Our Story
Re-Imagine Europa was founded in 2017 by President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, in honour of his long friendship and collaboration with Chancellor Helmut Schmidt and their shared commitment to a unified European future. Their partnership was forged in the conviction that systemic crises demand systemic creativity.
In the aftermath of two world wars, there was a deep awareness that the world could not simply return to what it had been. Institutions, systems, and assumptions had to be reimagined—not just because it was possible, but because it was necessary. From that rupture came acts of extraordinary creativity: the European Union, the G7, and the euro, as well as the United Nations and the Bretton Woods system. These were not perfect ideas, but they were new ideas—born from a generation that understood that in moments of disruption, imagination is not a luxury; it is what unlocks the future.
Today, we face a similar historical crossroads. The digital revolution, climate change, and geopolitical shifts have created a new era of disruption. RIE was established to channel that same spirit of post-war creativity: equipping Europe with the new tools and narratives required to navigate the 21st century and ensure the European project remains the foundational framework for democratic, ethical, and resilient governance.
The Narratives That Shape Our World
We often look to policy, technological breakthroughs, or economic models to solve our modern stalemates. We wonder why, despite our immense access to data and digital connectivity, progress so often feels paralyzed. At Re-Imagine Europa, we believe that before we can draw new blueprints for society, we must understand the invisible scripts that keep the old ones standing.
These narratives are the hidden mental frames of human decision-making. They dictate how citizens, parliaments, and boardrooms perceive reality—defining our sense of value, risk, and identity. Echoing the work of Professor George Lakoff, we believe that the boundaries of our mental frames are the boundaries of our future.
The monumental transitions of our time—from the climate emergency to the AI revolution—cannot be managed using outdated maps. Like a living language, narratives must evolve to reflect the reality of the people they serve. Yet, many of the dominant stories shaping our world today were written for an industrial, analog era that no longer exists. This narrative lag is the silent root of our modern social and political friction; it is the gap where bold decisions, actions, and policies go to die.
Re-Imagine Europa works with institutions across the public, private, and philanthropic sectors to close that gap. We do not view the analysis of narratives as a purely academic exercise, but as a strategic leadership tool for any organization seeking to navigate and shape our collective future.
The Courage to Imagine
By combining rigorous research with high-level convening power, we deconstruct the scripts that divide us and foster the collective imagination required to build a prosperous and resilient future. We remain guided by our founding legacy: the belief that Europe’s greatest strength is its ability to reinvent itself without losing its soul.
In an age of complexity and noise, our work is to ensure we can still find the shared stories that allow us to move forward together. The future is not something that happens to us—it is something we must have the courage to imagine first.
Let’s imagine the future together!