Walking Towards Renewal

We often speak of transformation in the language of innovation: quantum leaps, exponential curves, breakthroughs. But there is another kind of transformation — slower, quieter, older than words. It happens beneath the canopy of trees, in the symbiotic systems of rainforests, and in the ancestral knowledge of those who have listened to the forest far longer than we have tried to manage it.

Last week, I had the honour of co-hosting a panel at the F.A.Z. Europakonferenz in Berlin — a space where we explored the intersections of AI, ESG, and nature. Together with Daniela H. and Dr. Tobias Raffel ,  we spoke of the need to build bridges — not just between disciplines or sectors, but between intelligence and empathy, innovation and regeneration. We also curated an inspiring European Futures Lab with an expert group of futurists and innovators. Our panel's theme echoed something deeper: transformation is not just technological. It is cultural. It is emotional. And ultimately, it must be planetary.

And now, we turn our attention to World Rainforest Day on June 22 — a global celebration and a quiet uprising of care, culture, and connection.

This year's theme, #BreatheWithUs, is a gentle invitation to join something bigger than ourselves. Not by looking up at the stars, but by walking into the forest. Into the stories of those who live there. Into the memory of what it means to be human with nature, not above it.

And at the heart of this celebration is a truly unique initiative co-led by our cherished partners at Rainforest Partnership — long-time collaborators on the CSO Awards — together with Rainforest Connection (RFCx) :

Rainforest Walks: Earth, We're Listening — a global, livestreamed journey through forests around the world, led by Indigenous leaders, rangers, scientists, and artists.

From the jungles of the Amazon to the misty trails of the Pacific Northwest, these walks aren't just symbolic. They are deeply real. They're a reminder that we are part of something much older and wiser than ourselves.

The Amazon alone releases over 20 billion tons of water into the atmosphere every day, hosts 10% of all known species, and contains stories, knowledge, and lifeways we cannot afford to lose. And yet, we're losing them — 6.7 million hectares of primary rainforest disappeared in 2024 alone. That's more than 27 football fields… every minute.

But facts alone don't move people. Feelings do. Experiences do. And that's what this movement offers: a chance to feel connected. To take part. To breathe together.

At Futur/io, we often talk about desirable futures. Not just possible or probable ones. But futures we actively choose — and help create.

So on June 22, I invite you to take a walk. Wherever you are — in a forest, a park, or even your neighborhood — share a moment with nature. Post your walk. Share your reflection. Let the forests know:

We are listening. We are walking with you.

Because the future isn't being built only in cities or labs. It's being grown — from the ground up. In partnerships. In stories. In trees. And in the courage to imagine something better together.

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Harald Neidhardt

CEO & Curator

Futur/io Institute

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