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Original Author:
Preet Banga


I recently read an article that argues that in order to write our Post-COVID-19 tomorrow, we must first let go of our old stories. This kept coming back to me, and I started reading all the narratives that have so far been published on Stories of Hope. Many of our contributors and experts highlighted their vision for the future in their narratives, focusing on the idea of a “new normal” and post-Covid-19 society.

Anuj Jain, who runs "Facilitators for Social Change," an Antigonish-based startup, for example said, that he hopes that “we go back to a NEW (ab)normal, being more conscious of our carbon footprints, racism, inequities... May a wiser phase of our connected lives begin.” Elizabeth Yeo, Vice President, Students, at StFX, while discussing the "Neighbors Helping Neighbors" initiative, said: "The teamwork and strong community I experienced this summer is my story of hope that will sustain me as we move into the next phase of our time together in Antigonish." Similarly, Soroush Moghaddam, the Volunteer Resources Consultant at the Antigonish Health & Wellness Centre, said that "there are always positives to every change, and it really depends on our perspectives and how we locate ourselves within the sea of change."

One thing is thus clear: we need to write a collective narrative and outline a common vision for humanity. Our old narratives have been shattered – whether they related to society or community. Competition, be it at workplace, or among individuals, became less and less important during the pandemic. As Jenna MacIntosh, a student at StFX said: "The pandemic has forced me to reconsider what really matters in my life..."

The new world will have to be inclusive, resilient, and sustainable. Also, the race for finding the vaccine for Covid-19 has shown us the importance of working together on problems that affect the entire human race.

Well-known author Arundhati Roy writes in a newspaper article: "Historically, pandemics have forced humans to break with the past and imagine their world anew. This one is no different. It is a portal, a gateway between one world and the next. We can choose to walk through it, dragging the carcasses of our prejudice and hatred, our avarice, our data banks and dead ideas, our dead rivers and smoky skies behind us. Or we can walk through lightly, with little luggage, ready to imagine another world. And ready to fight for it."[1]


[Stories of Hope invites everyone to share with us how you would like your new world to look like. Send us your hopes and aspirations for the future and we will publish it on our website.]

 


[1] https://www.ft.com/content/10d8f5e8-74eb-11ea-95fe-fcd274e920ca

Stories of Hope