The BMW Foundation aims to provide ideas and inspiration for strengthening social cohesion. Thus, in line with our annual theme of "Social Cohesion," a big panel discussion entitled "What Holds Our Society Together?" took place on November 5, 2009.

In almost all industrial nations, we are observing changes in the way people bond and interact with one another. Typical manifestations of social bonds are undergoing transformation:

• Cross-generational contacts have weakened, and family structures are being redefined. There are fewer points of contact between people from different social backgrounds.
• Modern technologies create new forms of community where people do not even have to move physically. In many places, we witness an increase in the importance of religion or a revival of nationalism.
• In addition, migration makes our modern societies even more culturally complex. Finally, all these development happen at a time when globalization and the unification of Europe put particular strains on our ability to form and maintain social bonds.

What kinds of opportunities do new forms of community offer? How do the changes in social cohesion manifest themselves in our daily lives? What role do companies and corporate responsibility play in our society? How can we inspire people to work for the common good and social cohesion? In this context, what is the role of elites in our society?

Speakers