Sigma Orionis coordinates the PARADISO project, supported by the DG Information Society and Media (DG Infso) of the European Commission. Developed during the first half of 2007 in partnership with the Club of Rome and officially launched in March 2008, PARADISO aims to identify strategic research directions on network and service ICT infrastructures in the hypothesis of a disruptive paradigm concerning global societal developments. This possible paradigm shift, which more and more analysts are discussing worldwide (particularly when considering the impact of today's worldwide financial and economic crisis), is based on the vision that, in order to avoid major worldwide crises, all countries (developed, emerging, and developing) must agree, sooner or later, on an alternative way forward: true sustainable development, more sustainable economic growth, more equally shared resources, and eventually the wellbeing of peoples around the world, measured through a new "Beyond GDP" index. A high level international conference is organised with the support of PARADISO at the European Commission in Brussels on Jan. 22-23, 2009 to discuss in detail what is at stake and which research areas have to be explored; 400 delegates are expected to attend. Contact