Dear members, friends and partners,

After six months of intense work and activities, the summer holidays are almost upon us.

What a first half of 2022.

Bombs fall on Ukrainian cities and civilians, glaciers are collapsing, and Corona is on the rise once more.

We witness the devastations of war, and the senselessness and atrocity of the acts being committed in Ukraine. We face the spreading and the consequences of Covid-19. We deal with an explosion of inflation, disruptions of supply chains and shortages in commodities. And we suffer from extreme heatwaves, wildfires, torrential rains and devastating floodings.

Yes, we are living in a period of unprecedented uncertainties, challenges, and imminent threats.

And yet, there is always hope. Hope because there is cooperation, assistance and human interaction. And hope because we share a strong determination to tackle these challenges.

That is also why we must continue to stand firmly against Russia´s aggression. This is not only about inflicting unimaginable pain on countless lives. This is not only about causing widespread destruction to land and infrastructure which will lie in ruins for years to come. This is not only about expressing contempt for humanity and human dignity. It is also about showing disdain for what gives us the strength and capability to face challenges: cooperation, assistance, and interaction.

And whilst cooperation and assistance are the fundamental purposes of trade unions, interaction is an intrinsic part of CESI’s DNA. In different, smaller yet still relevant respects, we as trade unions and as CESI fully intend to play our role in steering us through these hard moments we are going through.

We wish you all a good summer – despite (or especially because of) these troubled times.