In 1974 a new movement was founded in Norway under the name 'Future in our hands - a people's movement for a new lifestyle and a just distribution of the world's resources'. It was a movement in search of a new lifestyle and a more humane society based on solidarity with the world's poor, on ecological balance and a reassessment of personal values.

The inaugural meeting in 1974 was attended by over 2,000 people.

The book 'Future in our hands'
In 1972 a book written by Erik Dammann, 'The future in our hands', was published (an English version was published in 1979). The book had a fervent ethical appeal and soon attracted enormous attention in Norway where it brought into focus the First World's exploitation of the Third World.

Erik Dammann addressing the inaugural meeting in Oslo

"In the same way as we today think that the slave trade and colonial exploitation were inhuman and inconceivably bestial ways of acquiring riches, there is no doubt that coming generations will think that our own form of wolrd trade and distribution of the world's benefits were equally inhuman.
Is it not time for us to begin behaving like human beings?"

Erik Dammann was awarded the Right Livelihood Award in 1982