It‘s time now!
Six years ago in 2010, we published an appeal on the psychosocial situation in Germany in which we expressed our deep concern about the massive prevalence of psychic illnesses and psychosocial problems. Our goal was and is to call attention to an alarming development and to stimulate an open public dialogue about possible causes and consequences.
Like you, over 4000 colleagues have signed our appeal. As a result many related interviews, publications and presentations followed. Especially the growing problems related to burnout and mental stress in the working environment have been widely discussed publicly since then.
Next to approaches for reducing psychosocial stress, we need more profound answers leading us to more psychosocial competence and resilience. To achieve sustainability in our future we need our entire life force. Therefore we have decided to initiate this
Appeal for life.
When if not now: the time has come!
Appeal for life
We are a group of people dedicated to a living together in dignity.
Daily we experience the outstanding importance of our soul which requires far greater attention.
We are seriously concerned about the psychosocial situation in all industrialized nations. In spite of an increase of medical and therapeutic services in our health care systems, mental and psychosocial problems are so frequent that they can’t be adequately treated or solved. This holds for all age groups and all social stratums and pertains to psychological stress in families, schools and at work.
Our souls suffer from individual stress, from dehumanization, from excessive demands, traumatization as well as from a lack of interpersonal solidarity, support and love.
But our souls are also resilient, internally strong and vital. We are capable of an enormous love of life, of accomplishing major tasks, and of empathy and love.
There are numerous organizations, enterprises, networks and associations, which are borne by humanity and the desire for responsible social cohesion.
We are more than our suffering, our social and work roles, and more than a cost factor.
We are living beings, parents, children, partners, friends, colleagues.
We all are fellow men and women; yes even fellow creatures with all animals. In the depth of our souls we can sense life being the greatest gift of all. Let us treat life with mindfulness and respect, with awe and love.
We want to commit to co-creating communities in which our hearts can open, our souls can breathe and our skills can grow.
Let us organize our work, our schools, our housing and our lives in a way that keeps us healthy, courageous and full of life and let us join forces to meet the challenges of tomorrow.
The world needs us to stand together if we want to survive. We need people who open their hearts. We need places where we can nurture the best in us. Places where we can learn collectively, how to live without being damaged by strain, without becoming jaded to violence, without being paralyzed by despair. Places where we want to see our children blossom. Places where we experience deep contentment and happiness. Places where we want to grow old and die.
Let us establish neighborhoods, villages, and towns where we can count on experiencing cooperation.
Let us built companies in which we can achieve something meaningful with our creativity and strength in order to secure our material existence and earn our living.
Let us organize schools in which our children can satisfy their curiosity, get to know themselves and learn to respect others.
Let us develop a health care system which pays full attention to both body and soul and which accompanies each of us with medical competence and compassion through illness, sorrow, pain and death.
Let us built communities where people learn the skills of mutual understanding und agreement and where we help and inspire each other in a common effort towards a more peaceful future.
Let us be authentic and practise honesty in our encounters.
Let us find our inner sources of strength. Let us respect the individual destiny of every one of us and encourage each individual to live and develop in their own way.
As mankind we possess an enormous life force, massive intelligence, a huge heart and an awsome creative potential.
Let us live a life of dignity together. Now!
