Today saw an electric start to BIEN2022, a coming-together of the world’s most dynamic thinkers, activists and ideas focused on the understanding and promotion of Basic Income.
Following the success of 2021’s Congress help in Edinburgh, Scotland, the 2022 edition is being proudly co-hosted by BIEN Australia, The Centre for Policy Futures, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at The University of Queensland, the Australian Basic Income Lab, and Queensland University of Technology.
After years of labouring under pandemic conditions and quarantine regulations, this year’s event is taking place as a hybrid event, hosting both online and face-to-face discussions.
A landmark first day saw opening remarks from prominent Basic Income advocates including Andrew Yang and Scott Santens, before continuing with 14 action-packed sessions throughout the day.
Hot topic throughout the day included Paths to Basic Income, a discussion of implementing Basic Income, and Modelling Basic Income, a discussion of how to understand the likely impacts and benefits of applying the policy in the real world.
A lively roundtable discussion of the impact of Basic Income on the world of work followed, as did an examination of the more transformative impacts of Basic Income implementation.
Other highlights included a special session focused on the tactics of building support for Basic Income, and an examination of what Basic Income can do to help address deeply-rooted inequalities.
The day also saw an excellent discussion on the role of Basic Income in empowering First Nations communities, improving gendered and care roles in society and discussions of what role a Basic Income can play in helping the Arts, and fighting the ecological crisis.
Finally, the day closed with a headline talk on building political paths to Universal Basic Income, and a keynote address from Guy Standing on building a conception of the ‘Blue Commons’.
BIEN2022 will return tomorrow with another busy schedule, and we will be uploading video coverage of many of these sessions as they become available.
by James Grant, BIEN Social Media Manager
