Active Hope in Communities is the Sustainability Theme of the Month for March
Our vision for March
Dear Celebrating Community,
March 15th is the celebration of freedom, courage, and joint action. On this day, we not only honor the heroes of the past but also acknowledge our own responsibility in shaping the future. History teaches us that hope alone is not enough – it must be turned into action.
Just as a nation had the courage to dream and act in 1848, we must also come together for common causes today. However, our fight is no longer with weapons, but with knowledge, collaboration, and the conviction that we have the power to shape the world.
We envision a Hungary and a World where self-organizing networks of local communities do not merely respond to challenges but actively shape the future. Active hope is not about waiting – it is a series of steps we take together for sustainability, social justice, and a more livable world.
Just as Petőfi and other heroes believed that freedom had to be fought for, we must also believe that the future does not just happen to us – we are the ones who shape it. Today, on this day of remembrance, let us not only look back but also ask ourselves: what can we do together to ensure that future generations will be proud of us? Let us be the change the world is waiting for!
(Certain elements of this text were created with the help of the ChatGPT artificial intelligence platform.)
Acitve Hope
Sustainability issues often seem too overwhelming and unsolvable, Scary, alarming news are everyday realities, and they can also lead to apathy or a sense of helplessness. The fear of collapse is paralyzing, which can also hinder the achievement of our goals. Unfounded hope can also be misleading, giving the illusion that we can sit back and let things work themselves out, for example through technological solutions by others.
Active hope, on the other hand, emphasizes the need to take small but consistent steps to achieve change – first at the individual level, then at the community or institutional level. An approach that sees hope not as passive waiting but as an active, conscious action.
The concept is often associated with the work of Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone, who developed this approach as a response to ecological and social change. On this topic, we recommend the Hungarian version of András Takács-Sánta’s book called “Világeleje” on The Search for the Good Life in the Age of Ecological Crisis, which was also discussed with the author by Alexandra Köves, Associate Professor at Corvinus University, in this Zöld Egyenlőség podcast episode.
The main elements of hope in action:
- Accepting Reality – It does not rely on denying problems but on understanding and acknowledging them. We have previously covered these issues in topics such as transportation, food, waste, biodiversity, and conscious holidays.
- Creating a new vision – We imagine the world we want to see, and this vision guides our actions. This was the theme of our February issue and is also the subject of the ‘vision’ section of the opening articles.
- Taking the First Steps Toward Change – Instead of waiting for external solutions, we actively work toward the desired future.
- Acting as a Community – Individual actions are important starting points, but at a certain stage, it is crucial to scale them up to a community level and connect these active communities into networks.
Sustainability Challanges for March
- During one of your meetups with friends, discuss what kind of world you would like to see in 2050 – one where you would all enjoy living. What is the first step you could take together to achieve this?
- Visit the Corvinus Science Shop‘s joint program with NGOs and social enterprises on Monday 24 March at 15:00 in the E Building Main Hall, where you can connect with social and ecological issues and solutions, whether it’s a thesis, TDK or volunteering topic. From 19:00 you can also attend the Earth 2.0.2.5. improvisation theater in the Corvinus Faculty Club organized by an association called “Itt és most”. Events with more details are coming soon.
- Explore your area and visit a program of a local environmental or social organization or volunteer initiative during March!
- Check if there is a community garden or composting site near you that you could join. You can find such places on the Beeco map.
- March 22nd is World Water Day – many organizations host events on this topic. Attend a related event or organize a trip with friends to a nearby wetland!
- If you find an organization whose mission and work you appreciate, try spending an afternoon volunteering with them! If you need advice or a partner, feel free to reach out to the Corvinus Science Shop team at science.shop@uni-corvinus.hu.
- Use the donation option when returning plastic bottles at RePont machines! Many civil organizations have their own QR codes that allow you to donate your refund directly to them.
- Look into which civil organization you’d like to donate 1% of your taxes to this year (the deadline is May 20th). If you are not a taxpayer in Hungary, discuss the topic with your friends who are, and perhaps recommend an organization to them. Or check if there are similar opportunities in your country.
- Submit ideas to the Office of the Dean for Sustainability on how to make our operations more sustainable through collective action! Contact: mate.kovacs2@uni-corvinus.hu (Sustainability Project Assistant of Corvinus University)
- Reflect: Was there a challenge this month that you couldn’t overcome alone but managed to achieve as part of a community?
The challenges also involved ideas from third-year students of Business and Management, specializing in Sustainability Management.
Author: Máté Kovács