“Building Bridges – But How?” Our Annual Theme for 2025

The Global Ethic Institute’s theme for 2025, “Building Bridges – But How?”, tackles one of the most urgent questions of our time: How can we strengthen dialogue and togetherness in a world riddled with deep divisions and polarizations? In an era where global and national conflicts lead to growing divisions not only politically but also economically, culturally, and religiously, the image of the bridge is both symbolically important and serves as a guide for research and action.

Bridges in Times of Tension

Rifts created by different economic and political interests sometimes seem nearly insurmountable, especially in times of polycrises and transformation. The transition from the “Old Economy”, based on fossil fuels and outdated business models, to new forms of economies organized in socially and ecologically sustainable ways has sparked intense debates in many areas. Geopolitical conflicts, wars, poverty, and climate disasters further complicate the possibility of dialogue.

Therefore, building bridges requires more than just goodwill to talk. It’s about practicing tolerance while also recognizing where its limits lie. It’s about creating stable and durable structures based on trust, mutual respect, and understanding. Easier said than done, of course.
Even the ability to engage in dialogue is difficult. It involves not only articulating one’s own perspective but also being curious and open to learning from others. If we can address differences in a spirit of partnership and openness, understanding can emerge from mere communication, leading to peaceful transformation.

Yet, sometimes we simply cannot find common ground. In such cases, tolerance means accepting that we have vastly different opinions but being able to endure that divergence. Of course, there are limits to tolerance. And naturally, both the capacity for dialogue and tolerance require certain conditions. It helps when existing structures foster trust and respect.

What Makes a Bridge of Understanding Stable and Durable?

• The Principle of Humanity: People should treat each other humanely. The other is never a “nobody” but always a “somebody” with their own dignity, even and especially when differences arise in faith, worldview, or interests—just as I have dignity.
• Capacity for Dialogue: There must be the awareness that true understanding is not about convincing the other, but about finding solutions that work for all sides. The ability to engage in dialogue is demanding. It requires not only the capacity to express one’s own point of view but also curiosity and a willingness to learn from others.
• Shared Values: Bridges are strong when they are built on shared values—such as human dignity, reciprocity, justice, truthfulness, non-violence, and equality. These World Ethos values and principles are universal across cultural and religious traditions and provide a solid foundation for dialogue among diverse groups.

How Do We Build Bridges Together?

We must be aware of the danger that some bridges are at risk of collapsing. These are often hastily built on shaky ground: quick fixes and superficial compromises that ignore or gloss over fundamental differences are not long-term solutions.

The World Ethos Institute thus poses these questions for discussion: How do we build bridges that withstand the storms of our time? How can we shape dialogue in a way that goes beyond superficial exchange to foster deep, mutual understanding and transformation? How can we build and maintain bridges to one another and toward a shared, better future? These are questions that go far beyond academic discourse. And we look forward to exploring them with you in 2025!