The Meltingpot
The Meltingpot is the part of the Colours of Ostrava Festival (an annual event attended by about 55,000 participants) where influential people discuss global issues. After speaking there in 2018 and 2019, I’ve been asked to host a full day on the Global Stage in 2023. It will be devoted to diving deep into the challenges of today’s rapidly changing world, identifying the opportunities for transformation, exploring the role of human perceptions in molding reality, and offering potential solutions.
For me, the Meltingpot is an especially important event because we speakers have the opportunity to reach young people who are tomorrow’s leaders. They may be attracted by the fabulous music, but many also participate in the lively discussions about events that will impact them for the rest of their lives. The site itself is a powerful symbol of how a place that was once the epitome of the degenerative death economy can transform itself into a vibrant symbol of the regenerative life economy.
For further information, see the below excerpt from my upcoming book (February 2023 publication) and also an email from Kate Hummel, Meltingpot’s International Liaison Manager that includes videos and websites.
Excerpted from Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, 3rd Edition: China’s EHM Strategy; Ways to Stop the Global Takeover:
One of the things that gives me hope is young people everywhere, like those at CEIBS in China, at a café in Cartagena, Colombia, across the US, and at gatherings around the world. I met many when I was a speaker at the Colours of Ostrava festival in 2018 and 2019. This city in the Czech Republic is a model of what can be done. Known as the “steel heart” of the Soviet Union during the Cold War, Ostrava was the site of a mine that fed coal directly to a huge steel mill. Following the depletion of the coal, the entire complex closed. Faced with economic collapse, the citizens converted the gigantic, dilapidated structures into magnificent stages and auditoriums; they invited musicians to perform, artists to exhibit their art, and speakers to discuss global issues. Each year when I was there, more than fifty thousand people celebrated in a place that represents the transformation of a death to a life economy.
Letter from Kate Hummel to potential Meltingpot speakers:
The international discussion forum Meltingpot is organised annually in Ostrava, Czech Republic. The Forum was established as a nonprofit organisation in 2016 because we felt a strong need to respond positively to the development in many areas of human existence. This year we welcome speakers from many parts of the world, covering subjects that impact our lives and our planet.
In previous years, Meltingpot has hosted speakers such as: John Perkins, Scilla Elworthy, Timothy Snyder, Dan Millman, Wim Hof, Bjorn Lomborg, Robert Fulghum, Dan Shechtman, Ingrid Formanek, Sugata Mitra, Mark Gungor, Amit Goswami, Ben C. Solomon, Clemens Kuby, and many others.
Meltingpot runs in parallel with the biggest international multi-genre music festival in Europe, the Colours of Ostrava ( https://www.colours.cz) – a festival which has won international and local awards. Together, these two events create a unique platform for speakers, artists and audiences alike.
Please have a look below at a short film summarizing previous years —
2019 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMBtfRr7I5w
2018 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5zA5xsXY3Q
Learn more and plan your trip at Meltingpot’s Website: www.meltingpotforum.com; www.colours.cz