Technology is everywhere but that ubiquity can come at a cost to our health, wellbeing and the quality of our conversations. View our manifesto for a more dignified relationship with all things digital and learn to be a little kinder and more cautious online.

Films — Affairs

Monocle’s digital decency manifesto

Norrbotten in Sweden is blessed with natural resources but more recently has been turning heads because of its growing roster of innovative start-ups. We bear witness to the region's effort to change heavy industries into clean businesses.

Sweden’s Arctic: green innovation

The first edition of a Georgian festival that’s bringing together musicians from the Caucasus to discuss their shared future.

Tsinandali tunes

From social media to mass surveillance, we know that we are losing the ability to be private, to have lives for us and our children that are off-grid. But we can regain some control. This is how.

Privacy alerts

We gathered together a peerless group of thinkers, entrepreneurs, reporters and makers for our fifth annual conference. It was a unique mix of debate, dinner and hospitality; we look back at some of the moments that made our sunny 2019 edition such a success.

Madrid: The Monocle Quality of Life Conference

From the revived Le Corbusier Pavilion to a slick airport extension, we take lessons in living better from this year’s winning city.

Most liveable city, 2019: Zürich

What makes cities tick: security, nightlife, infrastructure? Join us on a round-the-world trip of places that we’d like to call home.

Quality of Life Survey: top 25 cities, 2019

Taking an interest and making connections have been at the heart of our unmissable annual gatherings. Tune in for a preview of the Monocle Quality of Life Conference programme, which is packed with thought-provoking ideas and inspiring speakers. This is where you need to be. Book your ticket [here](https://conference.monocle.com/payment/).

10 things you’ll find out in Madrid

Prompted by Brexit, among other things, we’ve embarked on a design update. We’ve changed up the paper stock and fired up presses just outside of Hamburg to keep Monocle at the top of the pile. Join us for a tour of the on-page innovations in the [April issue of the magazine](https://monocle.com/shop/product/1473872/issue-122/).

Hot off the press

Many seamen see icebreaking as a career pinnacle. We peek into the snug cabins, well-kitted kitchen and memorabilia-filled gym to see what serving on icebreaker ‘Kontio’ is really like. You can also catch up with episode one [here](https://monocle.com/film/affairs/icebreakers-rescue-know-how/).

Icebreakers: life on board

Finland has obvious natural advantages that have helped it become an icebreaking powerhouse but the country’s dominance in the field is startling. We travel to the Bay of Bothnia to bear witness to the beginning of the icebreaking season.

Icebreakers: rescue know-how

Throughout the long Finnish winter, the country’s ports are kept open by a small but determined fleet of icebreakers. Monocle Films hops on board to see how it’s done.

Icebreakers at work

With its liberal and energetic approach to diplomacy, and a growing influence in art and sport, Belgium has plenty to offer on the world stage.

Belgium: state of the nation

We join the conga of the top 25 nations that got it right (and wrong) in this most delicate of diplomatic skills.

Soft Power Survey 2018/19

Our global network of film-makers delivers reports on the stories, ideas, cities and politicians shaping the world.

hubhopper

Films — Affairs

hubhopper