Female leaders, as bright, prepared, and charismatic as it gets, cannot seem to reach the highest positions of power. Beware, this is not only an American problem: out of 193 countries, only 19 have a female head of state or government. It does not only apply to the highest office: women make up only 24% of members of national legislative bodies around the world, and only 4 countries have at least 50% of women in the national legislature. And when women stand up and fight to move the tide, they face violence: over 80% of women in politics have been victims of sexual violence or harassment.

As the founders of NOW!, a newly created transnational movement mobilizing people across borders to counter global issues, we just launched a campaign to achieve parity in politics, across the world. It’s time to stop the era of male-dominated politics. The data speaks for itself: a systematic excess of testosterone in the corridors of power is not only a clear distortion of our democracies but also a threat to our future. And guess what? Female leadership and participation correlate with more inclusive governance and better economic outcomes: gender parity benefits societiesand enables progress. Demanding measures to enforce parity in legislatures around the world, NOW! has already assembled a coalition of politicians pledging to support such demand, as well as thousands of citizens. The campaign unites under the pun #RunLikeAWoman.

Fixing this democratic flaw is not only needed, but also urgent: another generation of young women leaders might be wrecked because of our inaction. Believe us, we know it first hand.

We were ourselves in politics for a few years, and ran side by side in the European elections, with a political party we co-founded. As people of two different genders, we got radically different experiences. Andrea (yes, in Italy this is a male name) was at most criticized for his ideas and sometimes young age. Colombe (yes, in France this is a name) was attacked for her looks, how she spoke, how she dressed, how she behaved, what she said, and yes, her age as well. Once, she was even mansplained that she got her own life story wrong. From journalists writing about Andrea’s ideas and Colombe’s physical appearance in the same piece to threats of physical and sexual violence on social media, there could not be more different treatment. And please remember: we are not famous, not well-known, and run a short campaign on progressive ideas, so this is only a fraction of what women normally get. Amnesty International released a report showing how “women politicians were targeted with abuse online not just for their opinions — but also for various identities, such as gender, religion, caste, and marital status.” 1 in 7 tweets was problematic or abusive.

However, this can be fixed: not only do we need better laws and measures to counter threats and harassment, but parity plays a role.During our campaign, from the moment the stage was gender-balanced, inappropriate comments slowly faded away. As soon as the town-halls had a significant female presence, Colombe’s ideas were analyzed alongside one of her co-founders, and not as an appendix to it. Seeing women in public life gave countless others hope and strength to run. Seeing how women succeeded empowered others to Run like a Woman.

In Vox last week, Emily Stewart wondered “Why have we, yet again, rejected an uber-qualified woman for the highest office in the land?”, when thinking about Elizabeth Warren dropping out of the US presidential race. Of course, sexism comes into play. Of course, women face way more scrutiny and difficulties than men. Of course, they are held to different standards. And of course, this happens systematically, often in a more dire manner, across the world. And this is exactly why we launched a campaign to achieve parity.

During the preparation of the #RunLikeAWoman campaign, we spoke with politicians from all over the world: from Brazil to the Philippines, from the Gambia to Croatia. Those calls and discussions brought us to tears, hearing about what some had to overcome: the threats, the violence. But they also gave us more hope and fuel for change than ever before. As Petra Bayr, a member of Parliament from Austria said “If a woman gets involved with politics, it will change her life. If many women get involved in politics, it will change politics.”

We realized that by bringing leaders and champions of gender equality across the world to commit to fight for parity, by uniting humans beyond borders to call parliaments to pass adequate legislation so that women are adequately represented, and by combining this with physical and digital actions, we could harness the power of the masses to demand something as simple as equal representation, as parity. So simple that any child would see the rationale for it, so powerful it could transform the world.

However, lining up the first 30 politicians was not the easiest task: from Asian Prime Ministers to U.S. Presidential candidates, 2020 still have scores of self-nominated progressives happy with the status quo, worried that parity might take away some of their power. Gender equality is often a great line for interviews and debates, but only a few are ready to put their reputation on the line for it.

Now, the long climb begins: our campaign will work relentlessly to ensure that women have their fair share of power, taking a way shorter route than the 50 years projected by the U.N. From marches to referendums, we will not stop until young girls around the world will see political leadership as a natural aspiration. We couldn’t say it better than Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg “Women belong in all places where decisions are being made.”

Let’s make sure it happens, let’s all #RunLikeAWoman.

By Colombe Cahen-Salvador and Andrea Venzon (12/03/2020)

In February, Belgium chairs the United Nations Security Council. As such, it can support the demand for the declaration of a Global Climate Emergency, which might be the only way to push all nations to act on climate. Let’s be sure this opportunity is not wasted.

Dear Prime Minister Wilmés,

We have less than a decade left to contain global warming. While it might sound like it is plenty of time,the first calculation of greenhouse effect dates back to 1896. In the last 124 years, we bickered about whether this is fake news or not. It is not a matter of opinion, belief, religion nor education: overwhelming evidence proves that because of our actions, the world is in peril. Our future is in jeopardy.

Within the next ten years, we need to keep the increase of global temperatures to a maximum of 1.5C compared to pre-industrial levels, to avoid global catastrophe. And we are far from reaching this goal. Countries have failed to halt the rise of greenhouse emissions and the biggest polluters — China and the United States — increased their emissions last year.

As a consequence, people from every corner of the globe have protested, marched, skipped schools. On September 20th, 2019 alone, 4 million young people took part in strikes to demand action. However, we are no closer than twelve months ago to countering the consequences of the climate crisis. “We have been striking for over a year, and basically nothing has happened,” said Greta Thunberg at COP25 in Madrid, “The climate crisis is still being ignored by those in power, and we cannot go on like this.”

Climate change is a ticking bomb that can only be disarmed if we work as One. Emissions must decline sharply, by 7.6% every year between 2020 and 2030. Indeed, if we don’t take pass radical measures, there is a likelihood that human civilization will be severely affected by 2050. We are all at risk, including in Belgium. From floods, heat waves, the disappearance of some species found in Belgium to the impact on the health of people living in Belgium, we have no time to waste!

Dear Prime Minister Wilmés,

Let’s not wait for climate change to become irreversible but convert the massive energy that hit the street in 2019 into drastic change. Unless all countries across the world take simultaneous and coordinated action to counter the consequences of climate change, there is no hope. No city, nation or even continent alone can overcome centuries of unchecked human-made pollution.

This is why we are demanding that the United Nations Security Council recognizes climate change as a threat to peace under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, and as a result declares a Global Climate Emergency.

Chapter VII of the Charter of the UN reads as follows: “The Security Council shall determine the existence of any threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression and shall make recommendations, or decide what measures shall be taken in accordance with Articles 41 and 42, to maintain or restore international peace and security.”

This provision enables the United Nations to identify grave threats to humanity, and to take action to protect peace and security. From “triggering or exacerbating conflict through its effects on livelihood security and resource availability” or simply representing “an urgent and potentially irreversible threat to human societies and the planet”, we can no longer ignore the existential threat that is climate change.

A United Nations resolution under Chapter VII is normally considered binding, and would thus oblige all 186 member states to take concrete action. It’s not only that we are stronger together, it’s that we can only succeed together. This is our best shot.

Starting today, Belgium holds the rotating Presidency of the United Nations Security Council. This gives you and your delegates a huge influence upon the agenda of the Council. Today, we ask you to bring our demand to the table, and support our request.

A surprisingly small amount of countries has to vote in favour of this Declaration for it to go through. In fact, only 9 out of the 15 countries sitting in the Security Council have to agree to add this point on the agenda, and at least the same amount (without any veto from the permanent members of the UN, namely USA, China, Russia, France, and the UK) need to vote in favour of the resolution. The faith of the world depends on the decision of 9 people.

We know that the road ahead is long. We know that climate change deniers and wanna-be-autocrats will try to discredit our efforts. Changing the status quo can often feel like an impossible task but find hope in our collective power to impact change and protect our planet from the mistakes of past generations. We are today’s changemakers, and this is the fight of our generation.

Dear Prime Minister Wilmès,

If you believe that this is the last decade to fight for our future, and if you believe that there is no day to spare, help us to push the United Nations Security Council to live up to its duty to protect peace and security.

It’s now or never.

Andrea Venzon, co-founder and co-Executive Director of NOW!
Colombe Cahen-Salvador, co-Executive Director of NOW!

This is a guest contribution for The Fair Observer, by Andrea Venzon and Colombe Cahen-Salvador, from Dec 02, 2019

* * *

When arguing that political parties cannot solve global issues such as climate change, nuclear proliferation and fiscal justice, and that we need a new global movement capable of pushing forward concrete solutions and harness the energies of the youth, we meet a few “deniers.” Critiques of such statements normally move along the lines suggesting that social movements are nothing new, that political parties are great and much needed, and that young people should wake up and join these parties.

Yes, various movements existed in the past and literally changed the world for the better — women’s and civil rights, and the anti-Vietnam War movements being some of the most memorable ones. Those movements created change for billions of people, gave hope and a purpose to humanity and created a sense of community. That is because, as Gloria Steinem said, “When unique voices are united in a common cause, they make history.”

And yes, political parties still do have an important role in society. There is no functioning democracy without functioning parties — they are the pieces on the chessboard. At least a part of the population in any given country relies on the work of these entities to express its voice on current matters, to seek guidance, to have a meaningful role in the political process that produces legislation.

We, the Youth

The big difference is that today’s youth doesn’t join parties anymore, and party membership is declining. The Joschka Fischers (a well-respected German politician who started his career in left-wing movements) of today are not lobbying their way into the Social Democrats or the Greens, but are more likely to work to take up the next battle with the movement they have started or supported. Like it or not, the fact that an overwhelming majority of young people do not want to sign up for party membership is reality, not a question up for debate.

No effort from those who deny the power of social movements will change their mind — no elaborate op-ed from well known writers, no call for mobilization from middle-aged politicians or the rebranding of old recipes à la Matteo Renzi’s Italia Viva will change that.

For every revolution and for every step toward social progress that takes place, older generations say that the youth is doing it all wrong. The conservative seniors try to impose their ideas or methodologies that are often inadequate. However, let’s all remember that the modus operandi has brought the world today to where it is today, where we — the youth — might not get to die of natural causes, because climate change went unchecked for so long. We — the youth — live in a world threatened by nuclear proliferation. We, — the youth — have high unemployment and low wages when corporations don’t pay taxes. We — the youth — have to deal with a world shattered by previous generations.

Older generations had a responsibility toward us that they haven’t upheld, leaving us to pick up the pieces. People belonging to our generation might be tempted to dismiss this with a casual “OK, boomer.” While this may be tempting, we call for unity. Just like no single country can solve global challenges, no one generation can bring the world forward. We value the work of our elders who fought tirelessly for our rights and for a more peaceful society like they did in the 1960s. We are thankful that we are in a position to continue their legacy and focus on what truly matters — creating new ways to affect change.

And what truly matters today are the global issues that are shaking the world to its core. While we could spend decades debating the pros and cons of party politics, the fact of the matter remains: Parties can’t solve global issues. Indeed, even in perfect health, political parties would still be incapable of coping with a complex world where issues are interconnected and global, with little respect for borders or electoral timetables. There is no global democracy enabling parties to put forward a clear agenda to solve those issues. To make matters worse, 44% of the world population live in non-democratic systems.

The truth is that global challenges and existential threats are not being adequately dealt with. No political party is solving the pressing issues, no government is getting close to where it should be heading in order to do so. So far, the world is not doing better today following the few successes of some progressive liberal politicians and parties, nor will it. Even the so-called “success cases” like Emmanuel Macron shift their narrative to try to appeal to the hard right, using far-right language such as “taking back control on migration” and putting back border controls while talking of open societies.

We Are Not Complaining

And guess what: We are not just complaining. Millennials are actively looking for a better way forward, and we are proposing a solution. We do not say it’s the only available one, nor that it should be, but what other feasible alternative is currently present on the market? Criticizing innovative endeavors won’t do, nor will asking young people to join archaic structures that do not have a role on the global stage and cannot affect change.

Let’s be bold enough to create the world we dream of, not just think inside the box. Continuing down the same path is like taking an aspirin to cure cancer — almost laughable, and no one would ever believe that it could work. Let’s stop being scared of disturbing the status quo and actually work to better our shared future.

The new El Dorado is within the grasp of those adventurers who will manage to convert the energy of the millions who hit the streets every Friday to demand action on the climate emergency into meaningful political capital to advance much-needed legislation like a global carbon pricing scheme or a harmonized digital service tax to deal with tech giants. The work of groups like NOW! toward solving the issues that affect us all is rooted in precisely this vision.

A truly global movement can leverage volunteers’ involvement and advanced campaign methods to strategically and conclusively push common solutions in the form of legislations across the globe. Harnessing the great democratic awakening we are witnessing from Hong Kong to Santiago, people can work to gather all those ones who don’t want to sleepwalk into an illiberal era — or intend to leave one behind — under one roof. The only allegiance this type of movement requires is the dream of having humankind collaborate for our future.

This is the way we can tilt the balance in favor of a society we hope for. Don’t try to put the million marchers into a political party: You won’t succeed. But if you ensure that clear demands are pushed via all democratic tools available, and you might get real results. We know that our approach is a bet, but we don’t see an alternative than trying to fight for the world to act as one, together, through mobilization.

*[For more information, visit www.now.world.]

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Fair Observer’s editorial policy.

“My desire for the future is that there will continue to be people who stand up for walls to fall and not to be built”.

Floating above the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Patrick Shearn’s art installation includes such messages for inclusion and unity. Indeed, this week marks the 30th year anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall. Germany, Europe and the world celebrate this historical event, discuss its significance and the challenges the country encountered in achieving unity. As part of those celebrations, world leaders will travel and vow to never go back to a world that was so divided. Actions speak louder than words, though.

What some might consider ghosts of a dark era are still sheer realities for many. Walls plague our world, are built by autocrats to win votes without solving any of the underlying key problems that countries and the world are facing. Walls are used to stigmatize groups of people. Walls are used to fuel hate. Walls discriminate. Walls divide.

Walls are built at external borders to keep people out, such as the infamous example of Trump’s unmatched obsession with building one between the United States and Mexico, at one point even considering building a moat over the border and filling it with alligators. Other examples include the wall outside of Melilla and Ceuta, cutting off the two Spanish autonomous cities from Morocco, with the same aim than Trump’s: to stop migrants, in this instance from entering into Europe.

Walls are used to divide further people, discriminate, take away their rights, livelihoods and homes, such as the ones between Israel and Palestine, or between Morocco and Western Sahara.

Walls are used to separate within cities themselves, whether they be for political allegiance reasons or wealth: The Lima “wall of shame”: a six-mile-long, 10 foot tall, concrete structure dividing the city’s rich and poor. As Belen Desmaison, an architect researching Lima’s wall explained “It’s part of this global trend of a ‘wall,’ this trend of actually putting up this physical barrier between two social groups or ethnic groups.” Walls are used to divide further during wars, with Homs becoming a city “crisscrossed by walls, separating different neighbourhoods according to their ethnic makeup and loyalty or hostility towards the regime” since the start of the Syrian civil war.

Even within the Schengen area in Europe, which is supposed to allow for free movement within the area and is considered one of the greatest achievements of the EU, countries promoting liberal values and leaders promising to move towards a more open and free world for all have put back border controls. These might not always look like a wall, but make no mistake, they have the same effect. Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Norway and Sweden are guilty of such acts.

Remember: walls are not only symbols of oppression, but they divide and affect communities in real terms too. Comparison between the statistics of people leaving in Nogales, Arizona (US), and Nogales, Sonora (MX) are stunning. Divided by a Fence, the average household income is about $30,000 on the American side, and one-third of it on the Mexican one. A community divided by a wall is broken apart. Still today the gap between East and West Germany is appalling, and well described by a GDP per capita 20 per cent lower in the former soviet satellite compared to the free Federal Republic of Germany.

So while commemorating the fall of the Berlin wall, the new era it started, let’s not forget all those left behind. While watching speeches from world leaders, let’s remember those that are building back barriers and walls, letting people die outside of their borders, taking away their rights, discriminating, and choosing division over unity. While voting on whether politicians such as Trump should continue to be in power with their divisive policies, let’s remember that Gorbachov — the last leader of the Soviet Union — did more to tear down walls 30 years ago by avoiding any intervention when the Wall was brought down, than the alleged Leader of the Free World is doing today.

30 years ago, the fall of the Berlin Wall marked the beginning of a new era of openness and international cooperation. Today, the shadows of nationalism and division are rising once more. As part of the new generation, we intend to mark this anniversary not only by vowing to never go back to such a time, but ensuring that we move forward as One world.

For any given dictator building a wall, there are millions of people dreaming for bridges instead.

To make such dreams a reality, and tear down those symbols of oppression, we created NOW!, the global movement pushing for humanity to work as one to solve the biggest challenges of our time. Only together can we overcome global issues such as the climate crisis and related forced migration, which walls will only worsen. Only together can we prone unity and real solutions to the issues for which walls are built.

As Robert F. Kennedy famously said: “Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.” The time is NOW!

This is a guest contribution for The Economist ‘s Open Future initiative, which aims to foster a global conversation on the challenges of the 21st century. Read a critique of youth activism and politics here. More Open Future articles are at Economist.com/openfuture.

* * *

Our grandparents attended party conventions teeming with balloons and bunting. Our parents took to the streets to demand radical changes from those same parties. Our generation regards political parties as a relic of an era of black-and-white television, transatlantic ocean-liners and the jitterbug. We simply don’t care about them at all. We care about issues, not allegiances.

As members of a new generation of voters and activists-and politicians-we, in our 20s, can confirm that millennials and Generation Z-ers are more interested in achieving change around specific causes, and in being part of movements and communities. Data back this up. In America, 44% of millennial registered voters describe themselves as independent, compared with just 32% of baby-boomers.

Meanwhile youth political participation has been meagre for decades, shaken only in the face of major crises, such as Brexit. The European Parliament gushes over the paltry 42% turnout of 18- to 24-year-olds during the last European elections, despite the fact that they took place during one of the rockiest times for the union when high turnout might have been expected. In America the picture is not much brighter: only half of people 18 to 29 bothered to vote in the presidential election in 2016.

Most young peoples’ thoughts on politics seem limited to “who should I vote to stop?”, where the villain is generally populist politicians or disliked policies. Three-fourths of millennials in America have a low level of trust in government to “do what’s right and to work on their behalf”. Though many voters feel this way, the sense of abandonment is sharper with youth. This translates into not only meagre electoral turnouts but lower party membership rates. Across Europe, membership has almost halved since 1980.

This is understandable. The worries of many young people, most prominently climate change, cannot be addressed by traditional party politics. Governing-as-usual is ill-suited to deal with global, complex, interconnected issues that do not respect geographic borders or electoral timetables. (And the 44% of people who live in non-democracies are not even represented in today’s international politics.)

However, at the same time, the young generation is as ambitious and idealistic as ever. Many care not just about their country but about their world. Today’s youth are energised about political issues-but not politics. Instead, they find political expression in issue-based demonstrations, from FridaysForFuture, the environmental movement carrying out school strikes, to the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. And there have been some victories. For example, nearly 1,200 localities in 23 countries have declared a climate emergency, following pressure from local activists.

These informal, quasi-leaderless, digital-first movements are taking the role formerly occupied by political parties to rally supporters and to make the case for change. Consider that on September 20th Germany saw 1.4m people participate in the global climate strike, compared with 10,000 people joining as new members of Germany’s Green Party in all of 2019 (which was characterised as a huge success). Extinction Rebellion, an international climate movement founded in Britain a year ago, saw only nine candidates run in the European parliamentary elections last May as independents.

We experienced first-hand how even innovative grassroots parties cannot possibly solve existential challenges. In 2016 we created Volt, a pan-European party to change politics by giving youth a stronger voice and going beyond national borders. It garnered the support of 60,000 activists from across Europe had one person elected to the European Parliament and several local councillors elected.

Yet despite these accomplishments, it brings us no closer to the big solutions the world needs. It is not a question of playing a long hand or working the system better: party politics is unable to respond to complex, global problems, such as addressing climate change, regulating tech giants, taxing global companies, protecting human rights and the like. And even if one country or continental power acted, it would be meaningless unless the whole world did as well.

For this reason we are launching NOW!, a global movement to work as a single force to solve the vital, global problems of our day. The activities range from calling for referendums, launching petitions, lobbying elected officials, protesting and using civil disobedience when needed to push for the same legislation in all countries, both democratic and authoritarian, to achieve simultaneous and radical change.

Distinctively, NOW! is a movement, not a party. It doesn’t plan to put up its own slate of candidates in elections. Rather, it will support candidates and politicians who back the changes that NOW! fights for, no matter which pin is affixed to their lapel. By seeking to build majorities for critical policies across as many countries as possible, NOW! aims to overcome political tribalism and focus on results.

That also means NOW! will collaborate with nonprofit groups, business leaders, influencers, artists-and, yes, even political parties-to join forces across the ideological spectrum. It overcomes the shortcomings of parties, which focus on national issues, and complements single-issue protest movements to tackle complex, intertwined problems.

But the stakes are broader than any specific group. The central question is whether a novel form of “institutionalised activism” can translate into a sustainable movement. Our bet is that it can. Like the abolitionists in the 19th century, the suffragists in the early 20th century and the antinuclear groups at the century’s end, a transnational, non-electoral political movement may be an effective mechanism for change.

This approach represents a potent hybrid, fusing youth activism with political operations devoid of party allegiance. It crosses all borders, as pressing issues usually do. It pushes politics to deliver results and citizens to take responsibility. We believe this form of participation will define political life in the decades to come. In fact, we believe our future depends on it.
_____________

Andrea Venzon is the co-founder of NOW! He was the first elected president of Volt Europa, and a former management consultant at McKinsey & Co. Colombe Cahen-Salvador is the co-founder of NOW! She is the former policy lead of Volt Europa and previously worked for human-rights organisations.

Read a response: Youth movements are the fool’s gold of politics

Originally published at https://www.economist.com on November 1, 2019.

When contemplating the effects of climate change, the inability of states to tax digital giants, or the injustices that minorities face around the world, one cannot avoid to feel hopeless and powerless. Can our actions actually change the tide? Can our voices be loud enough?

This feeling is understandable: over the last decade, major wars and humanitarian crises have struck the world: Yemen, Syria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar or Venezuela are only some notorious examples. Long-standing conflicts, such as the Israeli-Palestinian one, have continued to develop instead of getting closer to resolution. Even in some of the most economically stable countries, financial turmoil and growing inequalities took their toll: from the 2008 financial crisis pushing G-7 countries’ economies on their knees, to Greece experiencing 60% youth unemployment in 2013.

In 2016, we felt powerless. We felt sidelined. Many countries were seeing the rise of hateful trends we naively thought long-gone: destructive and nationalist forces were making a come-back. Brexit happened. Trump was elected. The far-right in Europe got stronger and stronger.

It was clear to us that Europe’s challenges could not be solved by nation-states alone: they went beyond our individual countries. Migration, youth unemployment, or the green transition could only be tackled if Europeans started to work together to fight for their shared future. So we decided to take action.

The founding of a European party, going beyond national borders

We, with Damian Boeselager, founded Volt Europa, the pan-European political party as a way to leverage the huge potential of transnational collaboration. Furthermore, in founding a transnational political party we sought to fill a gap in European democracy. We knew we had to beat the odds and take the future into our own hands. We ought to give it our best, because even a glimmer of hope was better than no hope at all, than not acting.

Three years later, after having mobilized people across 32 countries,built 14 national political parties under the Volt flag, campaigned in 8 countries on one programme, Volt entered the highest political institution of the continent: the European parliament. Representatives were also voted into local councils in Germany and in Italy.

In short: Volt Europa is up and running, and will continue to work its magic. We gave it all we had, our hearts and souls, and tens of thousands of people joined us to make our dreams come true. Most importantly, Volt showed that collaborating and creating a movement across borders works.

The realization that the only way forward is global

Despite the successes of many political parties seeking social, environmental and economic progress, we are no closer than three years ago to curbing the effects of climate change, taxing appropriately multinational digital companies, guaranteeing and upholding the rights of all humans equally, managing earth’s resources in a fair manner or ensuring safe migration. Unfortunately, the list could go on. And time is running out: humankind might become extinct by 2100 because of climate change, and even before in case of nuclear disasters.

A higher level of cooperation is needed between countries, regions, intergovernmental institutions, and — first and foremost — citizens, in every corner of the world. Urgently. While supranational institutions and multilateral treaties do exist, we see their lack of enforcement mechanisms, the lack of far-reaching solutions, the unwillingness of governments to go beyond their electoral interests, and the inability of citizens to meaningfully participate and get their voices heard.

We believe that it is time to dream big again.

We need a global movement for humanity, aimed at mobilizing citizens across the world to push for shared solutions to the world’s biggest challenges. While great examples of global mobilization exist in the digital space or related to one particular topic (such as climate change), no movement yet exists that mobilizes people across the world on a wide agenda to implement into law clear common solutions to the world’s biggest issues.

The time has come, and it is NOW!

That is why we took the decision to launch NOW!, the global movement pushing for humanity to work as one to solve the biggest challenges of our time.

Yes, we are big believers that we are stronger together. Starting January 1st, 2020, NOW! will:

1. Craft global solutions for the world’s biggest challenges,
2. Communicate them massively to create a common consciousness, and
3. Campaign to push for global solutions to be passed into law.

From calling for referendums, to lobbying elected officials, organizing protests, levying influencers’ voices, supporting political candidates who stand for our beliefs, and using civil disobedience when needed, we will push for concrete change across continents to fight for our future.

The first few times we discussed NOW! with people we trusted, we couldn’t help but nervously laugh when explaining that we “are launching a global movement that will take on and attempt to solve the biggest challenges of our time.” People who knew us typically answered with “Ah, only that?! Why not go for something a bit more ambitious?”

Indeed, NOW! is a big dream, a huge one even. We could not have had a bigger one. Yet, big dreams are needed to move the world forward. And we are lucky: in the last few years, the ground has been fertilized. The Women’s Marches or global climate strikes showed that people can mobilize in the millions to fight for a better future. So did March for Our Lives, the Hong Kong protests, the Sudanese people, and the list could go on. The youth has also flooded streets across the world because to show that there is no more time to waste.

Yet, this will still be a bumpy road. We won’t succeed immediately, there are no ready-made solutions to all challenges. What we know though is that together we can make it. Together, we can do better. Together, we can change laws. Together, we can change the world.

More importantly, we ought to try. We are not the only hope out there, but we believe that we are filling a gap. We have a chance of succeeding if we manage to outperform ourselves, if citizens join in big ranks, if influencers land their voices, if a common consciousness flourishes.

All those ifs have stopped people before us. They will not stop us, and we hope they will not stop you either.

We could have prevented it. France and the U.K. are two of the wealthiest countries on earth, which not only should but can provide real assistance to migrants without a problem. Instead, we close borders, put up fences, stop search and rescue operations, return them to countries where they face serious harm in violation of international law, let people live in misery and isolation, sometimes even use violence to deter them from making a life where they are (eg Calais).

Make no mistake, we are responsible, we are the ones killing migrants. Every single day, our countries choose to let humans drown at sea in the Mediterranean, in the Channel…

I cannot understand how this doesn’t shock more – is it because our countries are inherently racist and xenophobic?! Yes. If it was a French person drowning in the Channel in the pursuit of a better life there would be an outrage. But we have grown so accustomed to it that this is considered just another news.

I will not expose the moral, legal and historical responsibilities we have to welcome humanly and with dignity migrants, nor the opportunities that we have to gain from it. I will not detail the horrific numbers of deaths of people trying to reach Europe. I will not detail the atrocities they have been for. I will not explain that this could happen to us and we would only hope for a safe haven. I will not explain how we will be remembered in history books. This is not the point, and those are rational arguments to be made another time.

This is about yet another human life that has been lost as a direct consequence of our indifference. This is about our complicity in countless deaths. This is about our incapacity to think of one another as equals. This is about inherent racism and xenophobia. This is about wealth. This is about the fact that as Europeans, we consider ourselves more worthy of a decent life than others. This is about repeating the darkest part of history: we are letting human beings who are fleeing persecution, hunger and impossible lives die at our doorsteps. We are turning a blind eye. We are not holding our governments accountable.

“We” extends not only to European countries, but to the wealthiest countries on earth: the U.S., Australia and others are as guilty. As if money meant that our lives meant more.

They are not.

When Notre-Dame burnt, the western world was ‘in shock.’ So many fundraisers were launched, the French government made reconstruction a priority, leaders from across the world sent their ‘thoughts.’ A historical landmark burning is sad, but we are talking about a building, about a cathedral in Paris. Consider the importance we gave to this compared to the countless deaths that we could be preventing. But those don’t make the frontpage this way. Those don’t get big speeches from the French President. Those, according to our elected officials, do not require immediate actions. Of course, we do not have to choose to only tackle one problem, but in our public discourse and through our actions we give clear importance and priority to one.

Human beings have been dying on the deadliest route by sea – the Mediterranean – by the thousands every year. We could have prevented it, we have a duty to do so. If those migrants were from wealthy Western countries, wealthy themselves or white, we would hold minutes of silence, we would hold rallies, we would say never again. But in our collective inhuman consciousness, they don’t qualify for that.

It’s time to say never again. It’s been time since the first death. It’s time to hold ourselves accountable for our part in this. It’s time to mourn human beings who died due to our indifference, to mourn this Iraqi migrant whose family will never be able to understand how it came to this. It’s time to stop. It’s time for action, for decency.

We need to do better. This is on us. This is on our governments.

This week, after I expressed my outrage at one of Trump’s extremely disturbing tweets (he suggested to marry legislation on background checks and immigration reform), people with diverging views sent me the following messages:

“You’re not from here, you don’t get to voice your opinion!” “Why do you even care?” “You don’t know anything about the topic so go inform yourself, talk about your own country’s abuses.”

Those are the answers I regularly receive when talking about any issue that is not solely French. Such responses do not only demonstrate a total lack of any valid argument, thus defeating their very point, but also something more worrying. Indeed, the first thing that comes to those individuals’ minds is that their country is somehow isolated from the rest of the world, not connected to it, that they should have a special derogation clause by which only them can comment on that news. Although those concerned tend to be nationalists, this still leaves me feeling very uneasy and worried about our future.

While I was reflecting on how to best answer, which I generally do by not answering at all, it struck me: Trump’s trolls made the case for transnationalism stronger!

“The concept of transnationalism refers to multiple ties and interactions linking people and institutions across the borders of nation-states.” It’s basically the idea that we are all connected and impact others’ lives; that we can go beyond the concept of nation-state as one world to work together on major issues.

But how is this linked to Trump’s internet supporters? Well their wrong assumptions are exactly what shows the need to move towards a world in which governments cooperate increasingly, individuals have more of a common consciousness and fight together the same battles.

In this case, Trump’s followers assumed that I didn’t know anything about the topic as ‘I’m not American’. Yet, we live in a hyper-connected world where the internet, social media and global news agencies enable us not only to get informed about any specific topic at any given time, but also ensure that we are confronted with what happens in the world on a daily basis.

It was also suggested to me that I shouldn’t care nor engage as I wasn’t from their country. Most issues and challenges happening in one country exist in another, with citizens facing the same hurdles, feeling the same way! Think about it, Trump’s hateful narrative isn’t unique, it is happening all over the world every single day. In Europe, nationalist and extremist politicians try every day to find scapegoats (in general migrants) for unrelated domestic issues in the hope of winning votes.

The truth is also that what happens in one country can have dire consequences in many others. To go back to the example of Trump’s racist and xenophobic rhetoric: his words have an impact on the US’s relationship with Mexico, and on the domestic policies of many countries south of its border. They have huge repercussions on the lives of Americans, of migrants, of refugees and on the world as a whole.

We should thus care about what happens outside of our own countries, and not only because humanity goes beyond boarders, but because it affects us all.

We, as citizens of the world, have a responsibility to speak truth to power, to stand up and ensure that we shape the narrative. What happens in one corner of the world ripples: we do not live in isolation.

Finally and more practically, we cannot solve today’s most important issues on our own as individual nation states. Consider the topics of climate change or fiscal injustice: countries alone cannot have a substantial impact, even regions will not change much if not all are onboard. This is also the case for diplomatic crisis: when two nuclear powers like India and Pakistan are in crisis mode because a government unilaterally changed the constitution, we are all concerned. Global challenges require common responses. Only as one world can we adequately answer to the biggest questions of our time.

And the good news is that we can move towards a transnational world. Trump’s case enabled me to show that we have knowledge about what happens abroad, we are connected and face similar issues all over the world, and we are responsible for changing the tide.

I believe that working as one society is the only way forward to solve global challenges: for this we need to increase cooperation between governments, connect individuals across the globe and fight together the same battles. It’s now or never.

There is only one war that matters. The European Elections. And it is here. Let’s analyze the state of politics in Westeros.

No one has a consistent and coherent programme for the Seven Kingdoms

Cersei is too focused on herself to pass any evidence-based policy, let alone listen to her constituents that she actually hates. She manipulates their emotions to achieve her goals.

Daenerys wants to break the wheel, as recent politicians didn’t do a good enough job and she isn’t happy with the establishment. She, however, doesn’t have a plan nor a programme for what comes after her face-off with Cersei.

Jon never wanted to enter into politics as he was happier with his life in the North, and let’s face it, men in his family do not do well in King’s Landing. Yet, he found himself having no choice but to act. Let’s hope that he uses Samwell’s research to take up responsibility and propose a concrete plan of action to rebuild Westeros after the war.

Although the Seven Kingdoms have always had a degree of independence and subsidiarity, to ensure that they are prosperous it is necessary for the Lord of the Seven Kingdoms to have clearly articulated policies that are consistent and coherent across the realms. After all, we have seen that all alike face similar problems and have the similar hopes and dreams. Whether on the Wall, in King’s Landing or in the Vale, the Army of the Dead threatens humankind alike. In addition, together they were stronger.

Who will reform the institutions of the land of ice and fire?

Not enough stakeholders are thinking of actually reforming the system in depth to make it more participatory and democratic. Here are some suggestions of concrete policies that should be put in place.

Daenerys wants to deliver justice but still seat on the Iron Throne. She should ensure that all her constituents have the right to vote in a harmonized manner, so she can effectively govern in a federal manner the Seven Kingdoms and truly win hearts and minds, in addition to owning her title of “breaker of chains”. In addition, while her dragon might feel alone lately without his brothers (R.I.P.), it is still clearly necessary to regulate its actions. How about implementing citizens’ assemblies to decide where dragons are allowed to fly and hunt?

Throughout the last seasons, we have seen many hands advising various monarchs, but there hasn’t been a lot of gender balance in this specific post. In addition, Brienne is the first woman knight, it’s clearly time to have more gender parity throughout the realm, especially since we have seen the added benefit of women taking up the fight — thank you again Arya.

Cersei is focused on protecting her unborn child from the threats of her political opponents, but she should really be thinking that certain regions are clearly disadvantaged compared to others, and that the Iron Bank should direct funds to help improve the standards of living and create opportunities, especially after years of unrest across the realm.

Finally, as a piece of advice, while moving towards a more democratic and federal system, the protector of the realm needs to be careful not to implement rules of unanimity that might result in Dorne vetoing any needed fiscal policy that would beneficiate all citizens.

Winter is coming, but does the EU have its Arya to save the day?

I have no idea how GOT will end. “If you think this has a happy ending, you haven’t been paying attention” said Ramsey. But there is still time to ensure that the European elections do not end like the Red wedding.

However, we do not need one hero to save us all. Unlike in Thrones, in Europe our strength lies in everyday citizens willing to stand up, take a risk and fight. No, I’m not advocating for the murder of our enemies: I would have liked the Red Woman to build a special court of fire to judge the Night King to ensure due process. What I am calling for is for us all to take up responsibility, create change and vote. “I don’t plan on knitting by the fire while men fight for me” or a Ramsay will enter the European Parliament.

Hold the door, Volt is coming to bring new energy to Westeros, but not only. Evidence-based policies aimed at reforming the realm, ensuring economic growth and a just and sustainable society are its core.

Citizens from 28 kingdoms will vote in a decisive election that will shape their common future forever. The night is dark and full of terrors, so choose wisely.

Ahead of the European elections, I keep on being asked by EU27 citizens living in the UK where they should vote: in the UK or where they come from? A French friend just reached out to me this morning wondering if it’s more strategic to vote in France or in London, considering Brexit and all.

The question is understandable as Europeans get to choose where to vote between their native country and country of residency, for these elections. It is also no understatement to say that the stakes are higher than ever, nor that the future is uncertain in the UK.

However, let me start with the basics: this is not a pro versus anti-Brexit vote. Even though political parties are trying to frame it as a proxy vote for Brexit, this is about the EU and its future. As a result, the campaign period should be focused on the EU’s potential and how it can beneficiate citizens, about projects, policies and budgets. Let’s talk about the European Parliamentarians’ roles, but let’s not mix everything up.

The real uncertainty with these elections is that if the UK leaves before July 1st, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) will not sit in the European Parliament. This is unlikely to happen. However, if the UK does not leave by then, MEPs will be able to stay in Parliament for the next five years. This means that they will shape the future of the Union, influence directives and regulations, or be able to block the work of the European Parliament. This will have a real impact in the 27 other countries that will remain in the Union, regardless of when the UK leaves. This vote is not about Brexit, but about those that have a constructive project, not just trendy slogans.

And here is where the tricky part lies. Since the elections were called last minute, and because it’s easier to pretend it’s a proxy vote for or against Brexit, no existing English party has a programme for Europe yet, but Volt. As a pan-European party, a programme was drafted in October and adopted by during a European General Assembly by European citizens. Andrea Venzon, the independent candidate for London representing Volt, will thus campaign on the three main pillars of Volt’s programme, with the aims of fixing the EU, making it an economic powerhouse and creating a just and responsible society. Additionally, being pan-European, Volt MEPs will sit together in the European Parliament with the same priorities and will support one another in creating the change the EU desperately need to be an everlasting project.

The current situation of British politics, in the midst of Brexit and the European elections, has created a lot of confusion. People do not understand why they should vote for European elections since the UK might soon leave the EU, people don’t understand if and why it’s about Brexit, and people don’t even understand how to vote.

This is exactly why, for the EU27 citizens, I think it is extremely important to exercise your civic right in the UK for the European elections. Huge issues are at stake and there is a possibility of getting a constructive and European message out. In addition, this is the one chance the UK will have of influencing European politics for the next five years. Let’s not miss it, use your vote in a smart manner, one that will help build our future, not destroy it.

To my non-British fellow Europeans living in the UK, vote in the UK. Take charge of your future. How? You must do the following three things by Tuesday 7 May:

You may also want to watch:

* Be registered to vote. You can register online here.

* Download the European parliament voter registration form here.

* Send the completed form to your local Electoral Registration Office, whose address you can find here.

This is complicated right? Yes, and it will have the unfortunate effect of baring many Europeans from participating in those key elections. So far, fewer than 300 forms have been returned, a few days before the deadline.

So, register, today! Once you have done that, you can vote for the European elections, have an impact on the EU’s future, support constructive politicians and ensure that a strong message is passed throughout the UK. Let’s not wait until May 24th to complain about awful results, don’t wait to participate.

Register, vote, create the change you want.

* Colombe Cahen-Salvador is the co-founder and policy lead at Volt Europa

Originally published at https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk.