Discuss & Social 🍷 Birth rate panic: save the pensions or save the planet?

Join our no-judgment space to make new friends and chat about everything from daily life to big world issues. This week's topic: Birth rates have been falling across the world - and while some governments now pay cash bonuses to new parents, some influencers argue that having fewer babies is the best way to protect nature. Many young people also worry about who will fund future pensions and listen to divisive narratives about entire cultures being replaced. How do we find a balance between taking care of our world, our future comfort, and each other? We’ll talk about:

1. Do you feel personal or financial pressure from society to have children?
2. Are public conversations about birth rates creating more division between different groups?
3. What does a good life look like if our populations naturally become smaller?

Skip the small talk and join a room of global minds and cosmopolitans for our weekly conversation lounge. Find meaningful and international perspectives on modern culture, relationships, and society. No expertise needed - just an open mind and your life experiences. Come for the perspectives. Stay for the connections.

🍸 THE VIBE

• Curated Conversations: Thoughtful, intriguing, and deep. It's more about our personal journeys and lived experiences, less about academic point-scoring.
• Cinematic Backdrop: Hosted in a moody lounge perfect for late-night drinks and cozy conversation.
• Fluid Mingling: A balance of guided group discussions and casual socializing over drinks.
• A Global Collective: Connect with international graduates, London's creatives, open-minded travelers, etc.

🕒 THE RUN SHEET

• 19:30 – 20:00 | The Warm Up: Arrive, grab a cocktail, and chat casually as everyone settles into the lounge..
• 20:00 – 21:30 | The Discussion Circles: We move into our hosted conversation circles. We shuffle groups so you meet new faces.
• 21:30 – Late | The After-Chat: Shift to casual socializing. The lounge bar stays open late for socialising and drinks.

📜 OUR DISCUSSION CODE (house rules)

1. Curiosity over judgement: We're here to explore how different people think. Listen, ask questions, learn from each other. Every view is a puzzle and we want to understand all angles without judging the people who bring them.
2. Respect the mic: This is a shared space, not a soapboxing stage. Give everyone a chance to speak.
3. Don't take it personally: We can explore different views while remaining completely kind and respectful to the people sharing them.
4. Be Present: We put our phones away during the conversation to truly connect with the people around us.

📍 THE LOGISTICS

• Where: The lounge bar/café at Curzon Aldgate, 2 Canter Way, E1 8PS.
• Free to attend: Like all venues, the café expects everyone to order drinks or snacks throughout our stay.
• Pending approval? Please wait until you're approved as we manage group numbers across different platforms.
• Transport: Aldgate East, Aldgate, Tower Hill/Gateway stations are all within a 5-minute walk.

🌎 ABOUT US
World Citizens is London's premier cosmopolitan collective. For over 15 years, we have curated high-vibe spaces, salon discussions, and cultural mixers for global minds, young professionals, and international expats living in the capital.

*Our other weekly events*
- Friday evening socials every week
- Cafe tour around London every Saturday
- Canary Wharf socials every other Wednesday
- Outdoor fun (hiking, kayaking, etc) every weekend
- Dining, cultural and travel activities on-demand

JOIN OUR TEAM!
We're all volunteers, so if you enjoy organizing activities or events in your spare time, while meeting great people every week, send a message to our team account "TP"!

DISCLAIMER
We are a 100% volunteer-run team. Though we have high standards in planning, this is a private informal activity so we cannot be liable for any damage or inconvenience. However, we put safety and comfort first. We take all complaints seriously, and take severe action against any harassment, verbal or non-verbal, and anti-social behaviour, towards our guests or team members. We collaborate with the police when needed. We take photos and videos which may include you to help promote the community in line with GDPR Data Protection law, as well as stock photos from Pexels or Unsplash. We may restrict or prioritize guests at our own discretion for safety, quality and logistics reasons. While our team's decisions may not be perfect we ask that you follow our decisions first and raise any disputes to discuss with us later and privately. By attending you understand, agree with and respect all terms of this disclaimer.