Does the Bertelsmann Foundation condone international fraud?

In February 2010, OVF's founder Joy Tang joined the blogging team at the then newly created Future Challenges internet-platform that was established and is moderated by a team of people from the Bertelsmann Foundation, including economist Ole Wintermann. This platform provides a virtual space where subscribing members are able to suggest ideas as well as share the opinions of a handpicked group of bloggers with diverse background expressing their views on various topics, all under the somewhat lofty heading of "global megatrends". The discussion is moderated by the Bertelsmann team, and introductory video clips have been made of each Future Challenges blogger by fellow blogger Ulrike Reinhard. According to the futurechallenges.org website, its mission is:

"...to foster the dialogue between experts and non-experts. Our aim is to empower people and institutions to discuss future challenges. For the very first time in the history of mankind we truly have the chance to understand our future as a common global one and to shape it by using the power of networks and the wide range of online collaboration tools." http://futurechallenges.org/web/guest/about

Behind the idea of an enclosed virtual space for circulating ideas that are related to the opinions of futurechallenges-endorsed experts lies the underlying belief that such dynamics will enable the addressing of "world urgent issues" in a focused and time-efficient manner. In other words, it is an arena that seeks to steer creativity in a certain direction, depending on the agenda of its opionion-makers and that of its moderating team.

The Bertelsmann Foudation is a foundation that was established in order to further the social commitment of its founder and long-time leader of the Bertelsmann media corporation Reinhard Mohn (who passed away in October 2009). As part of the generation born in the 1920s, Reinhard Mohn strongly valued the right of individuals to an education and focused particularly on providing access to meaningful educational opportunities. Today, the Bertelsmann Foundation defines itself as a think tank and a catalyst for social change, striving to implement a commitment credited to its founder: "We are committed to "helpfully improving the way things are"." http://www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/cps/rde/xchg/SID-C5DA762E-2E208DE0/bst_engl/hs.xsl/2085.htm

Priding itself on being an actor with strong integrity that is pointing the way to the future, the Bertelsmann Foundation professes also bold aspirations of clearing the ground of any obstacles that might come in the way of such social improvements;

"The Bertelsmann Stiftung is independent and nonpartisan. We design, launch and run our own projects. As a learning organization, we aspire to excellence. As an independent force for reform, we aim to break down barriers that stand in the way of social progress." http://www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/cps/rde/xchg/SID-C5DA762E-2E208DE0/bst_engl/hs.xsl/2086.htm

Does this mean that Bertelsmann values truthfulness and objectivity in what it advocates for, realising that the responsibility that comes with actively partaking in shaping the future may at times be both costly and inconvenient?

In her introductory interview for futurechallenges.org, OVF founder Joy Tang applauds the Bertelsmann Foundation's initiative. In what looks more like an informal rehearsal, OVF's founder is found practising the five key words that will best describe her to the forum; including Africa, drummer or drumming, ICT4D, NICs and ecoliving. All of these interviews follow a concise format with the ambition of making people summarize their interests and what they are looking to achieve in a few chosen words. It seems that the futurechallenges platform allows space for the circulation of many a big word, but no real time for (critical) reflection.

"The second question besides money why would I want to get involved with FutureChallenges? I responded to the ad that I would do it anyway, without money. (...) I think it's exciting that Bertelsmann Foundation is sponsoring and working with us on this one, because I think that the social networking perspective, coming together, the convergent views of the world and linking that with so-called organizational view, I think that is one of the challenges, one of the missing links in the world, and I think it needs to be actively connected, and actively dialogued. In between the organizations that we have seen around us and also the emerging social networks of the social networking system." Joy Tang of OVF in introductory video for futurechallenges.org, February 2010

Though much can be said about what it means to be shaping the future by propagating convergent views of the world and under the illusion of real reflection, the endorsement of OVF founder's blogging activites by Bertelsmann raises much more serious questions about what kind of activities they condone and what motives are driving the ideas they seek to promote:

1. What is Bertelsmann's position on the oneVillage Foundation and its so-called charity activities?

2. What guidelines are applied in the selection process of the official bloggers of futurechallenges.org?

3. How does Bertelsmann ensure that its values of integrity and of "helpfully improving the way things are" are maintained within a forum consisting of actors belonging to the same network? And in particular, when many of the official bloggers are personal friends and acquaintances of the people running and moderating the platform?

4. Is Bertelsmann concerned at all with the information that has surfaced indicating that the oneVillage Foundation headed by futurechallenges blogger Joy Tang is in fact a case of international fraud?

5. Does Bertelsmann through its trendsetting organ futurechallenges.org seek to legitimize the kind of fraudulent practices that are implemented by such NGOs who are taking advantage of funding opportunities of the international community in order to indulge in activities that seek to benefit their own network, such as the OVF?

All of the above questions raises serious doubt as to whether the Bertelsmann Foundation through its trendsetting organ futurechallenges.org that is especially targeting the new generation does indeed take its commitment of "helpfully improving the way things are" seriously. Or if this is merely a soft disguise for other motives behind its agenda to foster the future of society which remain undisclosed.

The future will tell?