One of the topics this year's Bitef Festival focuses on is a burning problem of the present day - climate change and the destruction of ecosystems. Many world scientists and scientific studies warn us that the climate catastrophe is not nearing, but that we are living it. What is it that we, as individuals, can do to help preserve the environment? How do you, as a company, raise awareness in the society about this problem?
Environmental protection should be an imperative for us all - a big responsibility of the society as a whole, of every individual and every company, with no exception. We need to be aware that our efforts must truly be serious and that we have an obligation, both as companies and as individuals, to lend nature a helping hand, each in our own domain.
By investing in modern telecommunication technologies, Telekom Srbija has contributed to the implementation of clean technologies and those that consume less electricity and emit less noise. As a leader in the telecommunications market, we strive to provide customers with a wide range of digital services that, in addition to improving user experience, also aim to protect and preserve the environment.
Together with our users who have opted for electronic billing, we have sent out a very strong and clear message about the importance of preserving forests. Our users also have the option of an eSIM card - a digital card embedded in a mobile device. In other words, there is no “classic” SIM card in a phone, but a virtual one, without additional plastic, which, as we all know, is harmful for the environment.
As a socially responsible company, aware that the present defines the future, we endeavor to contribute to the preservation of the environment as much as possible. So, as part of the “mts - Saves Your World” campaign, one dinar from each mts monthly postpaid bill was allocated for the preservation of nature. One of the activities that was financed with the funds collected, and which was recommended by the Ministry of Environmental Protection, was the cleaning of canals in the Beljarica drainage basin near Belgrade. We also sponsor many projects, such as the “Green Energy in Elementary Schools - GEnergy is Good for Everyone” project, which was aimed at raising the ecological awareness of village elementary school students.
Of course, we can also contribute to the preservation of the environment as individuals. All it takes is for us to behave responsibly and to be humane - to refrain from polluting nature, to recycle plastic packaging and reduce its use, to take part in activities of cleaning rivers and forests…Sometimes even a little does a lot.
How important is it for big companies to support and take part in projects that address the current social issues? Do you think that it is possible to avoid this “edge” of the future only if we work together, if the economic and cultural sectors join forces?
I think it is very important for companies to actively participate in and launch projects that address current social issues. I believe that we make major changes in a positive direction only by means of joint action.
The Bitef Festival is proud of its years-long cooperation with the mts brand. This cooperation has resulted in many successful activities and we believe that, by our joint public appearance, we have created an image of a desirable model of cooperation between big companies and cultural events. What does this cooperation mean for you?
We draw positive, creative energy from cooperation with cultural institutions, which, I hope, we successfully transfer to our business. Bitef’s topics often inspire us to think and question, but all these are inevitable processes without which there is no growth and no positive change. We are extremely proud of our cooperation so far, and we hope for and look forward to our future cooperation.
The second major topic of this year’s Bitef also addresses, through its programs, the notions of transhumanism and posthumanism as a projection of a world in which man will no longer be in the center of everything. Given that mts is a leading company in the field of technology and technical innovation, how do you see the future that awaits us in this context?
With the development of technology, in certain fields, man, that is, his work, has really been replaced by smart machines. However, man is behind every technology, there is no doubt about that. While technological development eliminates certain jobs, it also paves the way for new ones. I don't think technology and man can stand separate. In their visions, transhumanism and posthumanism, as philosophies, go too far for my taste, but I do think that, ultimately, everything will depend on man and on his attitude towards nature, but also on nature itself, which will definitely respond to man’s actions.
