Dubai, January 19,
2022: The Swiss Pavilion at Expo 2020
Dubai organized a talk focusing on the three key pillars of innovation,
entrepreneurship, and sustainable development at the thematic Global Goals Week
of Expo 2020, in partnership with EPFL Essential Tech Center and the
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
As one of the most
innovative countries in the world, Switzerland at the Expo 2020 highlighted how
transferable technology can benefit the society as a whole and in turn, help
achieve the United Nation Sustainable Goals.
Elaborating on the
programme of the Global Goals week at the Swiss Pavilion, Mr. Dante Larini,
project manager Swissnex at the Swiss Pavilion, said “Our partners engaged with
our visitors through their individual talks, workshops and panels. They also
come together with peers from the UAE and the world, paving the way to create
valuable relationships. Our focus was to present a triangle between sustainable
development, innovation and entrepreneurship.”
The activities were
executed by EPFL Essential Tech Center, regional experts and the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which Switzerland founded in 1863, and is
now a beacon of inspiration in supporting humanitarian causes across the world.
The Swiss Pavilion
counted in the virtual presence of Gilles Carbonnier, the vice-president of
ICRC. He said: “Technological innovation and digital transformation are game
changers in humanitarian settings. Partnering with scientists and companies is
key to enhance our impact while putting the people we serve at the centre,
protecting their dignity and data privacy”.
The experts
participating in the discussion on-site – Nathalie Morandini-Siegrist, Head of
Stakeholder Relations EPFL EssentialTech Centre, Lorraine Charles, Co-Founder
and Director, Na’amal-remote work for refugees, and Dr. Elke
Neuman, Associate Professor in the field of plant nutrition and soil
science, United Arab Emirates University – demonstrated success stories applied
to the humanitarian context in their respective disciplines.
Mrs. Nathalie
Morandini-Siegrist, Head of Stakeholder Relations at EPFL EssentialTech Center
said, “We at EssentialTech attribute our success to a unique methodology that
begins with identifying real unmet needs, working with partners in the affected
regions. We then bring top technical, interdisciplinary expertise and
innovation to meet those needs. Finally, it is important to utilize a social
business model specifically designed for the context when it comes to
implementation because that ensures a sustainable, scalable solution.”
A current project of the
EPFL EssentialTech Centre is its participation in the Engineering for
Humanitarian Action Partnership (EHA), for which it coordinates EPFL’s
involvement. An initiative of the ETH Zurich, the EPFL and the ICRC, EHA
harnesses technological expertise to put at the service of humanitarian action.
The approach involves joint research projects, solution development and
educational programmes in the fields of energy/environment, data sciences and
digital technologies, and personalized health.
