When we look at the world we live in today, we sometimes feel a little dizzy, with a touch of anxiety and a few moments of panic. There are days when you have to redouble your efforts to find optimism.
A few weeks ago, at a team meeting, we asked ourselves what we really wanted. In what state would this world suit us? What would make us feel good in it? How do we keep our faith in the future? (yes, we do have intense meetings).
In the end, we all came to the same conclusion: we’d like to live in a more harmonious world.
Harmony is a fine ambition, isn’t it? There’s balance, appeasement, coherence, universality, adequacy, adaptation, communion, unison, union.
Quite simply, the promise of a better world.
So we had our ideal. This dream of being able to say at breakfast: “Don’t you think the world is really harmonious this morning?
And since, in this field, nothing comes to those who wait, we decided to go and find this famous harmony, with all the enthusiasm and optimism we put into our actions.
After a few mundane reflections on our daily lives, we tried to think bigger, to take things up a notch, and there it was: the key to a harmonious world is equality between women and men.
So let’s take a quick look at the big picture.
If women and men shared the world’s 193 countries equally, the world would be more likely to run smoothly (as of September 2022, 28 of the world’s governments were headed by women – as a reminder, half of 193 is 96 or 97 – but even 96 is acceptable).
A study by the International Peace Institute even reveals that when women take part in the negotiation process, peace is 35% more likely to last.
Women at the head of governments are also women who have the courage to step aside when they no longer feel best suited to their role, and the intelligence not to push to stay on at all costs.
On another note, according to the OECD, if we implemented gender equality in access to positions of responsibility in entrepreneurship, France would gain 9.4% additional growth over 20 years, or 0.4% per year.
So there you have it: the solution is right in front of us, and within reach. After all, it wouldn’t be so difficult to achieve this harmony.
Seeing things appear so clearly has prompted us to rewrite our own mission, to clarify it – so that no one is left in any doubt.
From now on, if someone asks you “What’s that club you go to every month?” you’ll be able to answer with enormous aplomb: “The Curiosity club is an organization that enables everyone to take one more step towards equality between women and men every day, thanks to the power of curiosity”.
And if anyone questions you a bit, here’s your toolbox of answers:
An organization? Yes, legally speaking (okay, this is going to get boring for a moment), we’re an SAS and 16 associations united by the same vision and mission.
All of us? Yes, that broad, all-encompassing word – because at Curiosity Club we cater for individuals AND businesses – and always have, but many of you don’t know that. Right now, for example, we’re working with Maisons du Monde, BNP Paribas, Kering, Adidas, Lego and hundreds of others on their quest for professional equality. And it’s worth noting that these companies also include men, and that we’ve always talked to them too! Every day. Definitely EVERYBODY!
We’re also talking to you, of course, the 30,000 women in our community who read us every week, who come every month, alone or with friends, to the clubs in your towns and cities to dream bigger through the stories of amazing women!
One step, two steps, three steps… We believe that every action is worth taking: attending a talk and listening to a story to better understand the other, being made aware during a workshop so as not to make the same mistakes again, training in public speaking to become the new Michelle Obama on stage… Every little step is a result, and we support you in every one of them.
Equality – the same word that’s written on all your town halls. We’re not looking for the eradication of men on Earth, or even superiority, just simple equality between women and men. We’re just looking for more than one street in ten in France to be named after a woman, or for the contraceptive burden not to fall almost 100% on women.
The power of curiosity – Haaa that’s our magic tool, our best asset that allows us to help you observe, understand, discover, grow, free yourself and consider that rules can change and that customs are made to evolve.
With all this in mind, we’re looking forward to that famous breakfast when we’ll say to ourselves that the world is harmonious, just as we might have said to ourselves “oh, it’s raining”!
Count on us, we’ll count on you, and together we’ll make it happen!
See you soon?
Margaux
