n a world marked by rapid technological progress and interconnectedness, trust is what unites us. It plays a pivotal role in promoting collaboration, nurturing social harmony, driving economic growth, and upholding democratic values. But trust has been in fast decline.
Editor’s note: This is the publisher’s welcome note from Diplomatic Courier’s latest special edition, published on the eve of the NATO Summit (July 8). This special edition was curated to inform leaders at the Future of Democracy Forum and the 2024 NATO Summit in Washington, D.C. Access the special edition for free here. Learn more about the Future of Democracy Forum here.
Trust is the catalyst that fuels democratic institutions, so how do we restore it?
We are traversing an interesting time: both the challenge and the possibility are enormous and historic.
On one hand, the combination of exponential technologies and market economics, coupled with a super election year in which half the world’s population is voting in a major election, have created an environment where trust and reliable information struggle to flourish. The consequences: decline in public discourse, the disappearance of shared spaces for dialogue, and a rise in polarization and tribalism.
On the other hand, the very exponential technologies that have bound us to this behavior can also be used to rewire the attention economy through a new set of incentives that reward trust–building behavior. If the algorithms have wired and rewarded us to unwittingly (or wittingly) spread misinformation, can we create inoculation tech to reward behavior that builds trust and spreads facts?
Our World in 2050 Brain Trust members and partners believe so.
This is the setting under which, together with our co-hosts the Community of Democracies, we set out to build a one-of-a-kind convening to shape future scenarios and imagine various futures of democracy together. Because when we can imagine the unimaginable we can also create contingencies and prepare better for the possibilities.
We are thrilled to be joined by a group of hard–working partners—The Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress (CSPC), the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), International Arts and Artists (IA&A), and William & Mary’s Whole of Government Center of Excellence—that are thinking of these futures from an innovative lens too.
We’re honored to be part of this intellectual exchange on the occasion of NATO’s Leaders’ Summit in Washington, DC. NATO stands out as a global institution leading innovation in the trust and disinformation arena. There’s much we can learn from NATO’s modernization in tackling 21st–century challenges. And there is much NATO leaders can learn from our Brain Trust who has pioneered innovation in the space of data and cyber security, mis– and disinformation, and governance models for the future. This exchange promises new opportunities for collaborative solution–making, and we're proud to facilitate this valuable dialogue.
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The future of democracy is all about trust
Image via AdobeStock.
July 8, 2024
Trust is the catalyst that fuels democratic institutions, but trust is in rapid decline. Ensuring a healthy future of democracy requires we restore that trust, writes Ana C. Rold.
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n a world marked by rapid technological progress and interconnectedness, trust is what unites us. It plays a pivotal role in promoting collaboration, nurturing social harmony, driving economic growth, and upholding democratic values. But trust has been in fast decline.
Editor’s note: This is the publisher’s welcome note from Diplomatic Courier’s latest special edition, published on the eve of the NATO Summit (July 8). This special edition was curated to inform leaders at the Future of Democracy Forum and the 2024 NATO Summit in Washington, D.C. Access the special edition for free here. Learn more about the Future of Democracy Forum here.
Trust is the catalyst that fuels democratic institutions, so how do we restore it?
We are traversing an interesting time: both the challenge and the possibility are enormous and historic.
On one hand, the combination of exponential technologies and market economics, coupled with a super election year in which half the world’s population is voting in a major election, have created an environment where trust and reliable information struggle to flourish. The consequences: decline in public discourse, the disappearance of shared spaces for dialogue, and a rise in polarization and tribalism.
On the other hand, the very exponential technologies that have bound us to this behavior can also be used to rewire the attention economy through a new set of incentives that reward trust–building behavior. If the algorithms have wired and rewarded us to unwittingly (or wittingly) spread misinformation, can we create inoculation tech to reward behavior that builds trust and spreads facts?
Our World in 2050 Brain Trust members and partners believe so.
This is the setting under which, together with our co-hosts the Community of Democracies, we set out to build a one-of-a-kind convening to shape future scenarios and imagine various futures of democracy together. Because when we can imagine the unimaginable we can also create contingencies and prepare better for the possibilities.
We are thrilled to be joined by a group of hard–working partners—The Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress (CSPC), the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), International Arts and Artists (IA&A), and William & Mary’s Whole of Government Center of Excellence—that are thinking of these futures from an innovative lens too.
We’re honored to be part of this intellectual exchange on the occasion of NATO’s Leaders’ Summit in Washington, DC. NATO stands out as a global institution leading innovation in the trust and disinformation arena. There’s much we can learn from NATO’s modernization in tackling 21st–century challenges. And there is much NATO leaders can learn from our Brain Trust who has pioneered innovation in the space of data and cyber security, mis– and disinformation, and governance models for the future. This exchange promises new opportunities for collaborative solution–making, and we're proud to facilitate this valuable dialogue.
