This year, we want to reflect on the art of becoming human (Novalis). What does it mean to be human in today’s world? In a world shaped by different cultures, new and old conflicts and the rapid development of Artificial Intelligence, the question is becoming increasingly urgent: What defines us as humans?
Is mankind inherently evil or, as historian Rutger Bregman argues, “basically good”? What makes humans so unique? In her speech Humanity in Dark Times Hannah Arendt already raised the question about how we can engage with each other in a sincere and respectful way. She refers to the ancient Greeks, who described this form of humanity as philanthropia – a love for people, expressed in our willingness to share the world with them.
