Coming soon, the GEAB 178: Historical conflicts at breaking point when weapons replace verbal diplomacy

Historical conflicts at breaking point when weapons replace verbal diplomacy

Recent events are marked by an intensification of armed conflicts: Ukraine/Russia, Armenia/Azerbaijan, Israel/Palestine, civil war in Sudan, Niger, Mali, Somalia… and soon maybe Serbia and Kosovo? These conflicts share at least two common aspects: in the first place, they are deeply rooted in a long history, with none of them formally starting in 2023. Secondly, they are intertwined with the reshaping of the irrevocably multipolar global system, thus governed by forces and interests that transcend their borders.

It was therefore impossible for our team to overlook these recent events and not place them in the context of a series of brief articles dedicated to each specific situation. These situations primarily bear witness to the failure of the entire system of international organizations established by Western powers in the aftermath of World War II (which have, in fact, consistently pursued “military missions,” an anachronistic approach in contrast to “peace missions”). They also signal, hopefully, the last throes of a world breaking free from these powers to finally embrace the reality of a multipolar world. We predicted the collapse of communication in our globally interconnected society as early as March 2022, and the logical consequence is violent confrontation when weapons replace verbal diplomacy.

Therefore, this month, we will delve into the future of language, a vital means of communication for understanding the world and achieving peace. This discussion takes advantage of the opening of the International City of the French Language in Villers-Cotterêts on one hand (the future of Francophonie) and the closure of three Goethe Institutes in France on the other, coinciding with the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Versailles. To explore these developments and their future implications for the prominence of the German language and Franco-German cooperation, we have invited Sven Franck, a German residing in Lille, to share his insights on the future in our Reader’s eyes on the future section.

Finally, we will take stock of the crisis affecting forests around the globe, as we approach the point of no return. We will analyse how this essential resource for our survival on Earth is perceived and anticipate the consequences of a significant loss of this natural resource. Of course, you will find our usual trends, investments, and recommendations.

A detailed summary of the Issue 178:

• Editorial: When weapons become the sole means of communication
• Trends in a world at war: the return of the logic of force (Israel, Ukraine, Armenia, Africa)
• The future of the French language: A collective responsibility that transcends the Francophonie’s borders
• A Reader’s eyes on the future, Sven Franck: “The Closure of Goethe Institutes will worsen the decline of German popularity in France”
• Approaching the point of no-return in the global forest crisis
• Investments, trends, and recommendations

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