During the last decade of the last century it was clear that international success across a wide variety of domains was all about thinking global and acting local. Localisation was the key word in a strategy that anticipated the possibility of adapting a global concept to multiple local realities with minor changes. The postulate of this approach was that physical space is increasingly homogenous and that cultural differences are dissipating.
But times have changed. Globalisation has backlashed and it has become more and more obvious that such strategies have important shortcomings, in particular with regards to its inherent systemic risk and local vulnerability. In the future lurks the possibility of an important spin in the 20th century commonsense.
It could very well be that the key to a sound global development is embedded in the reversion of the incumbent logic and that thinking local and acting global is indeed the way forward, not only in the overall development of the globe but also, and in particular, of local cultures and its capacity to become more resilient to the ever changing moods of current affairs.
Nuno Azevedo
Director, Casa da Música
