What a better way to introduce to all of you the Wellbeing Economy Alliance than through a webinar where Katherine Trebeck, one of the great champions in this field, explains why we need a new economy, what a wellbeing economy would look like, and what the Wellbeing Economy Alliance, the WE-All does.
Video: https://youtu.be/rjlfZ__332Q
What is the economy really about? Does it serve us, or do we serve it? How have we, human society, structured the economy? At the moment, our life support systems are being degraded in the name of the current economic structure. At the same time we have global inequality so bad that my language cannot describe the level accurately enough, we have loneliness, depression, chronic illnesses, overworked populations, job losses (e.g. a world where short term and zero hour contracts are the new reality), and the list goes on. We need a new system. One that supports human wellbeing, reconnects us to each other and the world we live in, and provides a space in which human life can thrive within the boundaries of our planet.
The WE-All is just starting, they are at the very early stage. And as a result, they are open to take advice, get input, and take a learning and adapting approach. A new paradigm is inevitable, science is profoundly terrible with what is happening e.g. in a climate sense, but also politically what the response is - change is already happening and is coming in a greater force. The question is how passive are we going to be in the looming crisis, or are we going to be proactive in responding and creating the paradigm shift that we need. A Wellbeing Economy - an economy that creates and supports human and ecological wellbeing - is the effective response as it deals with the root of the problem.
WE-All started from a coming together of various organisations - how can we work together, collaborate, hold hands as we move forward into a new economic system? What can we learn from previous economic systems change, e.g. the move to neoliberalism. What has been effective in the past (in terms of take-up) and what would work for a better future? Already there is extraordinary work ongoing all around the world - but often we are isolated and disconnected. WE-All hopes to create a space where we can connect, learn from what has worked, collect coherent sets of stories, create a platform of inspiration and build a body of theory and practice. The core team of WE-All a.k.a the 'Amplification Team' hopes to support what is already happening, and to amplify and communicate this work. They hope to set this up in seven different clusters, which include Research, Business, Cities and Places, Faith and Values, Academics, Institutional Innovations, Civil Society and Governments.
Already, in terms of Governments, the hope is to create an alternative to the G7 - champions of development should not be those who have the biggest GDPs - they should be those who are willing to stand out and create economies that serve the citizens of the country, the wellbeing of those citizens. Already some countries have come together around this space, including Costa Rica, Scotland, New Zealand, Slovenia, among others.
Come watch and learn from Katherine Trebeck's warm and inclusive introdution to the WE-All and how you can get involved! Do this by clicking on the video link above.
Watch this space for news coming from WE-All - www.wellbeingeconomy.org - soon to be an active and inspiring platform for all of us who believe that a better world is possible.
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