The Public Square Group has identified the following areas of concern: 

Post Pandemic: The future is uncertain, although effective vaccines have been found and people are receiving their jabs. Many institutions, including retail, hospitality, entertainment and international travel companies, will have to change. There is a strong likelihood that there will be considerable unemployment. There are serious economic challenges ahead and we must not allow a lost generation of unemployed people, especially among the young, to emerge. 

The Environment: The challenge is with us all internationally. If anything it has become more urgent, as has been well documented in the media. The dangers of damaging climate change continue to increase. We must ensure that a genuine biodiversity is maintained. For the planet to survive we need to re-establish a strong interconnectedness with the whole of nature. Every nation has to be serious about finding effective ways of protecting the environment.

National disunity: Discussions that led up to Brexit exposed deep divisions within British Society. Examples include the real possibility of the break-up of the UK and the continuing north/south divide in England. There are tensions between young and old, urban and rural, black and white. Much bridge-building has to take place. We need to learn how to find better ways of dealing with differences, whether they are of a racial, religious, sexual, gender or other nature.

Global disunity: The current international situation does not inspire much confidence, although the situation in the USA is now more promising. The refugee problem continues unresolved. The UN needs to be strengthened if international disputes are to be settled. If we are to solve current problems, interconnectedness with other countries is needed. 

Populism: This persists, even with the change of President in the USA. There are signs of it within the UK government with a diminution of democracy revealed in a desire to remove the checks and balances that previously were considered necessary for the good governance of Britain. Examples include attacks on the Civil Service and the Judiciary. Incoherent notions about sovereignty have become common. 

The Media: The growth of the Internet and the rapid world-wide dissemination of news and opinions has posed serious questions for the Press and for public broadcasting. Social media platforms can wield more power than governments but are not subject to the same legal controls as the traditional media. They can enable widespread public participation but fake news and conspiracy theories need to be exposed for what they are. A balance needs to be found between freedom of speech and censorship and enshrined in law. There is also growing concern over media ownership and the future of public broadcasting, especially that of the BBC.

Politics: There needs to be an acknowledgement of the positive contribution politics and politicians make to society. Most of those who enter politics and public service do so with every intention of making a genuinely valuable contribution. Their integrity is overshadowed by the widely publicised misbehaviour of the few. Politics and public service need to be re-evaluated in a positive light.

Individualism: There has been a growth in individualism which does not fit well with the interconnectedness we are commending. With the 18^th century Enlightenment there has come a corrective to an earlier view that many people were not capable or even allowed to think freely. There has to be a balance between human freedom and human responsibility, between the individual and society. 

Hospitality: This has long existed as a key element of Judeo-Christian and other faith traditions. Separate from the present refugee crisis, there has been an increase in migration from the southern to the northern hemispheres. Ensuring there is a spirit of hospitality rather than hostility is crucial if such movements of people are to be managed positively. This needs to be considered alongside questions of poverty, war, and economic development which are the motivation for much migration. 

In December 2020 we set up the Public Square Group to explore the issues raised above. Where there has been sufficient agreement we have set up sub-groups on particular issues. 

Part of our brief is to search for allies with whom to collaborate in order to make a contribution to the wider society. We are on the lookout for people to join this enterprise. If you are interested please get in touch.

David Driscoll (1942-2025)                               Richard Truss