Changement Sociétal

Technology has transformed our society and propelled it to unforeseen heights. Consider medicine, the Internet, computers, and mobile phones. It demonstrates human ingenuity. It has enabled even the most remote populations to connect with the rest of the world. It now occupies a central place. However, thousands of experts around the world are now warning us about this very real threat: security, physical and psychological health, personal identity, overconsumption, environmental catastrophe, etc. Technology has become much more than a simple tool at the service of humanity. This workshop offers us a useful and desirable reflection on the place technology occupies in our society. It leads us to assess its impact on our daily lives and to moderate its use. As a recognized agent of social change, Canadian facilitator Jean Provencher will share with participants his expertise and decades-long social commitment.

The advent of the internet, social media, and 24-hour news channels has completely reshaped the information landscape. Never has the world suffered from such an insatiable appetite. In this jungle, where sound, dubious, or even dangerous information coexist, it has now become difficult to find one’s way. In this era of social and environmental awareness, companies, organizations, and individuals have a weapon of mass destruction: disinformation-propaganda. This workshop takes stock of the pernicious technique of "greenwashing" (eco-whitewashing). Concrete examples of this strategy show that organizations never hesitate to "misinform" by falsely associating a product with a social or environmental vision. As a recognized agent of social change, Canadian facilitator Jean Provencher will share with participants the benefit of his expertise and decades-long social commitment.

Faced with the scale of major environmental, social, and economic challenges, we have three choices. To listen without feeling concerned. To react by crying out against injustice but without taking concrete action. To be indignant and set out to change things. Which of these options applies to you? There are hundreds of millions of people, across every continent, who have understood the scope of their power. Because yes, our power is significant. These committed individuals are literally transforming our society. Citizen victories, seemingly impossible, are multiplying. Governments and businesses are thus being led to act. This workshop aims to take action by guiding participants through the practical exercise of citizen power. It raises awareness of the power each individual holds as an economic and civic actor. As a recognized agent of social change, Canadian facilitator Jean Provencher will share his expertise and decades of social commitment with participants.

The evidence is unequivocal. Whatever the issue that concerns us, there is a single root cause: our rampant consumption. The well-known "always more" and "never enough." If every human being consumed like a Canadian, a Luxembourger, or an American, we would need 5 planets to meet their needs. But how, precisely, does one define a need? Depending on whether one lives in a wealthy, developed country or in a developing country, that definition differs. How can we become aware of this rampant overconsumption? This workshop offers an important, non-guilt-inducing reflection on our role as economic actors or as citizens. It helps us take stock of the gestures, behaviours, and actions that can easily become part of our daily lives. As a recognised agent of social change, the Canadian facilitator Jean Provencher will share with participants the benefit of his expertise and decades-long social commitment.

Technology has transformed our society and propelled it to unforeseen heights. Consider medicine, the Internet, computers, and mobile phones. It demonstrates human ingenuity. It has enabled even the most remote populations to connect with the rest of the world. It now occupies a central place. However, thousands of experts around the world are now warning us about this very real threat: security, physical and psychological health, personal identity, overconsumption, environmental catastrophe, etc. Technology has become much more than a simple tool at the service of humanity. This workshop offers us a useful and desirable reflection on the place technology occupies in our society. It leads us to assess its impact on our daily lives and to moderate its use. As a recognized agent of social change, Canadian facilitator Jean Provencher will share with participants his expertise and decades-long social commitment.

The evidence is unequivocal. Whatever the issue that concerns us, there is a single root cause: our rampant consumption. The well-known "always more" and "never enough." If every human being consumed like a Canadian, a Luxembourger, or an American, we would need 5 planets to meet their needs. But how, precisely, does one define a need? Depending on whether one lives in a wealthy, developed country or in a developing country, that definition differs. How can we become aware of this rampant overconsumption? This workshop offers an important, non-guilt-inducing reflection on our role as economic actors or as citizens. It helps us take stock of the gestures, behaviours, and actions that can easily become part of our daily lives. As a recognised agent of social change, the Canadian facilitator Jean Provencher will share with participants the benefit of his expertise and decades-long social commitment.

Would you agree to financially support a company whose income is hidden in tax havens, sheltered from taxation? Or one that would hire young children to reduce its expenses? Or whose toxic discharges would kill all life around it? Yet this is what happens in a large proportion of investments, very often without their owners’ knowledge. Growing at a rapid pace, responsible investing has become one of the major civic causes in our society. Defending people and the planet while benefiting from a strong portfolio is now a reality. This workshop, led by a facilitator who is not a finance specialist but is deeply socially committed, will raise your awareness of the real impacts of your portfolio: supporting good organizations and divesting from bad ones. As a recognized agent of social change, Canadian facilitator Jean Provencher will share with participants the benefit of his expertise and decades-long social commitment.

Driven by human activity, global warming affects all living beings on our planet: humans, plants, animals, microorganisms, etc. The increasingly dramatic consequences now spare no one. On the one hand, catastrophic rhetoric claims that everything is lost. On the other, magical thinking places its faith in the technological goddess. But as citizens, leaders, or organizations, are we able to determine our share of responsibility in this situation? Do we have any idea of the existing avenues for solutions? Yet they are numerous and accessible to everyone. This workshop makes it possible to take stock of solutions that fit into our attitudes, behaviors, and everyday actions. To fight global warming, there are only two requirements: boldness and the will to act. As a recognized agent of social change, Canadian facilitator Jean Provencher will share with participants the benefit of his expertise and decades-long social commitment.

We are facing an unprecedented period in our history. Never has our society been under such pressure: pandemic, global warming, more frequent natural disasters, pollution, social inequality and unequal distribution of wealth, governance issues, technological dependence, an economic slowdown, and difficulty envisioning the future. Urgency is everywhere. Worry, eco-anxiety, and discouragement are affecting us all. That is why it has become essential to question our choices, our decisions, our habits, and our ways of life. However, is it possible to simply understand what is really happening? Is there still hope for our future? Can we change things? Do we truly have power in our hands? The answer is "YES" to all of these questions. In fact, "to be able to act, one must understand, and to want to act, one must hope." This seminar will offer each participant a unique and stimulating opportunity to take part in transforming our society. Participants will therefore be better able to assess the importance and feasibility of social and civic responsibility. In addition to the in-depth knowledge of the world they will have gained, they will be able to act at their own level and will also derive meaningful benefits in terms of their quality of life and reduced anxiety. As a recognized agent of social change, Canadian facilitator Jean Provencher will share with participants his expertise and decades-long social commitment.