forecasts for the future. These proposals will appear on the Telos website, serving as a point of departure for a Telos Forum to be held in November which will be devoted entirely to the post-Covid world.

The Spain Digital Society Report Forum

The digitalisation of all productive sectors is a symbol of prosperity. In these times of crisis, technology can help us to communicate in other ways and stay connected. Every year, Fundación Telefónica publishes its Spain Digital Society Report (sdiE), a barometer showing how the country has advanced in terms of the services and infrastructures that are key to digital development.

The worldwide emergency created by Covid-19 has demonstrated that staying connected is more important today than ever. We will therefore be devoting a series of events to analysing the state of Spain by looking at a number of key indicators before examining the steps we need to take in the future.

PRESENTATION | WEBSITE | DOWNLOAD THE REPORT 

Both the reports and the meetings focus on the key sections of sdiE:

1. Infrastructures: Spain digitalises
   2. Artificial intelligence enters our lives
   3. Industry and business: Smart factories
   4. Habits: Living in a connected world
   5. Privacy and security: Faith in the digital ecosystem
   6. Digital skills: Educating the 21^st century citizen
   7. An ethical framework: a digital future for everybody

The Rethinking tomorrow challenge STEAM

Education is one of the keys to progress and the best possible antidote to social exclusion. “Rethinking tomorrow” is a space in which all society is welcome, above all the young people who will be tomorrow’s leaders. Fundación Telefónica has therefore launched this great technological and educational challenge in which young people are the protagonists and where it is possible to reflect on the society of the future.

What solutions can we introduce post-Covid-19 and what role will technology play in terms of social needs on “D-Day + 1”? With the title “Challenge the virus with STEAM”, the STEAM Challenge is orientated toward developing STEAM (Science, Technology, Arts, Engineering y Mathematics) skills among children aged 14 to 25 in a fun yet reflective way in order to create technological projects that focus on the health and social crisis caused by the Covid-19 virus. Enrolment is now open until 5 June.

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