Newsroom Press and media

Ecuador's Minister for "Good Life" explains his country's development model

Freddy Ehlers
The Government of Ecuador has included an innovative political sector focused on a "good life", which promotes a conscientious and happy lifestyle alternative to the conventional unsustainable consumer model. Freddy Ehlers, Minister for "Good Life", will talk about his professional work on 19 May at the Faculty of Political Sciences and Sociology.

15/05/2015

Freddy Ehlers, Ecuador's State Secretary for the Presidential Initiative for the Construction of a Society of Good Life, will give a conference entitled "El model de desenvolupament equatorià i el 'buen vivir'" (Ecuador's Development Model and 'Good Life') at the conference hall of the Faculty of Political Sciences and Sociology on 19 May at 10 am. The event is organised by the dean's team of the faculty.

With the aim of "finding happiness", in June 2013 Ecuador's President Rafael Correa created the Secretary for the Presidential Initiative for the Construction of a Society of Good Life. The person in charge of the actions which are to make 15 million Ecuadorians happy is journalist Freddy Ehlers, former Minister for Tourism (2010-2013) and Secretary-General of the Andean Community of Nations (2007-2010), an organisation formed by Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.

As a journalist, Ehlers is committed to social causes and the conservation of nature. In fact, in 1995 he received the United Nations' "Global 500" award for his defense of the environment. Later, between the years 1996 and 1998, Ehlers stood candidate for the office of President of Ecuador under the Nuevo País movement.

The Minister for "Good Life" aims to promote the concept of good life, known in Kichwa as "Sumak Kawsay" which signifies the development of consciousness of an individual, harmony between human beings and their relation with nature. It focuses on achieving a human transformation through the practice of values and virtues with the aim of reaching a conscientious and happy life. The government proposes public policies and develops actions dedicated to obtaining a "good life".

In the international area, through the promotion of this new proposal, understood as a response to the economic model which is "taking us down the path of compulsive consumerism and the degradation of ecosystems".

Freddy Ehlers holds a degree in Jurisprudence by the Universidad Central del Ecuador; and studied Political Science at Davidson College, USA; and Television Studies at the Radio Nederland Training Centre in Hilversum, the Netherlands.