A look at 2025: The year’s events and trends

According to specialists from Tec de Monterrey, the year 2025 was marked by the deterioration of the global system, where prolonged conflicts, climate crises, economic tensions, and the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence revealed a more fragmented world.

They added that, at the same time, music, cinema, and literature reflected a historical moment marked bydebates about creativity, identity, and power.

This is a summary of the events and trends that defined 2025:

2025 was a year in which the international order showed clear signs of exhaustion, explained Iliana Rodríguez Santibáñez, a specialist in Law and International Relations at Tec de Monterrey. 

Rodríguez Santibáñez, who is also a research professor, said that although there were no dramatic ruptures, there was an accumulation of crises that dragged on and followed one after another.

“The world doesn’t change with a single blow but with several slow blows that wear it down little by little.Wars don’t start; they drag on. Crises don’t explode; they’re interconnected.”

-The war in Ukraine 

This conflict entered a phase of military stalemate, with fronts virtually frozen, where Russia intensified massive attacks with drones and missiles against energy infrastructure, especially the power grid.

The war has left deep divisions within the United Nations and forced Europe to urgently reconfigure its energy policy.

Donald Trump’s return to the White House appeared to be a factor in forcing negotiations, albeit at the cost of territorial concessions.

“That conflict left trenches in the ground as well as in diplomacy".

-The war in Gaza

The breakdown of the ceasefire in Gaza led to an air and ground offensive with devastating humanitarian consequences, the expert said.

The United Nations documented overwhelmed hospitals, shortages of supplies, and entire populations trapped without communications.

Resolutions in the Security Council were blocked by cross-vetoes, while pro-Palestinian protests grew in cities across Europe and Latin America.

“Gaza ceased to be a place on the map and became an open wound on the international conscience.”

- Trump’s second term

Donald Trump began his second term as President of the United States on January 20, imposing tariffs on foreign products and increasing raids against undocumented immigrants.

He has been criticized for deploying the National Guard in cities governed by Democrats in his country. 

In June, he ordered the bombing of uranium enrichment facilities at the Fordow plant in Iran and ordered the deployment of naval forces in the Caribbean off the coast of Venezuela.

He has tried to mediate the conflict between Russia and Ukraine without achieving a definitive ceasefire.

- A new Pope at the Vatican

Robert Francis Prevost became the first American pontiff on May 8, following the death of Pope Francis.

Born in Chicago, a Peruvian national, and considered part of the moderate wing of the College of Cardinals, he took the name Leo XIV upon being appointed the 267th leader of the Catholic Church.

The year 2025 shaped up to be the second or third warmest year on record, with oceans and greenhouse gases at historic highs, according to records.

Extreme heat waves hit Europe, massive forest fires ravaged regions of North America and the Mediterranean, and floods devastated areas of Africa and Asia.

Reports such as the Climate Risk Index confirmed that the poorest countries were the hardest hit.

“Climate change has made it clear that this isn’t a green issue but a matter of daily survival,” Rodríguez said.

According to Luis Fernández Carril, Academic Manager of Sustainability at Ruta Azul, Tec de Monterrey’s Sustainability and Climate Change Plan, and the Tec’s representative to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), this year:

It has been confirmed that the planet has exceeded the 1.5°C threshold for global average temperature increase, according to the Copernicus Observatory.

Everything indicates that this year broke historical records for greenhouse gas emissions, bringing the Paris Agreement closer to failure.

Forest fires, more intense hurricanes, prolonged droughts, and extreme flooding intensified in different regions of the world.

“It’s no longer possible to stabilize the temperature at 1.5 degrees. That puts humanity in a very complicated situation,” Fernández warned.

“Climate change has made it clear that this isn’t a green issue but a matter of daily survival.” – Iliana Rodríguez

- The day the planet’s resources ran out

In 2025, Earth Overshoot Day occurred on July 24, earlier than in 2024 (August 1).

From that date forward, humanity consumed more resources than the planet can regenerate in a year.


- Positive signs amid adverse conditions

The International Court of Justice issued a landmark opinion that sets precedents for climate litigationagainst states and companies.

The High Seas Treaty was ratified, with the goal of protecting at least 30% of the oceans.

Formal recognition of indigenous peoples as key actors in biodiversity protection.

China, the largest global emitter, reduced its emissions for the first time.

Mexico presented its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) 3.0, with updated climate commitments.

Work began on the Seventh IPCC Report, which will be key to decisions made between 2027 and 2028.
 

The OECD warned that although global GDP grew by around 3%, the outlook remained fragile, weighed down by wars, debt, and trade tensions.

In the Global South, the conversation revolved around unpayable debts, insufficient investment, and young people who feel they are worse off than previous generations.

The Global South is the group of countries in Africa, Latin America, Asia, and Oceania that, in historical and structural terms, have faced economic, social, and political inequalities compared to the Global North.

Protectionism and new tariffs imposed by the United States began to draw an economic map divided into blocs.

“It isn’t a world that’s becoming less globalized but one that’s becoming fragmented,” Rodríguez said.

Meanwhile, young activists and leaders from the Global South took center stage at international forums, while economists and legal experts insisted that inequality is not a side effect but a direct threat to political stability.

“Science, technology, and human rights converged as a warning but also as a source of hope".

-The shift by central banks

The global economy advanced, albeit in a fragile and uneven manner and with signs of caution. To understand this, CONECTA spoke with Francisco Orozco, professor of finance at the Tec and leader of the FAIR Center, Monterrey Region.

Orozco said that one of the most significant events of the year was that central banks began to lower interest rates.

The US Federal Reserve and the Bank of Mexico began cutting rates after a cycle of increases to contain inflation.

This made money “less expensive,” reviving investment projects, mergers and acquisitions, and stock markets.

However, with inflation still present, debate persisted over whether the cuts were premature.

- Growth with inequality

Although a severe global recession was avoided, growth did not translate into widespread prosperity, Orozco said.

The cost of living remained a central concern for millions of people.

In many regions, especially in the Global South, high debt levels, insufficient investment, and a sense of generational stagnation persisted.

In 2025, Mexico experienced the direct effects of a more fragmented world, with impacts on its economy, domestic politics, and social and environmental security.

“We can no longer separate the international from the everyday. What happens outside ends up impacting how we live and work and how safe we feel,” explained Iliana Rodríguez.

The reconfiguration of international trade and the discourse on economic security had a direct impact on Mexico.

The country emerged as a key player in the relocation of supply chains but also faced pressures due to insufficient infrastructure, regulatory uncertainty, and regional inequality.

Iliana Rodríguez said that political discourse in Mexico was marked by polarization and mistrust.

“People don’t just vote against poverty or insecurity; they also vote against accumulated frustration".

In 2025, Mexico experienced the direct effects of a more fragmented world, with impacts on its economy, domestic politics, and social and environmental security.

“We can no longer separate the international from the everyday. What happens outside ends up impacting how we live and work and how safe we feel,” explained Iliana Rodríguez.

The reconfiguration of international trade and the discourse on economic security had a direct impact on Mexico.

The country emerged as a key player in the relocation of supply chains but also faced pressures due to insufficient infrastructure, regulatory uncertainty, and regional inequality.

Iliana Rodríguez said that political discourse in Mexico was marked by polarization and mistrust.

“People don’t just vote against poverty or insecurity; they also vote against accumulated frustration.”
 

In 2025, artificial intelligence (AI) ceased being just talked about and began to be used in real business applications.

Companies began to automate processes, reduce costs, and redefine operations. 

This progress had a direct impact on employment:

• Mass layoffs in large corporations
• Reduction in hiring in administrative and consulting areas
• The economy began to reorganize itself around new skills and working models.

The artificial intelligence “bubble”

• The debate about a possible AI bubble arose:
• High valuations
• Excessive expectations
• Uses not yet entirely clear to the general public

Although it is not a classic bubble, the phenomenon was reminiscent of the dot-com bubble of the late 1990s or the rise and fall of the metaverse.

Even so, the widespread use of AI in industry showed that it is a structural technology, not a passing fad.

According to Ernesto Diez-Martínez, film critic and professor of humanities at Tec de Monterrey, 2025 was marked by the following themes:

- Artificial intelligence at the center of the debate

By 2025, AI had become a real force in the audiovisual industry. 

The ethical debate surrounding the displacement of creative professionals intensified, as did the use of AI in screenwriting, dubbing, subtitling, and acting. There were notable cases demonstrating its use in modulating voices, accents, and performances.

- Possible concentration of power

The potential sale of Warner Brothers raised concerns about the concentration of studios, platforms, and media outlets. 

According to Diez-Martínez, it is risky that few corporations decide which stories are produced and which are not.

- The cinematic experience is being transformed

According to Diez-Martínez, movie theater attendance declined in 2025.

Big-screen cinema became: Premiere events, re-releases of classics, and venues for concerts and sports broadcasts. 

“Theaters increasingly function as showrooms, while the main consumption occurs at home,” he explained.

He also mentioned that the year stood out for its openly political cinema.

“Many films addressed authoritarianism, polarization, and social disillusionment.”

Alan Robles, Director of the Bachelor’s Degree in Music Technology and Production at the Tec, explained that 2025 saw important developments in the world of music, such as:

- Artificial intelligence and music

The year saw formal agreements between record labels and generative AI.

The debate opened on the monetization of songs created with AI as well as the competition between human music and synthetic music. Spotify and TikTok have established themselves as spaces where AI influences consumption.

- The music business changed

In 2025, the massive sale of music catalogs continued, now driven by investment funds.

Now, music is increasingly behaving like a financial asset.

- Other trends that marked the year

Singer Bad Bunny returned as a dominant figure in global streaming.

* Reconfiguration of Mexican regional music and decline of the corrido tumbado boom.

* Music marketing focused on so-called “superfans”: Small but very active audiences, identified from streaming and social media data, who are now key to artists’ commercial success.

“It’s no longer about playing everywhere, but about getting fans to save the song, go to the concert, and stay with you,” explained Robles, who is also a musician and guitarist for bands such as Búffalo Blanco, Niña, Flip Tamez, and Abby Boyd.

* TikTok was more than ever a key indicator for discovering and signing new artists, as was the case for Macario Martínez.

*The ocker Ozzy Osbourne passed away on July 22 at the age of 76, just two weeks after his tribute concert to the band Black Sabbath.

According to Ana Laura Santamaría, Director of the Alfonso Reyes Chair and the Passion for Reading program at Tecnológico de Monterrey:

In 2025, literature reaffirmed itself as a space for cultural resistance and meaning in a world ravaged by crisis, exhaustion, and fragmentation. 

Reading and writing did not appear as a luxury but as a way of belonging, remembering, and understanding.

“Humans are, above all, narrative beings, because we exercise our imagination and our identity in stories.” 

Here are some of the trends for 2025:

- Irene Vallejo and the return to the reading community

One of the most significant literary events of the year was the presentation of Nuevo León’s Alfonso Reyes International Prize to Irene Vallejo.

Her book El infinito en un junco (Infinity in a Reed) was recognized as one of the most influential works of recent decades.

The text connected readers around the world with the ancient history of books and human storytelling.

Vallejo visited universities in Monterrey, including Tecnológico de Monterrey, and the Cervantes Library, where she conversed with first editions of Don Quixote and original texts by Sor Juana.

“Books remain an almost perfect technology, with a very long life".

- Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz: 330 years of relevance

2025 marked the 330th anniversary of the death of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz.

Tec de Monterrey produced a facsimile edition of La Respuesta a Sor Filotea de la Cruz (The Reply to Sister Filotea de la Cruz), a key text in feminist thought and women’s right to knowledge.

The work was accompanied by a version in contemporary Spanish to facilitate reading.

“Sor Juana makes a statement about women’s right to wisdom, not only through books but also through life itself.” 

Sor Juana was celebrated as a figure who brought together science, poetry, music, and critical thinking. “She was curious about the laws that govern the world".

- Rosario Castellanos: One hundred years of an essential voice

The year 2025 marked the centenary of the birth of Rosario Castellanos, one of Mexico’s greatest poets and storytellers.

Readings, recitals, theatrical performances, and academic meetings were held in Mexico and abroad.

High school students read and reinterpreted Balún Canán, making the work their own.

“Sor Juana and Rosario Castellanos are our great Mexican poets.”

- Cristina Rivera Garza and global recognition

In 2025, Cristina Rivera Garza was considered among the names mentioned for the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Her novel El invencible verano de Liliana (Liliana’s Invincible Summer) was highlighted as a seminal work for its literary power and ethical dimension.

The book honors the memory of missing women and victims of femicide.

“It makes us feel that their lives have an invincible summer, a strength and a voice that continues to resonate.”

Her work was celebrated for its ability to combine chronicle, historical research, and poetry.

- Other voices and distinctions in the Spanish language

The novel Hasta que empiece a brillar (Until It Begins to Shine) by Andrés Neuman, winner of the Alfaguara Prize, championed the figure of María Moliner.

This book celebrated a lively and democratic view of language beyond the academic canon.

Writers such as Rosa Montero also made their mark this year with reflections on the relationship between the humanities, science, and technology.

“Today’s humanists are also scientists, and scientists must be humanists".

A year marked by women’s voices

2025 confirmed a clear trend: Women took center stage in literary discourse.

Their works addressed themes such as memory, identity, justice, knowledge, and language.

According to Ana Laura Santamaría: “It’s women’s time. Their voices are resonating with great force.”

“2025 was a great year, with Uziel Muñoz and Alegna González winning medals at the World Athletics Championships, bringing home a couple of medals, as well as Osmar’s gold,” according to sports journalistAntonio Rosique.

- World gold in diving

One of the most notable achievements of the year was Osmar Olvera’s gold medal at the World Diving Championships.

The Mexican diver was crowned champion in the 3-meter springboard event, cementing his status as one of the great figures of national sport in 2025.

- Track and field: Mexico on the world podium

At the World Athletics Championships, Mexico won two key medals, thanks to:

• Uziel Muñoz
• Alegna González

According to the journalist, both medals confirmed the growth of Mexican athletes in top-level competitions.

- Historic gold in women’s flag football

The Mexican Women’s Flag Football Team won the gold medal at the 2025 World Games, held in Chengdu, China.

The victory meant a second consecutive championship for the women’s national team.  Tecnológico de Monterrey played a prominent role with:

• Diana Flores
• Ángela Funes
• Andrea Martínez
• Victoria Chávez
• Ana Aguayo

- Cycling: An unprecedented feat

Cyclist Isaac del Toro made history in the Giro d’Italia.

He became the first Mexican to wear the Maglia Rosa, the jersey worn by the overall leader of the competition.

Del Toro finished the Giro in second place, achieving one of the most significant performances in the history of Mexican cycling.

*With information from Rebeca Ruiz

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