Alethia Montero

ALL ABOARD! WELCOME TO THE NEW CREW AT A NEW ERA!

By Alethia Montero

EB Member

ON the past May 29th 2021, the General Assembly took place. The new members 2021-2025 were officially presented, after a nomination-election period. The new crew is comprised of:

n Rosa Alegria (Brazil) n Luke Van der Laan (Australia) n Jaana Tapanainen-ThiessThomas n Lombardo (USA) (Finland) n Claire Nelson (Jamaica) n Helga Veigl (Croatia) n Alethia Montero (Mexico)

And for a second period, the following were reelected:

n Javier Vitale (Argentina) n Thomas Lombardo (USA) n Lucio Henao (Colombia), who was elected in a second round among three contenders

Ph.D Guillermina Baena (Mexico) continues to be the Vicepresident of the Iberam Region. Victor Motti (originally Iranian, who recently came to live in Washington, D.C., granting him permanent residency in the category E21 National Interest Waiver (NIW) for his exceptional ability in the art and science of Futures Studies), also continues to being the Director. Erik Overland (Norway) is also having his second period as the President. For more info on the crew, take a look at: https://wfsf.org/ category/leadership/ .

It is a great time for Futures Studies. Worldwide, it is know that Covid-19 pandemics marked a turning point in several áreas, including humanity itself. In that sense, more people are turning around looking towards Futures more tan ever. Instinctively, there is something that is making people to have more consideration about the long term effects of their acts and also a huge need to be prepared for “everything”. Therefore, it is agreat time for the Federation.

Based on their vision statements, the future of the Federation in itself, will be shaped through these issues, if accomplished: a wise futures consciousness encompassing an holistic purposeful evolution; bonds, ties within other organizations, individuals, cultures, disicplines; putting two cents for reaching SDGS 2030; innovation; Futures Studies expansion at education, organizations, regions.

And certainly, sustainability, looking for financial foundation keeping high levels of research and profesionalization, from which Luke VanDerLaan and team’s great deal of efforts are truly recognized (look for more at: https://wfsf.org/accreditation-services/ ). The Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) has also been an strategic partnership under this umbrella (https://wfsf.org/wfsf-pmu-research-fund/ ).

But mostly, not to rest on our laurels and to stay working on our r-evolution. The path to growth and development recognizing

our barriers, challenging our own knowledge and skills, understanding and embracing inclusiveness, openess and much more along with humanizing humans and processes, can be achieved more realistically.

This EB will have meetings along the two year period. A first one has been held, and the most important issue from that one is the 24th World Conference. This is called “The Openess of Futures” The Organizing Committe (13 members) is composed as follows:

CORE TEAM: n Erik Overland (Norway) n Derek Woodgate (Croatia) Chair n Stefan Bergheim (Germany) n Helga Veigl (Croatia)

EB members: n Claire Nelson (Jamaica) n Alethia Montero (Mexico)

Rest of the team: n Tanja Schindler (Germany) n Karlheinz Steinmüller (Germany) n Maya Van Leemput (Belgium) n Edgar Göll (Germany) n Victor Motti (USA)

PMU is a key sponsor in this event, particularly through the PMU Center for Futuristic Studies, from which its Director and advisor are Committee members: n Ph.D. Muamar Salameh (KSA) n Tasneem Alsaati (KSA)

The Scientific Committee: n Andreas Ligtvoet (Netherlands) n Reinhold Popp (Austria) n Helga Veigl (Croatia)

For more infrmation about the Conference (including Call for Papers): https:// wfsfconferenceberlin2021.org/

This hybrid event marks a milestone for the federation regarding the tren on these kind of digital services. And although it is still a challenge for many to travel, between the restrictions between countries, the high risk of contagion, the economic delicacy, etc., the hopelessness is still not greater than the desire to perceive each other again between nationalities and geniuses.

We hope to have lots of papers and mainly, several participants due to the grouping of will forces around the co-creation of this space-time that will host collective intelligence, multiple creativity, huge imaginariums, senses, emotions.

Bring your essence into the world of futures, whose present is in great demand. Expect a journey full of surpirses, both awaited and not. But remmber that future is a space of power, freedom and willingnes, in which we can influence for a more livable planet.

AFTERMOST