Future 25


Future 25 is an open initiative, dedicated to foster long-term thinking and acting. It is based on two main pillars:
  • All our current activities are organized via the german non-profit association Zukunft 25 e.V. (currently in german).
  • The long-term perspective is to establish a non-profit foundation, the »Foundation Future 25« .
On these pages to main ideas concerning the Foundation Future 25 are explained. We invite you to join our endeavour in case you are interested in the future of our civilization and of humanity, the future of life on earth, on the planets and in the universe.


» The idea.
Building a platform for future-related activities. Dedicated to long-term thinking and acting. Supporting the sustainable development of life and of mankind on earth, the planets and in the universe.

» The goal.
Short-term: Building the communication and discussion platform.
Long-term: Growth of financial resources, of knowledge and of ideas.

» The vision.
An open non-profit foundation, globally active, with the best participation-possibilities conceivable for all individual members. Helping to spread the virtues of a free civil society.


» The concept.
German civil-law allows to establish a non-profit foundation which finances projects for charitable purposes, as is usual for a non-profit association, but at a reduced rate, such that a steady growth of the endowment of the foundation is possible by re-investing the returns.
We plan to establish such a foundation, globally active and dedicated to long-term growth. This foundation will be completely controlled by its members, the benefactors and open: Everybody will be invited to contribute and to become a member. To participate, especially in the selection of the projects to be financed every year.

» Long-term thinking.
Future 25 will be dedicated to the long-term view, supporting the lasting creation of new habitats. For the flora and fauna on earth, for humanity in outer space.
Open spaces and new ideas are the `Lebensraum' for our thinking and important for the development of human society. Future 25 will therefore support utopian thinking in terms of possible alternative societies and new ways for humans to live together.
As individual citizens living today, we do not have the necessary means to make an impact. But together, using the power of long-term financial growth, we can make a difference. We will probably not live long enough to see Future 25 grown to full power. But it is our own individual choice to participate, to construct Future 25, to formulate its mission and to set the foundation on its growth path.

» Everybody can join!
Participation is central to the idea of Future 25. Once it is established and now in the preparation phase. Participation can be on all levels: From the occasional input of new ideas for improvements and actions, up to an intense collaboration. If you would like to join this endeavor you are welcome! (contact)


» Activities.
2007 Establishment of the german non-profit organization Zukunft 25 e.V. in Frankfurt/Germany on July 07.
2006 H. Hille from Future 25 was among the invited speakers of the workshop "Das darwinistische Gen - The Darwinian gen", Frankfurt, September 9. (2006).
2006 First reunion in Frankfurt/Germany on May 27. For details and the minutes please see Zukunft 25 - activities. If you are interested in attending a meeting, please let us know.
2006 Publications of several articles on our common future in german-language online and print media, please see Zukunft 25 - activities.
2005 H. Hille and C. Gros from Future 25 were among the invited speakers of the workshop "Die Zukunft des Wissens - the future of knowledge", Frankfurt, June 4.-5. (2005).
2005 We have organized the internatonal symposium
"The Future of Life and the Future of Our Civilization"
at Frankfurt University, May 2.-6. (2005).
K. Hamacher, P. Mettler and C. Gros from Future 25 were among the invited speakers.
2004 We have started the online discussion- and brainstorming forum Zukunft25/WIKI in wiki-format (presently in German).
2004 The first public presentation of Future 25 has taken place at the World Future 2004 Conference in Washington.
Please take a look at the article Can we personally influence the future with our present resources?.
2003 The development of the basic concept was started in mid 2003 by Claudius Gros, by the end of 2003 this webPage was activated. Since then there has been a steady flux of activities, at present we are a small group of engaged citizens.
The preparations for the actual establishment of Future 25 will still take some years. We kindly invite you to participate!

» Further information.
Further and in-depth information is available on this webPage:
Concept
  • What a social association needs to grow continuously and stable over very long periods of time.
  • How to make sure that the mission is carried out even in fifty or two-hundred years.
  • Examples of what the mission statement really implies - space colonization and the establishment of habitats for future generations of animals and plant.
  • An analysis of why it is possible to establish Future 25 nowadays and why it would not have been possible in the past -- the role of Internet communication.
  • Considerations of the social dynamics and of the stability with respect to potential internal and external crisis situations.
  • Legal aspects and the economics of long-term growth.
Structure We have developed a blueprint for the internal organization of Future 25 which takes into account the following considerations:
  • The mutual control of the different organs: The board of directors, the board of trustees and the general assembly of all founders and co-founders.
  • Modern election processes and voting via the Condorcet-method, the possibility to determine parts of the leadership by drawing lots.
  • The active participation of all members via Internet needs new tools in order to be efficient. Two proposals:
Charter We have formulated a charter which conforms with German law on non-profit foundations and which would allow, in principle, the establishment of Future 25. Further development and analysis of the internal structural and social equilibria are however advisable. Suggestions are well received.

» The Name.
The name "Future 25" has been inspired by the song "In The Year 2525 (Exordium & Terminus)" by Denny Zager and Richard Evans (1969). A poem about the fate of humanity -- an incentive to consider our long-term future, the future of mankind on earth and in the universe.


» Cooperations.
We enjoy cooperating with other future-oriented initiatives and committed citizens. For cooperation with german-speaking initiatives please consult Zukunft 25.