30 December 2025 – Contemporary humanity faces enormous challenges. Technology is reshaping lives at an unprecedented pace. In the past few years, artificial intelligence has had a tremendous impact on all aspects of thought, work, ethics and the foundations of social order. At the same time, ecological imbalance, climate disasters, political divisions and geopolitical tensions have created an atmosphere of anxiety in societies around the world. How did civilisation reach this point, and how should it move forward?
In this era, “sustainability” is no longer just a technological issue of climate and energy, but rather a question of how humanity can reimagine its relationship with nature, others and the future on a finite planet. Or, how should we live together?
It is against this backdrop that StoryStudio engaged in an in-depth dialogue with Silvia Zimmermann del Castillo, co-president of the Club of Rome.
Founded in 1968, the Club of Rome, considered one of the world’s leading think tanks, shook the world with its book The Limits to Growth, which argued that the modern world’s long-held pursuit of unlimited economic growth will clash with the Earth’s finite resources. This argument sparked a heated debate and is hailed as one of the most important books of the past two centuries. More than half a century later, the Club of Rome is still discussing climate, resources, war and poverty. In the summer of 2025, Jenn-Chuan Chern, CEO of the Tang Prize Foundation and Professor Emeritus of the Department of Civil Engineering at National Taiwan University, was also elected to the Club of Rome, representing Taiwan in this most symbolic and influential intellectual community in the world.
It was under these circumstances that Zimmermann had the opportunity to visit Taiwan.
What’s unique is that Zimmermann is not a typical think tank leader. She is more like a poet, a philosophy researcher, an anthropologist and a cultural traveller from Latin America. Her vision is deeply shaped by world literature, cross-cultural experience, religious reflection and natural perception. She emphasises not only policy but also ethics; not only technology but also civilisation; not only models but also humanistic concern.
Her life is like a winding spiritual path.
In her youth, she was introduced to Jorge Luis Borges, one of the most influential writers in modern Latin America, by chance, which began a five-year intellectual exchange.
Luisa Shu-Ying Chang, a professor in the Department of Foreign Languages at National Taiwan University who has long studied Latin American literature, believes that their relationship was more than just that of teacher and student, but closer to that of a mentor and disciple. Borges’s works span multiple languages and civilisations; he discusses not only Christianity but also Buddhism, not only Western philosophy but also Lao Tzu and Zhuangzi, connecting the knowledge of different civilisations into a vast and free intellectual labyrinth. A person who has served Borges closely for many years cannot simply be a “literature enthusiast,” but will naturally be drawn to a broader perspective on religion, philosophy, and humanistic concerns. This is also reflected in Zimmermann’s thinking.
Later, after studying anthropology in Paris and returning to Argentina, during an era when the military government viewed anthropology as dangerous knowledge, Zimmermann turned to philosophy. Yet, she never strayed from her contemplation of nature and the human condition. Forests, animals, flowers, and land—these natural elements were not merely ecological issues for her, but the ethical cornerstones of civilisation.
Chang points out that to understand how Zimmermann discusses civilisation, sustainability and intercultural dialogue, one must first understand her humanistic background. This enabled her to present a different perspective from the mainstream at the Club of Rome, and made her voice unique and important in global discussions on sustainability.
Zimmermann often quotes philosophical thought, particularly Kant. She discusses Kant’s distinction regarding “freedom,” arguing that freedom is not arbitrary action but a self-imposed ethical state; and that sustainability is built upon humanity’s ability to rebuild ethical values.
She also pays attention to non-Western civilisations. In her view, the lifestyles of Japan and Taiwan exhibit a certain balance, restraint and gentle strength. During the dialogue, she mentioned experiencing “true freedom” during her recent trip to Taiwan—a life practice deeply rooted in ethics, responsibility and mutual respect. It is in these subtle cultural actions that she sees a possible future direction for civilisation.
This is also a key mission of hers as co-president of the Club of Rome: to bring this organisation, traditionally known for its science and policy, back to the realm of humanities, arts, ethics, and civilisation. She emphasises that without understanding how humans think, it’s impossible to understand how they act, and sustainability ultimately hinges on “action”—not government policy, but how humans live.
At the end of the interview, Zimmermann spoke of “hope.”
She said hope is not blind optimism; hope is a force that requires effort and practice, a mission. Only by understanding what one can do and why one should do it can one truly maintain hope. She has seen countless people around the world filled with goodwill, ideals and imagination—these encounters sustain her and make her believe that civilisation can still move forward.
Zimmermann’s language is like poetry, and also like a slow and steady philosophy. She talks about civilisation, technology, education, children and utopia, as if reminding us that the future of civilisation does not lie in distant international organisations or grand policies, but in how we speak, how we see the world, and how we treat one another.
In this divided and broken world, her thoughts offer a gentle yet firm sense of direction.
Read the interview and transcript at StoryStudio
