- The Division for Prosperity invites you to UNITAR’s 60th anniversary public forum, “Scaling Responsible Entrepreneurship and Solutions to Global Challenges”.
- The public forum will be held at the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) building, Conference Room C2, 7bis Avenue de la Paix, 1211 Geneva Switzerland on 3 October 2023 at 13:30-17:30 (CEST/UTC+2).
- The forum will feature Division for Prosperity Advisory Board members Michael Fors, Linda Hill, Jos Verbeek, Sarah Agbor, and Ashleigh Owens, as well as key leaders from various sectors and youth innovators.
Photo by YuriArcursPeopleimages via Envato Elements
28 September 2023, Geneva, Switzerland – United Nations Institute for Training and Institute (UNITAR) Division for Prosperity will host in partnership with the University of Geneva a public forum "Scaling Responsible Entrepreneurship and Solutions to Global Challenges" on 3 October 2023 at 13:30-17:30 (CEST/UTC+2). It will take place at the UNITAR HQ, WMO Building, in Conference room C2, on the -1 floor in Switzerland. Prior registration is required to attend in person.
As part of UNITAR’s 60th anniversary celebrations, this public forum will focus on the challenges, best practices, and ways forward to generate prosperity through responsible entrepreneurship and innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The forum brings together individuals and organizations from International Geneva, home to more than 600 international organizations that collaborate through public and private partnerships to accelerate progress towards the SDGs. Many of today’s key challenges – such as using data to measure the SDGs’ impact, creating opportunities in the Global South, enabling diversity in siloed sectors, and harnessing technology for good – heavily depend on the involvement of all sectors and meaningful partnerships between academia, international organizations, and the private sector.
General Information
Date/Time: 3 October 2023, 13:30-17:30 (CEST/UTC+2)
Venue: World Meteorological Organization (WMO) building, Conference Room C2, 7bis Avenue de la Paix, 1211 Geneva Switzerland
Language: English
Registration: In-person attendance
Fee: Free of charge
Agenda
13:30-13:45: Opening remarks by Nikhil Seth, Executive Director, UNITAR
14:00-14:45 Panel session 1: Business Upskilling for the Global South
The Global South faces local challenges that obstruct sustainability opportunities. Reinforcing upskilling, especially in the Global South with its strong youth population, and fostering entrepreneurship are key to creating opportunities and addressing sustainability challenges. How can we foster education at scale?
Moderator: Michael A. Fors, Executive Leader, Corporate Division and Business Unit Development, Boeing
Panellists
- Johannes Wedenig, UNICEF Director – Project Leader YOMA
- Thomas Maillart, Open Geneva
- Linda Hill, Harvard Business School
14:45-15:30 Panel session 2: Measuring SDGs impact and data for responsible entrepreneurship
Data lets us measure the impact of the SDGs on our world. As entrepreneurship, new ventures and efforts to create social impact constantly evolve, our need to assess how we create change responsibly, also grows. How can we measure the impact of the SDGs and what data do we need to ensure that we are reaching our goals?
Moderator: Jos Verbeek, Manager / International Development Expert
Panellists
- Elena Proden, Agenda 2030, UNITAR, and Crowd4SDG project member
- Christina Hertel, Director, Geneva Centre for Responsible Entrepreneurship
- Ashleigh Owens, Senior Advisor, Shift
- Tetsuo Kondo, former Director of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Representation Office in Tokyo
15:30-15:45 Break
15:45-16:30 Panel session 3: Women in the private sector
Women represent only 33 per cent of the private sector. The underrepresentation of women impedes the creation of impact in business sectors where sustainability challenges continue to grow. The private sector is a powerful driver for change when it leads on gender initiatives, especially where sectors such as finance, technology and digital become more inclusive. How can we achieve and reinforce gender inclusivity to advance private and business sectors?
Moderator: Sarah Anyang Agbor, Vice President, Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) Africa Board
Panellists:
- Sonia Herrero Mateo, Consultant, formerly with Deloitte
- Ashleigh Owens, Senior Advisor, Shift
- Monicah Wangeci, Social Entrepreneur, UNITAR
16:30-17:15 Panel session 4: Empowering Economies of Trust and Bridging the Digital Divide
Trust in economies and institutions is at stake when it comes to not only dealing with local and regional challenges, but also when inequalities have reached global levels, and the gap continuously grows in providing equal opportunities to all parts of the world. How can we ensure our economies effectively support empowering global communities with equal access?
Moderator: Linda A.Hill, Wallace Brett Donham Professor of Business Administration, Faculty Chair, Leadership Initiative, Harvard Business School
Panellists:
- Gautham Varada Narayan, Project Officer, Swiss Learning Exchange, and Founder of Bus Ya Faraha start-up
- Carlo Giardinetti, Consulting Sustainability Lead, Deloitte
- Seizo Onoe, Director of Telecommunications Standardization Bureau, ITU
- Anna Jablonska, Managing Partner, DACH, Tenderhut
17:15-17:30: Closing remarks by Mihoko Kumamoto, Director of Division for Prosperity, UNITAR
UNITAR is dedicated to supporting countries to shape an inclusive, sustainable and prosperous world. We offer world-class learning and knowledge-sharing services on sustainable prosperity and the SDGs, particularly working to reach those who have been left behind.
*The contents and panellists may change
About UNITAR
The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) is a dedicated training arm of the United Nations. In 2022, UNITAR trained 396,046 learners around the world to support their actions for a better future. In addition to our headquarters in Geneva, UNITAR has offices in Hiroshima, New York and Bonn and networks around the world.
One of the eight divisions of UNITAR, the Division for Prosperity / Hiroshima Office seeks to shape an inclusive, sustainable and prosperous world. Our learning and knowledge-sharing services cover entrepreneurship, leadership, finance and trade, digital technologies, and nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. We empower individuals from developing countries – especially women and young people – to address inequalities. Our alumni are making a difference in least-developed countries, countries emerging from conflict, and small-island developing states.