Repeated to exhaustion by Diogo Vasconcelos, "we are what we share" was a phrase coined by Charles Leadbeater, his friend and renowned author and actor of social innovation. Exactly 12 years ago, the editorial of the magazine Impulso Positivo, in its 4th issue, dedicated to Diogo, who died that July, unexpectedly, at the age of 43, began almost in this way.
As a Cisco employee, when Diogo discovered a socially innovative project somewhere in the world, he shared it in several other geographies, hoping that someone would replicate it, thus accelerating our ability as humanity to solve social problems. He shared the idea, the project, the social business, and fostered the connection between the founders and those interested in doing the same, excited about the potential for replication, and energising and supporting.
The challenges today are even more complex than 12 years ago. Social, environmental and economic. In a project like de-fora-a-fora, dedicated to sharing what we know about social problems and existing or potential solutions, environmental and economic challenges cannot be ignored either. Because an uncontrolled environment threatens social well-being at all levels. And if there are economic challenges, the social ones are exponentiated. The 2023 Global Risks Report of the World Economic Forum highlights the top ten risks in the short term, 2 years, and three are social in nature; in positions 1, 5 and 10: 1st risk, the most severe: Cost of living crisis; 5th: Erosion of social cohesion and social polarisation; 10th: Large-scale involuntary migration. The seriousness of these challenges is unquestionable and we do not need to go beyond the national and European context to realise that these risks are a reality and very challenging. The report uses the words "cooperation" and "collaboration" 90 times, in an incisive call for people and organisations to share.
Each of us individually, and each organisation, must do better and better, learn faster and faster, and share what we learn. So that others can replicate, thus accelerating our ability as a society to create better and better responses to societal challenges.
It is in this spirit that I created de-fora-fora and that the team that will shape it will hold for you a permanent open invitation to participate. READ, WRITE and PARTICIPATE in our events. SHARE. We want to learn from you.
