Fewer, Older, More Diverse? Europe's Future Society
Under this title the Network Effect conference in October 2007 provided its participants – around 35 young experts, thinkers and influencers from different backgrounds and different European countries – with a plethora of opportunities to discuss the diverse aspects of demographic change.
In addition to this trailer we recorded people's views and our Conversations event which started off the Berlin Network Effect where experts from Germany, Poland, the Netherlands and the UK explored the question whether or not the ageing of European societies creates not just serious threats, but also many promising opportunities.
In many parts of Europe, the local population is ageing, partly through declining birth rates, partly because young people leave in search for employment. However, at the same time other regions are undergoing rejuvenation, not least due to the impact of immigration. In some areas of our continent, such developments even take place in parallel, leading to significant changes in the demographic and ethnic set up of the population.
How does this affect societies in Europe – their structure, their culture, their cohesion? How does it affect Europe’s relationship with a predominantly younger world, in which many countries especially in Africa and Asia have a birth rate much higher than Europe’s average?
Through a mixture of presentations, workshop elements and “Real World Visits” to relevant institutions, young delegates from all over the continent discussed demographic change from a country, European and global perspective.
In 2005, the British Council created The Network Effect – Connecting Europe's Next Generation Leaders. European societies face a set of challenges over the coming decades that do not lend themselves to technical, managerial solutions. The Network Effect is a response to this challenge, by providing forums for debate, a creative perspective on critical issues, and helping to build the capacity required to address them. So far, we have held five Network Effect events in Europe:
- Social Innovation: Key to Social Challenges in the 21st Century? -
Tallinn, May 2007
- Business and Social Development - Istanbul, March 2007
- Good Europe? Power, Participation and the Remaking of Civil Society -
Bratislava, October 2006
- Social Diversity and Cities - Amsterdam, June 2006
- Media and Legitimacy - Stockholm, October 2005
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