> Forewords

Urgency and opportunities

Almost everyone agrees : we can’t afford to lose a single minute in taking action to reverse current trends, raise awareness of both ordinary citizens of our planet and of those decision-makers who are commiting Humanity to the future. Over and beyond the questions raised as to the path of globalistion or the threats to security, the feeling of alarm that pervades 2008 is due to at least four crises - climate, energy, finance and food. This provides us with a « window of opportunity » to try out new approaches and build new alliances on these major issues. It is this opportunity that the Olympiads for Change intends to grasp.

For better or for worse

Faced by threats of so many kinds, a gentle, colourful, non-violent revolution could take place, using information technology and the creation of a global current of opinion. The colour of this Revolution would be Blue. Blue like our planet seen from space, like water, a common good among others, like the United Nations who guarantee equal rights for all. This is just an image, but it is nevertheless a vision that is desireable, as the current risk is also one of global imbalance, injustice, fear, repression and control. Without going that far, we could also continue allowing the idea of « Social Networks » to be confiscated by entities whose goal is purely commercial.

While waiting for this Blue Revolution to take place, O-Change would initially be a sort of antidote, developing progressively into a social network deserving of its name.

A beginning

Using the Olympic Games as a media anchor for the virtual platform – O-Change – as of summer 2008 and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a framework of reference. After all,  we are celebrating the 60th anniversary of this Declaration on the 10th of December of this year. The competition of the Olympiads for Change which will be transparent and last for at least four years – the time of an Olympiad – would allow political and citizens’ creativity to reign in an unheard-of manner. Launched in 2008 as a Joint Appeal, it would first be announced as a beginning. Not as a celebration, not as a communication campaign, but as a process to be built jointly : festive, full of fun,  both expert and political, original and inclusive in nature, bringing together the young and the wise, both virtual and real.

Each stage would provide us with the means of reinventing how we can participate, listen, co-operate and transform relationships in the balance of power of globalisation. It will go as far as becoming a dynamic force of proposal for an international community that today is sorely lacking vision. And it will succeed in :

Convincing youth that things can change
Convincing the powerful that things must change

Patrice Barrat
Founder and Executive Director - Bridge Initiative International

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Forewords

" Almost everyone agrees : we cant afford to lose a single minute in taking action to reverse current trends..."Read more

Founding Principles

" Original festive competitions, atypical juries, Internet as the pivot of action, yes to cultural diversity, an examplary and creative process..."Read more

Premices

" We have nothing specific to promote, other than an empowerment exercise through which any of us could feel a meaningful role in the emerging global Future..."Read more