27 January 2022, Geneva, Switzerland - The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and SICPA SA have signed agreement to issue digital certificates for hackathons.
The Letter of Intent was signed by the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director of UNITAR, Mr. Nikhil Seth, and SICPA's Chief Commercial Officer, Richard Budel, in December 2021.
The pilot agreement establishes a new cooperation between the two organizations to provide secure digital certificates of participation to future participants and Alumni of global hackathon activities that UNITAR co-designs and implements in collaboration with the Open Geneva Association.
The growing number of UNITAR beneficiaries, and, in particular, hackathon beneficiaries around the world, shows that technological capacities are needed to secure high quality digital certification. UNITAR will use SICPA's blockchain-based digital solution, named CERTUS®, which verifies the dynamic content of paper-based and digital documents by applying a tamper-proof QR marking, confirming their authenticity.
The agreement will be implemented to issue and provide secure digital certificates to participants of future hackathon projects in Europe and Asia-Pacific, while opportunities for future engagement, participation and updated knowledge will be offered through digital badges, which can be used for future training activities hackathon Alumni choose to benefit from.
About SICPA
Founded in Lausanne in 1927, SICPA provides secured authentication, identification and traceability solutions and services, integrating material-based covert features and digital technologies. At the forefront of research and innovation, operating on five continents, SICPA inks and special features protect the majority of the world’s banknotes, security and value documents. Every day, governments, companies and millions of people rely on us to protect the integrity and value of their currency, personal identity, products and brands. More information on www.sicpa.com
About UNITAR
The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) is a principal training arm of the United Nations, working in every region of the world. We empower individuals, governments and organizations through knowledge and learning to effectively overcome contemporary global challenges. UNITAR was established in 1965 as an autonomous body within the United Nations with the mandate of enhancing the effectiveness of the work of the United Nations and its Member States. In 2020, UNITAR’s reach extended to more than 300,000 beneficiaries through mostly e-learning and webinars, face-to-face seminars and workshops, or other training-related events. (www.unitar.org)