Roundtable Live will also be broadcast live online here, with live chat!
LIVE BROADCAST starts @ 7PM EDT.
Throughout the world, nations are awakening, demanding the governments to hear their cries and resolve their problems. The uproar is not only over food or housing prices - at the bottom of it lies a firm demand for social justice.
Yet, social justice is an elusive goal. With all of society affected by inflation, unemployment, lack of healthcare and education, one person's justice may easily become another person's injustice. In the current structure of society, it seems that whatever solution is reached, it will only perpetuate injustice, causing widespread disillusionment, which could lead to more violence and even war.
Hence, the solution to the demand for social justice must include all factions of society. The 2011 “Spring of the Nations” has proven that the world has changed from the root. Humanity has become a single global entity and requires that we acknowledge every part of it - nations and individuals - as worthy in their own right. They no longer tolerate oppression.
Compare humanity to a human body with numerous organs of different functions. No organ is redundant; each one contributes what it's supposed to the body and receives what it needs. Likewise, to approach a solution for the unrest in the world, all social strata must be included. The key to negotiations involving government officials and protesters is thoughtful deliberation, with the premise that all parties' demands have merit and should be addressed respectfully and taken into account.
In such deliberations, there are no “good guys” or “bad guys.” There are people with genuine interests, sharing their problems with one another and trying to reach an acceptable, dignified solution satisfactory to all involved.
Think of a large loving family: Grandpa needs medicines; Dad needs a new suit for the new job he just got; Mom needs aerobics lessons, and Brother has just been accepted into a prestigious college. So the family gets together for a meeting, a bit like Thanksgiving, but without the turkey. They talk about their incomes, argue about priorities, share their needs, squabble a bit, and laugh a lot. And in the end, they know what’s necessary, what’s not, whose needs should be met now and later. But since they are all connected, they agree to wait because they’re family, after all.
In many respects, globalization and growing interdependence have turned humanity into one giant-size family. Now we just need learn to work as such. Being part of a healthy, loving family is safer than being alone.
We also should keep in mind that in most countries governments are struggling with deficits and debt, and there are not enough resources to go around. However, there is enough to allow for respectable living for all, if we acknowledge each other’s needs. Therefore, being a family approach is the best way to ensure everybody’s well being; thus, social justice is gradually achieved.
King Arthur had a round table, around which he and his knights would congregate: it had no head, which implies that everyone who sat there had equal status. Similarly, governments and citizens need to understand that there is no way to resolve social problems unless all of us sit together at a round table and openly discuss them. We must remember that we are all mutually responsible for one another and interdependent, like in a family. The problems that seem to attack us from every corner are not the causes but the symptoms of our real problem - lack of unity and mutual responsibility for one another. Once we achieve it among us, the problems will all be gone.
The first part of the event features a media panel with 6-7 guest speakers. Every speaker presents his or her point of view and relates it to the other opinions around the table. The audience actively participates by contributing questions and comments to the discussion. In the second part, the audience continues the forum in guided discussion groups of 8-10 participants.
All Roundtable Live events are broadcast live on the Internet.
We wish for speakers and participants to speak from their hearts. Everyone has an opinion and is encouraged to share it, while the others listen, reflect, and respond; the result is a new, family atmosphere of public discourse.
A CLIMATE FOR CHANGE - WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN !
The Roundtable will address the following questions:
Next Roundtable Live event will take place on Thursday 11th April 2013 @ 06:30pm EDT
Roundtable Live brings together representatives from some of today's most active social organizations and movements as well as academics, artists, educators, public officials and everyday citizens. This fusion of views and opinions creates the foundation for truly dynamic discussion and the sharing of diverse yet unifying perspectives.
Author and filmmaker
Author and filmmaker Helena Norberg-Hodge is a pioneer of the 'new economy' movement - work which earned her the 2012 Goi Peace Prize. Educated in Sweden, Germany, Austria, England and the United States, Helena specialized in linguistics, including studies at the University of London and at MIT. Since 1975, she has worked with the people of Ladakh, or "Little Tibet", to find ways of enabling their culture to meet the modern world without sacrificing social and ecological values. For these efforts she was awarded the Right Livelihood Award, or 'Alternative Nobel Prize'.
Helena is the founder and director of the International Society for Ecology and Culture (ISEC). Based in the US and UK, with subsidiaries in Germany and Australia, ISEC examines the root causes of our current social and environmental crises, while promoting more sustainable and equitable patterns of living in both North and South. Helena is also a founding member of the International Commission on the Future of Food and Agriculture, and a co-founder of both the International Forum on Globalization and the Global Ecovillage Network.
Research Fellow, Griffith University
Dr. Marcello Sano is Research Fellow at Griffith University. Lecturer at Southern Cross University and European Marie Curie Research Fellow in marine conservation.(www.mmmpa.eu).
He specializes in coastal engineering, planning and management, climate change adaptation, coastal and marine conservation, GIS. Marcello holds a PhD from the Universidad de Cantabria, Spain (2009) and a MSc (Hons) in Environmental Science from the Università degli Studi di Genova, Italy (2002). He has published in leading sectoral journals and presented his work in conferences worldwide.
Dr.Sano lectures in Coastal Zone Management and Climate Change Adaption at Griffith University and Global Environmental Issues at Southern Cross University. He has been invited as a guest lecturer at undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Spain, Italy and Australia.
Marcello has been active in coastal research and consultancy projects in Europe, the Mediterranean, Australia and in the Pacific. Current research interests include vulnerability assessment of coastal systems, complex systems thinking and climate change adaptation.
Marcello is also the leading the team of TEDxByronBay, a locally organised TED event which will be held on 20 of April 2013.
Author & Publisher
Dr. Paul Taylor, Author & Publisher "The Biochar Revolution: Transforming Agriculture and the Environment". Paul is an astrophysicist who has worked at Harvard, NASA and MIT. In the early 1970s he was working at the National Centre for Atmospheric Research in the USA alongside people who were doing early modelling on climate change. He now lives in both Australia and the US, researching and presenting on biochar and climate change. Paul is looking into how we can sequester carbon and increase soil fertility using Biochar, and is a presenter for Beyond Zero Emissions, an exciting and well-researched blueprint to provide 100% Renewable Energy for Australia in 10 years.
Parent & co-ordinator of the Mullumbimby Community Garden
As a mother of 7 and an activist for various environmental and social issues, Jeannette has found her calling over the last 15 years, to be establishing community gardens, originally on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria and now in the Byron Shire. Through her experiences, she has learnt to acknowledge and respect the varied life stories and diversity of beliefs, values and aspirations within community. She has been fortunate to experience everyday the magic of teamwork and finds no more joy than creating opportunities for people come together to create and learn from each other.
Currently, she is the co-ordinator of the Mullumbimby Community Garden which is evolving into a major environmental education centre in the Northern Rivers region of NSW. While achieving a Diploma in Community Development, her Bachelor in Social Science studies are on hold as the hands on, practical needs of the community to learn how to grow food and to connect with the earth takes precedence over theory. Jeannette is passionate about empowering people to find solutions and to bring positive change into their own lives.
Delta’s is a proud Arakwal Bumbalin Bundjalung woman with over 20years working in the education sector.
Her passion is teaching her Aboriginal culture with the wider Community……especially children. Currently she is working with the Office of Environment and Heritage (National Parks and Wildlife Service) in Byron Bay. Arakwal work in joint-management with Office of Environment and Heritage to Care for the Country in our traditional homelands.
Delta’s people are sea-people, and they are Carers of Country…
Production Manager BAYFM
Over the last two decades, William has worked as Creative Producer and Project Manager for a variety of organisations and media personalities. In the past decade he has devoted his production expertise, marketing skills towards the preservation of biodiversity, food production, backyard gardening and organic farming.
William is a currently a Plaintiff in a Federal Lawsuit in the United States against agricultural-giant Monsanto, contesting their patents on seed. As Production Manager at Bay FM in Byron Bay he was directly responsible for initiating and producing a series of the first-ever, live-to-air broadcasts for BayFM, including the community forum and an intimate live concert with Deva Primal and Miten.
William is the founder and director of Edible Gardens Seed company which is a pioneer in the realm of organic heirloom seeds, seed saving and preservation, sustainable agricultural practices and socially responsible business.. As Director of Edible Gardens he has lectured extensively around the US on seed-saving, GMO’s and organic and sustainable agricultural practices and lifestyles.
William has worked closely with Mrs Anita Roddick, founder of the The Body Shop, Dr.Vandana Shiva of Navdanya International, winner of the 2010 Sydney Peace Prize and His Holiness, The Dalai Lama.
MR representative
With a love for all things technological, creative and related to the human perspective, my personal and work life has always been intricately connected.
As a lecturer of Graphic Design, Web Development and Photography, these passions blend well, and in my personal life tackling projects such as MR Roundtables and community events also, my skills are well applied.
Living in Sydney with his wonderful wife, 6 year old daughter and 2 year old son, life can be a handful, but never boring! Having traveled extensively and lived in many different places from Sydney to Italy, Byron, to the beaches of Spain, seeing the world and meeting different people has provided me with a broad experience of human nature, in all its beauty and pain.
The world is a wondrous place, and the people that live apron it fill it with flavour and spice! Lets mix up these flavours, and together, we can make this place wondrous for everyone!
RoundTable Host
Peter's extensive business background of 30 years has seen him travel the world as an International Trader for some of the largest international companies. His studies include 3rd party logistics, international trade patterns, and transactional analysis. Peter founded his own Logistics Company, which is the largest private company in Queensland. He is a fellow in the Australian Institute of Management.
Peter is a strong believer in promoting healthy, safe and sustainable lifestyle, and in giving to the community at large. As a philanthropist, Peter managed a Youth foundation for disadvantaged youth, and is partner and director of a Queensland Sport and recreation company. He is an advocate for learn-to-swim programs and is has contributed countless hours to training volunteer surf lifesavers.
To recommend a speaker to participate in the next, April 11th event, please email us at: roundtable@mutualresponsibility.org
Roundtable Live will be broadcast live online here on Thursday, April 11th, 2013 @ 7:00pm EDT
Cannot make it to Roundtable Live? Join the Mutual Responsibility email list to stay in touch on related events.
Roundtable Live is a discussion platform
for a wide spectrum of socially conscious people: activists, academics, artists, educators, public officials & everyday citizens.
It's where we all sit around the table as equals
& look for how to build a more just, healthy & sustainable society.