New Challenges and Opportunities for Action in Civil Society
The coronavirus crisis is a test, but also an opportunity for social cohesion in Europe. It has redrawn borders which we believed overcome, deepened inequalities and made us realize our social vulnerability. At the same time, we are experiencing the emergence of direct forms of solidarity, new ideas for social coexistence and original formats in the arts. All over the world, people have reacted to the crisis courageously and inventively. When public life ground to a standstill, cultural creators were forced to redefine the role of the arts: in participatory, digital ways, from their homes, in the streets.
The coronavirus crisis has not made old problems disappear; instead, it has exacerbated existing inequalities like a magnifying glass. As a reaction to it, courageous allies have shaped new spaces for action. They are making use of the border-transcending potential of digitalization, among other resources, demonstrating their connection with distant people and developing new structures – beyond national boundaries –, promoting climate justice and solidarity and rejecting racism. People and initiatives like these are what keeps the open, pluralistic societies of Europe alive.