SER launches the social debate forum "POR"

The PRISA Radio social initiative, Encuentros POR, was launched this afternoon at the Reina Sofía Museum in Madrid. Iñaki Gabilondo, director and host of the event noted the importance of this "initiative in strengthening the mobilization of our country" so that we are "awake to what is going on". "If we don't participate," he went on, "we're in for a rude awakening. With the theory of "there's nothing I can do"  one can live very comfortably." For Gabilondo "power has to be shown the aspirations of the people. The future is not written and we can't let them tell us what's in store for us if we haven't even decided what we're going to do. Let's not let anyone seize our stupor, which belongs to us. "

The launch of the forum series POR (the letters stand, in Spanish, for Think, Give an Opinion and React), was attended by Nicolas Sartorius, vice president of the foundation Alternativa, and director of the Think Tank on European issues, Temas Europeas, Pedro Zerolo, PSOE's secretary for Social Movements and Relations with NGOs, and Jose Carrillo, recently named president of Madrid's Complutense University, as well as many academics and figures from the world of culture. A number of students also participated and gave their points of view.

Speaking at this first meeting was Montserrat Domínguez, director of the Cadena SER show A vivir que son dos días'. "We live the present as if we had no say in the future," she said. "We are active participants in this revolution and the foundations are shifting." On the current situation of the media, she said that "media companies are companies and something more. They have an added value. We will eventually find  a model but these are very delicate times. We are living in times of insecurity. But I have no doubt that we'll find someone to hold this new habitat together. "

Regarding society's view of journalists, Montserrat Domínguez, believed that "we are accused of being our masters' voices, of being arrogant, of being lazy and giving the mic to politicians. That may be true, but it wouldn't be the whole picture because I've known some amazing journalists. They have a great commitment, intuition and take courageous decisions," she said. "Being better informed makes us better citizens. The current system has cost us blood, sweat and tears. We must work to change what we dislike."

Despite this, Dominguez was optimistic: "I see a more powerful and stronger society. We have the tools to defend ourselves. Society is better prepared, with more ideas."

Ignacio Escolar, a journalist and blogger believed that "a fundamental factor is fear: that agitating will lead to a worse situation. Some of this has to do with information and news. That idea that politicians who have been involved in corruption come out even before off than before, this is due to misinformation. The voter doesn't know how to distinguish between the two discourses. This creates a feeling of absolute helplessness." He made a call for political action and stated that "the current situation shows that over and above the power of democracy are undemocratic powers. The G20 in London two years ago agreed to abolish tax havens and tax secrecy and these are now more alive than ever. "

The philosopher and writer José Antonio Marina, said that "you can't debate using messages of 140 characters. Society is not a self-correcting process, so it is difficult. The current situation is one of comfortable inaction. The debate requires critical thinking, for us to listen to others and we are not doing this in education and university. We have a society that is helpless before the media and information. "

According to Marina "we have to introduce a new model of education. We cannot have a university so steeped in mediocrity. We have to make everything more dynamic, including secondary and primary education because we're faced with a very competitive world. If we do not act, we will become the land of cheap labor and sun holidays. We either mobilize our entire society for innovation, social  and technological creativity or we are condemning our society to a miserable future."

The journalist and writer Nativel Preciado, introduced the topic to be discussed at the next meeting on Monday May 30. Referring to the role of women in society, she said that "the rights of women have advanced in the past, but are currently at a standstill. Suddenly we're  seeing things that we thought had been consigned to the past.. Women have fought long and hard for our rights and we have a very real perception of this struggle. When I started working as a journalist there were two women writing. Now we're the majority but they are unlikely to have access to leadership positions. "

Iñaki Gabilondo wanted to point out that "our aim is not to be at the vanguard. But when is a good time to raise the issues of debate? Perhaps it's not opportune at critical moments, but who will remember these problems when nothing happens?

The debates, online

Future debates, just like the launch, can be followed live at http://www.cadenaser.com/. One can get directly involved through social networks such as Twitter @encuentrosPOR, before, during and after each debate, and Facebook.com/encuentrosPOR. In addition, the initiative has its own website, http://www.encuentrospor.com/.