SDGzine special edition 07 - Open Geneva

The first contact between UNITAR and Open Geneva was made through Thomas Maillart, who at that time supervised a Master’s student, Afroditi Anastasaki, who ended up working with UNITAR. Thomas has been a great partner to help us understand how to approach new audiences through hackathons. Through Open Geneva we have also connected to many new partners in the cantons of Geneva and Vaud.

What were your motivations to start your collaboration with Open Geneva?

There are many reasons why we at UNITAR decided to start collaborating with Open Geneva. Based on trust and the belief that we need to try out new approaches, we started collaborating with Open Geneva in the practice of open innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs provide a comprehensive and universal framework for sustainable development, and innovative thinking is critical to achieving them. Open innovation can help us tap into new ideas and perspectives from a wide range of people and organizations. It also allows us to work more efficiently by sharing resources and knowledge. We believe that our collaboration with Open Geneva will help us achieve the SDGs faster and more effectively.

One of the avenues of collaboration between UNITAR and Open Geneva are the SDG Innovation Bootcamps. A series of short programs (online and hybrid), the SDG Innovation Bootcamps are aimed at a new generation of impact entrepreneurs, willing to collectively act in order to address challenges for the SDGs through open innovation. They take place before hackathons and allow participants to get to know the challenges they will be confronted with while hacking through expert presentations and practical exercises.

How would you describe the partnership between UNITAR and Open Geneva?

The partnership between UNITAR and Open Geneva has opened up new possibilities for research & development of training activities. Our joined activities have focused on a diverse set of topics, for example inclusiveness and disabilities in the Asian context or combating modern slavery. The partnership has also created new opportunities for training, capacity building and knowledge sharing on these topics. We are looking forward to continuing our partnership with Open Geneva and learning more about their work in the future.

Group photo of the SDG Open Hack! Bali

Jonas Haertle

CHIEF, OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UNITAR

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SDG Open Hack! Asia Pacific

In collaboration with UNIGE, UNITAR and Tsinghua University, Open Geneva helped organize hackathons in China (Beijing, Shenzhen, Nanning, Yunnan), Singapore (with Global Green Connect and Top 5 Universities), Bali (with Jimbaran Hub and Tsinghua South East Asia), Bangkok (with Asia Institute of Technology), as well as Laos and Nepal. Although the project has come to a conclusion, a large part of our contacts in these regions have expressed a strong desire to continue SDG Open Hack! on their own, with the support of UNITAR, Open Geneva, UNIGE and Tsinghua University.

SDG Open Hack! Bali