
Geneva Global Games
The Geneva Global Games will take place on June 16th! Hosted by the Think Tank Hub – a joint platform by the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as foraus, the think tank on foreign policy – and in partnership with Geneva Solutions, the Geneva Global Games aim to provide think tanks and research centers an international platform to showcase their expertise. Think tanks from around the world will present a promising future research or project to a panel of experts from the International Geneva ecosystem. Together they will build sustainable impact in key areas of multilateral policy-making!
Big or small, global or local, any think tank or research center with a relevant research idea will have the opportunity to showcase its innovative solutions for the future of global health and economies!
What is the programme?
- Morning – Pitching sessions: In the morning think tanks will be put into the role of solution providers. Concretely, participants will have ten minutes to present an idea or a promising research project. During these few minutes, participants need to convince the jury of the relevance of their research for policy-makers. Afterwards, the jury will have five minutes to ask questions and exchange with the participants. The jury is composed of different experts active in the International Geneva ecosystem.
- Green Economy track begins at 9:45 am (CEST)
- Digital Health track begins at 11:20 am (CEST)
- Afternoon – Speed-networking
- At 2pm, the think tank representatives, the jury members, stakeholders and external guests working for international organizations in Geneva will have the opportunity to meet and join through a series of speed networking sessions. This will be the perfect opportunity to create sustainable links between different actors from different fields and to foster potential collaborations. (speed networking sessions are not open to the public)
- At 4:30pm, after the judges have deliberated, one winner will be announced for each of the two tracks. The prize for the winning organization is a personalized workshop, where the winning institution shall be able to receive tailored expert support to develop their idea and insure its long term viability.
- At 2pm, the think tank representatives, the jury members, stakeholders and external guests working for international organizations in Geneva will have the opportunity to meet and join through a series of speed networking sessions. This will be the perfect opportunity to create sustainable links between different actors from different fields and to foster potential collaborations. (speed networking sessions are not open to the public)
The full programme can be found HERE.
Track #1 – Green Economy
Economic and financial pathways towards sustainable development
Green economy was put on the top of the political agenda following the financial crisis of 2007–2008. Recession, debt, job losses, and business failures coincided with increasing concern about the impacts of climate change resulting from anthropogenic activities. All these crises occurred against a backdrop of publicized ecological degradation, and growing concern about its impact on human life.
The preoccupation at the root of the green economy isn’t new. Sustainability, the mother concept, was first presented to the world of international politics in 1987 through what is now commonly known as the Brundtland report. The report insisted on a “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. This is the heart of sustainability and green economies: the health of people and the health of the planet are interconnected. The green economy should therefore be understood as an economy that improves “human well-being and social equity”, while simultaneously “reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities” (UNEP, 2011, Modelling Global Green Investment Scenarios. Supporting the transition to a global green economy).
While green economies are a future-oriented plan, which takes into account social inequalities and human well-being, they don’t escape criticism. The role of economic growth, which should be maintained, is notably criticized. Green economies are sometimes considered another way of saying “almost business as usual”, a status quo that is more and more frowned upon, especially in the context of Covid-19 and climate change.
However, emerging during a time of financial and economic duress, “green growth” and “green economy” have become popular concepts across all major world regions. The appeal lies in the collaboration of economic growth and environmental responsibility while encouraging social development, alongside the possibility to restructure the economy to our needs without any losses.
In the context of the Geneva Global Games, we address green economies as they are inextricably bound to Geneva itself. The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE), which supports the countries wishing to embark on greener and more inclusive growth trajectories, is based in Geneva, as is the WTO, which is strongly linked to sustainable finance. If your think tank intends to address green economies and all their challenges, the Geneva Global Games are the perfect opportunity to present your idea!
- Aik Hoe Lim (WTO) | Director of Trade and Environment | Jury
- Moustapha Kamal Gueye (ILO) | Global coordinator Green Jobs Programme | Jury
- Helen Elizabeth Burdett (WEF) | Head Circular Economy | Jury
- Michelle Langrand (Geneva Solutions) | Journalist at Geneva Solutions | Jury
- Joachim Monkelbaan (WEF) | Climate Trade Lead | Expert
Track #2 – Digital Health
Which opportunities for public health?
Digital technologies are changing our health systems at all levels: from the research of new vaccines, drugs or medical devices to treatment methods and healthcare services in our everyday life. They open up new and partly still unknown possibilities, changing the way we understand health and how we deal with it.
Digital health is not a new phenomenon and has been discussed since the mid-2000s at the multilateral level (falling under the term ‘eHealth’ back then). Yet, recent technological developments and Covid-19 have acted as catalysts for increased awareness on and about need for action from a policy perspective. For the international community, the digitalisation of health systems offers new opportunities to achieve the goal of Universal Health Coverage by 2030 (Sustainable Development Goal n°3) as well as, for example, to combat infectious diseases such as Covid-19 more effectively.
While the opportunities are immense, there are as many challenges around digital health technologies and solutions (e.g. misuse and discrimination related to the data used), which have to be addressed.
Digital health refers to any aspect related to the digital transformation of health care involving technologies such as the Internet of things, virtual care, remote monitoring, AI, big data analytics, blockchain, smart wearables as well as data exchange and storage tools. Digital health should always have an end goal to improve health outcomes be it by improving medical diagnosis, facilitating access to health care services, facilitating self-management and person-centred care or unleashing new treatment methods and outcomes.
In the context of the Geneva Global Games, we address digital health and its impact on society and citizens. What opportunities can digital health create for public health? What policies and regulatory frameworks are needed to guarantee it has a positive societal impact? If your think tank intents to address the close relationship between digital health and its impact on public health in future projects, the Geneva Global Games are the perfect opportunity to get started!
- Sameer Pujari (WHO) | Manager BHBM, Vice Chair Ai 4 health WHO ITU focus group| Jury
- Aferdita Bytyqi (Global Institute) | Senior coordinator of The Lancet & Financial Times Commission: Governing Health Futures 2030: Growing up in a digital world | Jury
- Caroline Perrin (Geneva Hub for Global Digital Health ) | Head of the Geneva Hub for Global Digital Health | Jury
- Michelle Langrand (Geneva Solutions) | Journalist at Geneva Solutions | Jury
Practical information
- This event takes place online. Think tanks will join and pitch their ideas online. The audience will also have the opportunity to view the event online live. The jury will be deliberating and viewing the pitching sessions from the Impact Hub in Geneva.
- This event is covered by Geneva Solutions, a journalistic platform dedicated to covering International Geneva and our official partner in this event. Launched in 2019, Geneva Solutions is an independent project that now covers the work of 40 international organizations, which encompass 179 States, and hundreds of NGOs. The entirety of the Geneva Global Games will be covered by Geneva Solutions.
Further useful information can be found in the event FAQ.
Who is organising?
This event is organised by the Think Tank Hub, an initiative endorsed and supported by the FDFA.
Launched in 2014 as a joint initiative by the Swiss think tank on foreign policy foraus and the Swiss Department of Foreign Affairs, the Think Tank Hub acts as an incubator for bringing the expertise and policy recommendations of think tanks to policy makers in International Geneva. It facilitates the involvement and evidence-based contributions of think tanks to policy discussions within International Geneva, and enriches the International Geneva ecosystem with innovative formats and new angles to challenges multilateralism is facing.
Since its founding, the Think Tank Hub has organized more than 20 Think Tank Talks with over 500 participants, 4 editions of a Winter School for Think Tankers, numerous Afterworks and Joint Lunches to connect professionals of the international Geneva ecosystem, hosted 63 think tanks in its offices and conference rooms, and established partnerships with over 60 international organizations and 30 think tanks. Its core role is to build bridges between different stakeholders, create a space for policy discussions around key multilateral issues, and ultimately meaningfully contribute to policy making. As a hub, it is also a space for foreign think tanks to bring up fresh ideas and expand their advocacy work within the International Geneva sphere.
If you have further questions concerning this project or the Think Tank Hub, contact us at info@thinktankhubgeneva.org.