If you see someone cycling in the city at the moment dressed in green, it is Michael Evertz from Germany. The 64-year-old is professionally a sustainability researcher and an economist, who is also a passionate cyclist and mountaineer. He is on a mission - Expedition Hope.
“I am in love with our wonderful and beautiful planet. To create a better world, words are not enough for me. What we need is action,” said Michael Evertz.
And accordingly, during last year's annual United Nations Earth Day, April 22, 2023, he launched in Berlin a meaningful cycling and mountaineering expedition, named ‘Expedition Hope’. The expedition is to cover 30,000 km of muscle power, through 30 countries, in 800 days, for 'ONE COMMON WORLD.'
“Like an Olympic torch bearer by bicycle and by foot I want to motivate people around the world to be more connected, united and collaborative, because cross-cultural collaboration is a hopeful vision and one of the most important key factors overcoming the challenges of our time for solving our global and interconnected problems and poly-crises, including climate change and environmental problems and the resulting social conflicts,” he explained.
He is now in his 14th country, and covered 9,500 km. In Oman he has met Chairman of Environment Authority Dr Abdullah al Amri.
His first Milestone was the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai (COP28) in December 2023. As a ‘Cycling Ambassador for Collaboration’, he has crossed 13 countries - Germany, France, Austria, Italy, Albania, North Macedonia, Greece, Türkiye, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. He arrived in Dubai on time after 222 days, 8,862 km on November 28, 2023.
“It was a very hard bicycle-ride: I felt the climate change on my own body because of the temperatures. It was the hottest summer in human history. And the future forecast is, that the temperatures will be rising further,” he reflected.
ENVIRONMENT
Currently in the Sultanate of Oman, the 14th country, he has been reading about Oman and is impressed with the fact that the concern for environment is way of life and the measures that have been officially in place since the beginning of the modern renaissance.
Speaking to the Observer he said that without social collaboration, humanity has no chance for surviving unless we collaborate.
“Only if we share universal values and if we act according to them, cooperating overarching different cultures and showing compassion we shall be able to survive as human beings. This is the only way to protect and sustain nature and environment, the only way to achieve something meaningful against climate crisis, wars, population growth, world-wide migration, refugee disasters, poverty, unemployment, suffering, hunger and thirst, the brutal global competition and the belief in survival of the fittest,” he noted.
He said that this is not a new scientific knowledge as ‘Social collaboration’ is a universal law for that already ensured the survival of early hominids in the East- African Savannah 8 million years ago. Despite of all scientific and technical achievements, this principle of survival has not changed to this day. ‘Collaboration is the Mother of Surviving’, but in the age of destructive hyper-competition this has been underestimated and was totally repressed for a long time, with violent effects.
“In contrast to competition, collaboration unfolds a dynamic power of renewal. It is a key driver of the change we need for an ecologically and sustainable future. In its latest report in 2022, the Club of Rome emphasises that the United Nations Sustainability Goals can only be achieved if humanity is able to find collaborative forms of society. More and more scientists are coming to this realisation,” he said.
He added that It is not possible to stop the disasters or initiate the necessary transformation process with technical solutions alone.
TECHNICAL PROGRESS
“Technical progress is important. But we need social and cultural progress as well. Technical progress cannot replace social and cultural progress, but it can complement it. A development towards more "cooperation and collaboration” with a sense of community, mindfulness and empathy is thus becoming an essential requirement for coping with the present and the future. And not only in the political, technical, research and economic fields, but also in particular in the social, moral and ethical foundation of individual and collective action.
His next big milestone is to cycle to the ‘Cape of Good Hope’ in South Africa.
He will go on from Oman to Cairo next, crossing Africa from north to south. This is another 19,000 km with another 15 countries Egypt, Ethopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa. "I ought to arrive there by the end of May 2025."
According to him, ‘Cape of Good Hope’, is an authentic destination with an important symbolic mission, because HOPE is the driver of change, the antidote to fear.
“And fear paralyses. Hope calms our fears for the future and keeps us going every time we are down and don’t know what to do. Hope is the most important force in times of crisis such as these. Hope means trusting that we can expect a better life, even if the daily news reports in the media are highly disturbing and sometimes make the future seem bleak. When we trust in hope, we develop optimism and a pleasant sense of anticipation at what needs to be ‘done’ next,” he said.
To keep the excitement and interest up, he will also climb the highest mountains in Eastern Africa in between, because it is the cradle of mankind. This is the place where everything once started. And about 8 million years ago collaborative behaviour had developed here as well.
He asked, “Where is a better place of hope to raise a flag with the mission ‘Stand up for the Planet - Start Collaboration’?”
The targets are Mount Kenya, 5,199 metres tall, the Ruwenzori Mountains in Uganda (5,109 m) and later Karisimbi in Ruanda (4,507 m), the home of the mountain gorillas. The goal is Africa's highest mountain, Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, 5,895 metres tall.
In the plan is the possibility of going further to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Brazil (COP30), which will be held in Belém in the Amazon rainforest in November 2025.
“In Cape Town I will try to take a boat to Rio de Janeiro. And from there I will start with my bicycle going on to Belém. This is another 4,000 km. And after COP30 I will try to hire on a ship to get to Lisbon in Portugal. From there I will cycle to my home country Germany. This is a complete earth-bounded cycling-expedition about three years with approximately 45,000 km.
Through this journey he also want to involve with mind-changers.
“On my way I intend to dare something unusual - I want to meet ‘pioneers of hope’ in all the countries along my journey to Cape of Hope. People who don't talk, but already work on changes. Connecting this climate-heroes, this has the potential to create a ‘Big Picture for a Collaborative World’, as a movement. That is how world-stories become incubators for a public spirit donating future.
We have the choice - Survivability by Design or by Disaster. According to Michael, Survivability by design means a change in consciousness. It starts in people's minds before it can become a social reality.
“So join in. If you believe that the time has come for us to initiate a fundamental change in our way of life, then join me. Whether you are a student, teacher, journalist, scientist, politician, entrepreneur, manager, employee in a company, public authority or association, pastor, retired person, artist, sportsperson, cultural worker or anyone of any age, gender or background. Anyone and everyone can get involved. We need everyone to secure a future worth living for everyone in harmony with nature,” he said.
You can follow his journey on www.expedition-hope.earth Instagram: expedition_hope_earth
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
