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Collective resolve can steer humanity towards a better future

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Photo: The Elders / Tlhabi Monnakgotla
The hands of the Doomsday Clock remain at 90 seconds to midnight, bringing attention to the existential threats we face and the precarious state of our shared world.
 
Yet, as Juan Manuel Santos explains, a better future is within our reach if leaders prioritise long-view leadership and cooperation.

Juan Manuel Santos, former President of Colombia, said:

In English

"The hands of the Doomsday Clock point to a world in a precarious state. Global leaders should heed this warning. Nuclear weapons, the climate crisis and pandemics, together with the potential risks of artificial intelligence, present unprecedented threats to our survival.

Yet the means and expertise to overcome these crises exist. Global leaders must set aside differences and meet the urgency of this moment with boldness and long-view leadership that prioritises cooperation and goes beyond short term interests.

The stakes are high, but our collective resolve must be higher if we are to steer humanity away from the brink. Let us not succumb to despair; our best future can still lie ahead of us, we just need the courage and the will to seize it."

En Español

"Las manecillas del llamado Reloj del Apocalipsis (Doomsday Clock) muestran un mundo en estado precario. Los líderes mundiales no pueden ignorar esta advertencia. Las armas nucleares, la crisis climática y las pandemias, junto con los riesgos asociados a la inteligencia artificial, representan amenazas sin precedentes para nuestra supervivencia.

Pero por fortuna, contamos con los medios y la experiencia para superar estas crisis. Los líderes mundiales deben dejar de lado sus diferencias; afrontar la urgencia del momento con verdadera audacia; y liderar con visión de futuro, centrados en la cooperación y actuando por encima de los intereses de corto plazo. Demasiado está en juego. Por eso nuestra determinación colectiva debe ser aún mayor si queremos salvar a la humanidad. No se debe sucumbir ante el pesimismo y la desesperación. Un mejor futuro todavía es posible: sólo necesitamos el coraje y la voluntad para construirlo."

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