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technologies be there. Many of them can be abused, and North. It’s working very well. We are now emerging The Portail des Nations is a wonderful gift
not all of them are consistently put to good use. There has from our start-up phase. The Swiss government have from the Fondation pour Genève, and Mr. Ivan
to be some sort of governance that is globally accepted just announced a couple of weeks ago that they are Pictet, given to the United Nations, that will
and not just greed that determines what kind of science extending our lifespan by 10 years, and they are tripling provide the United Nations in Geneva and the
and technology we get, where it is going to be used their financial contribution, which is quite a gratifying United Nations system overall with a gateway
and deployed. Just as important, it has to be accessible validation. and a place where we can tell visitors about
to everybody on this planet, not only the people in the the work and activities of the United Nations,
Global North. How many people are working in the initiative? what it is all about and what it doesand will
We are very small right now, altogether 12 persons, and do in their lives. Each individual who walks
That takes about 60 percent of my time, and I’m also on we’ll expand now that we are established, but not too in the door will understand the importance
the board of quite a number of foundations including the much. We are not aiming to be a very big organization. in their personal lives of what the United
Kofi Annan Foundation, which is working very well. I’m Once we have the solutions, others will implement them Nations is doing, not only the secretariat
on a number of foundations that are focusing on young in the countries, in the member states. We are working but the other parts of the organization. It
people, something I enjoy a lot. Then I’m asked to speak hard to become a networked organization, creating will increase the capacity and the number of
here and there, so I have pretty busy seven- to eight-hour partnerships. There is no point in re-inventing wheels visitors that can be accommodated on the “What we need is a much greater will,
days that I’m used to. that are perfectly functioning out there. This is also very United Nations grounds. It will be a place not only political, but also individual.”
much part of our approach. for educational activities for school children.
Never a dull moment? There will be spaces where they can have So that collaboration could be strengthened
First of all, I do not think I have ever had a dull moment. In today’s world, I’m convinced that organizations big or lectures. It will also be a space for temporary through the logic of multilateralism.
I cannot see myself sitting at home just reading the small will not succeed unless they network and partner. and permanent exhibitions of things we do
newspapers. I need to do something, and for me the The existential problems that we are facing are such and different initiatives around the world. If you want to maintain International Geneva
word “retirement” has kind of evaporated along the way. that unless we work together in ways we never worked I think it’s a wonderful opportunity for the as the go to place, as the city on this planet
together before, I do not think we’ll make it. Our children United Nations. It happened to be presented that has the strongest international ecosystem,
Going back to the Science and Diplomacy Initiative. Are and grand-children might not, and certainly not with under my Director-Generalship and I signed you need to constantly make sure that the
you open for people? the level of well-being that our generation has benefitted with the donors the agreements and set up environment in which this ecosystem is
People who are interested in our work should have a from. So, we must work together. discussions. All this is moving forward now, situated is as optimized as possible.
look on our website, which is www.gesda.global. In there and I think they will start building in the next
you will see one of our first products, something we call The collaborative gene, if you will, is developing well. Part couple of months. Finally, if you have a message to our readers.
the “Science Breakthrough Radar”, which is a document of the inputs for that are the Sustainable Development What would that be?
written by over 500 scientists predicting what is going to Goals (SDGs). With the complexity of the problems and Looking back and based upon your experience, I think one big transversal message becoming
happen over the next 5, 10, 25 years in the four areas of the complexity of the solutions needed to be applied, we what should be done to strengthen Geneva more and more acute as we move towards a
science that we work on. These four areas are quantum need a seriously increased level of collaboration and an right now? new type of multilateralism is that the one
and general artificial intelligence; human augmentation; integrated approach. International Geneva is like a flower. You have that the system that has done so much for
eco-regeneration and geo-engineering; and science to water it every day and make sure that it does humanity over the last decades is no longer up
and diplomacy. There are lots of things happening and Don’t you think that the Covid pandemic has made this not die. The same is true with the international to the task. We know what the problems are,
lots of scientists working with us, as well as my former obvious to people, that we must work together? ecosystem in Geneva. There are a number we understand their complexity, we also know
colleagues from the United Nations system. Practically Well, we can hope. There are two things, one positive of practical issues that is the authorities to pretty much what the solutions are. What we
all the United Nations system organizations have agreed and one negative. The positive, and that is something do. You have to strengthen the capacity to need is a much greater will, not only political,
to collaborate with us. They are looking in the tool box we leverage, is that the scientific community more than accommodate people. Every year there are but also individual. So, the message is to make
of the future, and they understand fully that they need any other community has been able to collaborate across more people coming to Geneva. They need sure that we actually behave in such a way as to
access to the new science and new technologies, and that the geographical and political divides. One of the results a place to live. So, the housing supply has to solve these huge existential problems, climate
we can help them. is that we got the vaccines in less than a year. The dark be increased. They have to make sure that the being the first one. We have to work together!
side was that, at the international level, the collaboration technology follows, that the strength of the We all must feel responsible, and this goes
It is very important for us that we have as broad a that was needed to ensure that everybody living on this information technology infrastructure is kept from the youngest child to people in their
conversation as possible, so, people can come and ask planet was vaccinated was lacking. That also shows the up to date. I have always been an advocate 90s. When, for example, you look at the grass-
questions, leave comments and interact with us through need for collaboration today, and perhaps the lessons of understanding International Geneva not roots level in many countries of the global
our website. We are in the process of creating a youth learned from this experience could help us and tell us merely as the City of Geneva but the whole south, people are working really well together,
forum, and this will start in Africa. We are very attentive what we should do better on the climate, for example. environment around the lake, which means and they are doing lots of imaginative things.
to making sure that the diversity not only of gender but stronger collaboration between Geneva and They are coming up with incredible solutions
also of geography is maintained, within our staff, our We know that you have been involved in the project France. A huge percentage of people working that we should all be better at learning from.
leadership and our board, as well as among the scientists Portail des Nations. Could you tell us what it is all in the United Nations system live in France, So it’s about taking responsibility, learning
we work with. So, it is not only scientists from the Global about? not only internationals but also local workers. from others – that we all have to chip in!

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