The COVID-19 pandemic has shed light on areas in which European and global solidarity were present, but also areas in which it was sorely lacking. At the beginning of the pandemic, we saw supplies being overstocked and pirated by EU member states, whilst citizens emptied supermarket shelves.
The G7 recently committed to one billion vaccine doses to lower income countries. But it’s less than 10% of the doses needed to reign in COVID-19 worldwide. To achieve this, we’ll need 11 billion doses to vaccinate 70% of the world’s population by next year, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Today, the wealthiest countries have bought enough doses to vaccinate their populations nearly 3 times over, whilst low-income countries are still struggling to vaccinate 10% of their population.
To beat the COVID-19 pandemic, we will need to engage in radical acts of solidarity; both within and outside of the European Union. How could the EU show leadership in global solidarity with its recovery funds, humanitarian aid, medical support and debt relief? What is the role of citizens at the international level?
As the Greens we believe that to overcome this global emergency, and build a better future, we must work with local, national, European and global partners, and focus on involving citizens through truly participatory processes. We will continue to fight for a strong European democracy as well as to ensure that the response to this crisis is not an attempt to simply go back to business as usual, but rather a push to embrace the radical change which is now more necessary than ever. The EU must show leadership in global solidarity with its recovery funds, humanitarian aid, medical support and debt relief. It must also profoundly reform its own trade policy and review its trade agreements with other countries, with the aim of building a more resilient and sustainable trade system.
Film: The Forum
26 January at 00:00 CET – 27 January at 23:59 CET
In times of rampant populism and growing mistrust of the elite, director Marcus Vetter accompanies the 81-year-old founder of the controversial World Economic Forum over a period of two years, as he works to achieve his mission: improve the state of the world.
When Klaus Schwab writes a letter to climate activist Greta Thunberg after her appearance at the WEF 2019, a dialogue begins between the generations that gives hope.
Can Klaus Schwab’s vision bear fruit and can the WEF contribute to solving global problems? Or is it just another part of the problem and does it ultimately serve the interests of the global elite alone?
Director: Marcus Vetter
Country: Germany, Switzerland
Duration: 118 min
Access: due to distribution rights, this screening is only accessible in Europe.
Debate: How can we act in solidarity to tackle global crises?
27 January at 19:30 CET
Renewed solidarity to tackle increasingly global issues (such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate crisis) is needed now more than ever. Public and private partnerships have worked together to find a vaccine for COVID-19 in record time, but now we must ensure that they are made accessible to all. Frontline communities and marginalised groups are also increasingly impacted by the climate crisis despite having contributed the least to creating it. Following the screening of the documentary ‘The Forum’, we will host a debate on Thursday 27 January at 19:30 CET. The World Economic Forum (WEF) brings together politicians and business leaders at Davos to discuss issues affecting the global economy. We will discuss the uses and pitfalls of the WEF, and whether the world’s elite coming together can put the common good above short-term profits. Can international negotiation spaces such as the World Economic Forum be a catalyst for global solidarity?
Speakers
- Petra De Sutter, Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium
- Jennifer Morgan, Executive Director, Greenpeace International
- Mar Garcia, Secretary General, European Green Party
- Dr Sam Murray, Music Lecturer and EGP Amendments Committee Member, Moderator
Artistic spot
A former salami factory in Rome occupied by migrant families was turned into the Museo dell’Altro e dell’Altrove di Metropoliz, a contemporary art space and the first inhabited museum on the planet. The project is a collaboration with the community, and features murals, paintings and installations by more than 600 artists from around the world.
About the Green Screen
Through a series of online film screenings, the Green Screen project invites you to engage with contemporary debates on the future of Europe, post-COVID recovery and making our societies more resilient and sustainable. Created by the European Greens, it will explore topics such as the climate crisis, environmental and social justice, and democracy.
Each month, the Green Screen is dedicated to a key theme to build a better future for Europe. On the third week of each month, a film screening will be made available for free on our platform for 48 hours, on Wednesday and Thursday. Then, you can follow a live debate on an issue inspired by the film, which will take place on Thursdays at 19:00 CEST.
👀 Learn more about our Coronavirus Recovery: Let’s build a better tomorrow! – Adopted during the 31st Council June 2020
📨 Sign up for email updates on the website of the Green Screen
Past events
The 34th European Green Party (EGP) Council will be on 3-5 December 2021.
