The Great Future Conversation: What if the Future Has Already Begun?

Please note: This event will be held in Dutch.

What if the future has already begun?

Discover how climate, energy, space and food are already changing your world today.

The future can sometimes seem far away, but many of the changes that will shape our world are already well underway. How is our climate changing? Will heatwaves become the new normal? Where will we get our energy from in the future? How can we produce enough food for everyone? And what can space research and new technologies teach us about life on Earth?

At the iconic Thor Central, and in collaboration with EnergyVille, we bring together four leading thinkers who are working every day to find answers to these questions. Drawing on their own fields of expertise, they look ahead - but above all, they focus on the developments that are already visible today.

• Bram Verbruggen (VRT) explains how weather and climate are increasingly affecting our daily lives and which signals we can already see today.
• Bram De Wispelaere (EnergyVille) takes us on a journey through the energy transition and shows how today’s choices and innovations are shaping tomorrow’s energy supply.
• Angelique Van Ombergen (European Space Agency/ESA) brings a unique perspective from space and shows how research for missions to the Moon and Mars is generating new insights and technologies that can also make a difference here on Earth.
• Joris Relaes (ILVO) explains how innovation is helping agriculture and our food supply prepare for the challenges of the future.
• Under the enthusiastic moderation of An Luyten, the four experts will explore how they see our rapidly changing world. No complicated theory, but an accessible conversation filled with surprising insights and stories that will get you thinking.

Because the future isn’t just about what comes later - it is already happening. And you are part of it.

For curious minds of all ages. For anyone who wants to understand what is changing, and why it matters.

Programme

• 18:00: Welcome with sandwiches
• 18:45: FTI Hackathon Award Ceremony
• 19:00: The Great Future Conversation
• 20:30: Drinks, snacks and informal conversation
• 21:30: End of the event

Participation is free, but registration is required and we kindly ask you to attend if you register.