I. Ziemele: Inspirers should be aware of their moral responsibility since ideas influence the progress of society and change human lives
On Friday, 2 November, the President of the Constitutional Court Ineta Ziemele gave a presentation at the conference of creative industries “Subject: Creativity”. In her presentation, she spoke about freedom and knowledge that serve as a pre-condition for creating ideas and inspiring society.
In the beginning of her presentation, Ineta Ziemele proposed a thesis that all societies in all ages needed inspirers – personalities who were able to “kindle a flame”. She emphasized that, in particular, in this age, filled with so many tractions, society needed its pillars. Namely, those who adhere to those values that constitute the Latvian society and differentiate us from others.
Ineta Ziemele said that society was shaped and characterised by its ideas in the particular space and time. She underscored that the quality of ideas was the one that determined also the quality of society. Moreover, she recognised that society could be changed only by changing those who generated these ideas.
When speaking about freedom Ineta Ziemele said that the natural state of a human being was freedom because a human being was born free and equal in his rights. She emphasised that a free person was filled with inspiration and ideas, however, to “kindle a flame” in others he had to overcome both internal and external obstacles that we face in our lifetime and which are closely related to the past and the present of the particular society.
Photo: Jānis Pipars.
Ineta Ziemele drew the attention of the audience to the fact that the framework of a democratic state, in the centre of which human dignity and freedom stood as the fundamental values, which are respected within the principle of separation of powers, was exactly the kind of value that allowed each person and society at large to create ideas. Therefore, to plant the impulse of ideas, both a free person and a free environment are required.
In her presentation, Ineta Ziemele focused, in particular, on the issues of the inspirers’ moral responsibility. She emphasized that each creator of ideas should assume moral responsibility since the ideas that are spread influence the progress of society and change human lives.
Continuing to examine the aspects of moral responsibility, Ineta Ziemele said that the ideas of today were the reality of tomorrow for the Latvian society, therefore everyone who generated ideas should be able to discern in what kind of direction his idea would turn the people and the State.
In conclusion of her presentation, Ineta Ziemele said: “The story is about all of us living together, about the quality of this life and the way we see our Latvia in the years to come. I encourage to think, to know, to speak and to believe!”
The full recording of Ineta Ziemele’s presentation [in Latvian] is available here:
The participants of the conference of creative industries “Subject: Creativity” were 19 opinion leaders representing various creative industries, who in their presentations searched answers to the questions that sooner or later become relevant to any person who is driving a process or is involved in shaping it, and most frequently these are: How to “kindle one’s own flame”. How to “kindle the flame” in others. How to “burn” without becoming “burnt-out”. And what to do when the flame goes out.