The summary report of Global Discourse Dinner 1st Edition (GDD 1)
Hamburg, 7^th of October 2011

The summary provided below reflects the main line of thoughts during the two and a half hour dialog. It does, however, not reflect each individual’s complete point of view and intentions. Therefore, it is only signed by the Co-Founders and Co-Editors of GDD, who initiated this event.

The Challenge of our Discourse:

 “What world worthwhile living in can emerge out of a meaningful and sustainably managed financial crisis? What do we need to do to get there?”

 The Partners in Dialog:

Ten interested people with diverse professional backgrounds and ideas on the subject matter, representing: male and female; Atheists, Christians, Muslims and Buddhists; five nationalities, living in four different countries on two continents, aged between 32 and 61; educated in one, two or multiple cultures and countries; fluent in multiple languages; with professional experience covering all continents; self-employed and employed; having children of their own or at least taking co-responsibility for them; with various degrees of right and left hand side brain dominant activity or balanced brain functioning resulting in different perceptions of reality.

 We concur that:

It seems that our world is like a car heading at increasing speed towards a concrete wall. To buy their stay in power and in pursuit of greed, our leaders are mortgaging our future and the world of our children. We have been piling up debt we all know cannot be repaid, leaving it for others, later, to deal with the problem. “Après nous, le déluge” said Louis XV, one of the last French kings, seeing the ancient world, his world, crumbling.

Crises of mankind are cyclical events. They occur when those leading have become ignorant, idle and detached from those they should be leading, opening the door to selfish, greedy and any form of irresponsible as well as sheep-like behaviour.

There is no master plan for everyone, all challenges and everything on our planet. Yet, we need to develop a common glue and coherence of the human race, that creates inclusive societies, where people live and work together based on mutual appreciation, sharing and dignity.

We consider democracy and social market economy as systems being beneficial to mankind, provided that those who lead the way act responsibly and are held accountable for their deeds.

 The world we envision is characterised by:

• a maximum degree of personal responsibility and accountability of all human beings, lived as a common conviction irrespective of their individual culture;
• wealth allocation and social recognition being a consequence of a service or a product well provided to people, society and nature, instead of making money as an end;
• idealism, modesty as well as compassion with others.

What do we need to do to get there!

1. Stop allowing or using any form of financial products and constructions that benefit from the misery or misfortune of others or keeping them dependent and irresponsible.
2. Use savings / financial means for investments that provide financial means to those who service mankind. We are responsible for the use of our money. We can influence the behaviour of our bankers and insurers by defining and asking for the rules of fund allocation we want. Our voice depends on the number of people that will follow our call as well as on our credibility to switch to banks or insurances working based on the values we believe in.
3. Accept that human beings make mistakes, but hold them accountable for all their deeds or omissions.
4. Educate and develop individuals with well-balanced abilities of thinking, feeling, sensing and intuition, who conduct themselves based on a healthy level of feeling self-secure.
5. Lead others by our own example of acting responsibly:
   1. Understand the place on which life has put each of us based on our talents and with the means and power given to us;
   2. Only expect from others what we are prepared to do ourselves;
   3. Define our values and act accordingly;
   4. Appreciate diversity, respect others, their views and needs;
   5. Show to those in power where we disagree, openly, and courageously but non-violently. If necessary ask them to step down. We are responsible for what those leading our countries are doing in our name. Let us interfere and have our voice heard;
   6. Ask others for help, work collectively, use and create the networksthat will leverage our actions;
   7. Look at ourselves first, be honest and admit, where so far we as an individual shy away from taking full responsibility for:

• ourselves (physical, emotional, mental and spiritual state, self-development, outlook on life, values, etc),
• our community and
• what we believe is right

out of fear or worry for:

• personal consequences of any kind,
• saying good-bye to part of our comfort zone,
• getting hurt,
• being ridiculed,
• giving up the role or image that we have created of ourselves.

We appeal to everyone having read this to:

1. Commit and start to act, here and now!
2. Join our global dialog on this and further subject matters relevant to mankind on www.globaldiscoursedinner.org and inform your own network.

The Co-Founders and Co-Editors of Global Discourse Dinner.org

Martina Violetta Jung                                  Jean-Luc Karleskind
Hamburg                                                     Luxembourg