Last weekend, the "Good Life for All" congress took place for the second time at the Vienna University of Economics and Business. Over the course of three days, interested people met to discuss how to create a good life for all. And for really all people on this planet, which is so shaken in every respect. The intention of the congress was to show concrete ways and possibilities to achieve this utopia. A large number of participants, speakers and organizers from a wide variety of backgrounds from NGOs, administration, science and business came together to engage in an intensive exchange of ideas about grievances and opportunities. Hardly anyone dares to describe the current economic system as sustainable, especially at the congress. So everyone agreed: "Business as usual is not an option!
"A good life for all is the concrete utopia of a civilization that does not live at the expense of others."
However, in both public and political discourse, global distribution issues and ecological concerns usually seem to be of secondary importance. Accordingly, one of the major concerns of many participants was not only to recognize these problems, but also to articulate them together with like-minded people in order to disseminate possible solutions. In his keynote speech at the opening of the congress, Andreas Novy, one of the main organizers, gave the participants five theses on "A good life for all" . One of these theses is: "A good life for all is the concrete utopia of a civilization that does not live at the expense of others." In this utopia, we must define our lifestyles in a new, sustainable way so that the world can ultimately have an ecological, economic and social future.
Over the next two days, numerous experts listened to and discussed with each other in various debates and workshops. The topics were diverse and numerous, but in essence they all went in the same direction. We need rapid, even radical change that connects all levels of ecology, society and the economy and fundamentally changes our traditional understanding of progress.
Despite the sometimes bleak political outlook, which was also repeatedly brought up in the discussions and debates, the congress was overshadowed by great euphoria about the mass of ideas and initiative that all the people brought together in such a short space of time. At the same time, the discourse created a strong awareness of the major challenge that had become firmly established in everyone's minds by the closing event on Saturday afternoon at the latest. During these three days, a large pool of people emerged, all of whom left the doors of the WU with great ambitions, hopes and visions of the utopia of a "good life for all" in order to carry the many ideas and projects that were created out into the world.
Further information: "Good Life for All" Congress 2017 in Vienna
