Human Futures September 2019 | Page 18

APF WORLD FUTURES STUDIES FEDERATION WORLD FUTURES STUDIES FEDERATION XXIII CONGRESO MUNDIAL: USOS DE LOS FUTUROS NEWS & EVENTS Facultad de Ciencias Políticas y Sociales Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México del 10 al 13 de septiembre 2019 Ciudad de México UPDATE ON XXIII WFSF ANNUAL CONFERENCE The View From the Chair… Tradicional Cosmopolita Creativo Holístico www.wfsfconferencemexico.org from and multicultural federation. Many of the world’s Curacao, Jamaica and Peru, to name a few will gives the future are all the crucial issues that will 23 countries, 99 presentations and training leading futurists, think tank experts, business provide opportunities for exchanges across a wide be addressed by the 23rd World Futures Studies workshops, book signings and author readings, consultants, government officials, researchers variety of national experiences, on how futures Federation Congress. and poster presentations about real problems and and academics will gather to discuss the uses of studies could help build the futures we want, and case studies about the use of prospective studies, the future for humanity, in order to find pathways not only prevent unwanted consequences. will converge for the first time in our country as part for solving challenges we face at all levels. Futurists and futures studies experts The WFSF is a social organization concerned with exploring our shared future. The future is what is The exchange of experiences, lifestyles, points of to come, it has not yet come. It is where human A long-term vision is indispensable in today’s world view of how long-term visioning has been used will beings can do something and do it now to avoid because of the increasing complexity. Decision take place in a mesh of opportunities for contacts. being surprised by what will come; otherwise, we making should involve a strategic prospective Thus, WFSF Annual Conference becomes a are condemned to be present in the still, regretful planning process that takes into account the planetary social space for people interested in place of what may have been. effects, impacts and long term consequences visualizing and building a better future for the The WFSF, created in 1973, is the most important of decisions, otherwise, we will find ourselves in entire human race. This is fundamental for us here world organization in futures studies and a a deepening maelstrom of complications from in Mexico, given our current context in Mexico, Vice-President Latin America, World Futures UNESCO partner in the field. The XXIII Congress the proposed solutions to the original problems which demonstrate that public policies merit a Studies Federation becomes particularly relevant because it is the presented. future studies approach be undertaken. The presence of futurists from countries ranging What uses we have given to the future -- whether from Australia to Saudi Arabia, from Finland to the traditional ones in consulting and schools, the We will have the privilege of receiving people South Africa, from Kazkajistan to Greece, and from cosmopolitan ones in interaction networks, what from all over the world who belong to this diverse our hemisphere Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, uses we give to our person -- what uses mankind of the XXIII World Congress of the World Futures Studies Federation (WFSF), which will be hosted by the Faculty of Political and Social Sciences of UNAM from September 10 to 13. The theme of this year’s gathering is Uses of the Future. first one held in Latin America, in Mexico, and at UNAM. 18 HUMAN FUTURES Guillermina Baena Paz Ph.D. Executive Committee Chair, WFSF Conference 2019 Mexico City Information on the conference can be found at www.wfsfconferencemexico.org HUMAN FUTURES 19