“I urgently appeal, then, for a new dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet. We need a conversation which includes everyone, since the environmental challenge we are undergoing, and its human roots, concern and affect us all.”
-Pope Francis, Laudato Si
In today’s partisan world, it is difficult to have meaningful conversations. Hampered by our political opinions, biases and prejudices we often retreat into our comfortable bubbles and disengage from those who sees things differently. Given the magnitude of the challenges we face, this is untenable.
The use of art as a medium for communicating important, complicated and controversial ideas is as old as art itself. By engaging with a piece of art, a safe space is opened that allows us to get beyond our biases and engage in meaningful and ‘conscious conversations of consequence.’
Join us for a conversation about cronyism, a ubiquitous and destructive reality in all western societies. Cronyism is a broad and often misused word. At the most basic level this term refers to the appointment of relatives and friends to positions they are unqualified to fulfill. When we talk about cronyism on the policy level, which is our focus, it refers to the way that corporate and special interest money and power have hijacked the intended function of governments and institutions, whose stated purposes are to protect the citizenry, for profit and increased power.
Participants
- Artist: Ruth Westreich is a philanthropist, author and artist and is the founder and president of the Westreich Foundation, Which generously supports and seed-funds people and non-profit organizations that challenge The Normalcy Bias. She addresses the collective learned-response to accept the unintended consequences of decisions that put profits and power before people and planet. Ruth believes it is possible to overcome this bias through education, engagement and action allowing each of us to become a change maker. Visit www.ruthwestreichtheartist.com or thewestreichfoundation.org for more.
- Moderator: Tim Reihm, Director of Marketing & Communications, ANH-USA.
Panelists
- Gretchen DuBeau, Esq., Executive & Legal Director, AHN-USA
- Robert Verkerk, PhD., Scientific Director, ANH-USA; Founder, Executive Director ANH International
- Jo Twombly, Deputy & Legislative Director, ANH-USA
