Overview
WASD 16th International Annual Conference and 5th Diaspora International Conference
co-organized and hosted by the
United Nations Joint Inspection Unit (JIU)
Geneva, Palais de Nations, 10-13 April 2018
For the first time since its inception the Annual Conference of the World Association for Sustainable Development (WASD) will be co-organized with, and hosted by a United Nations body, namely the Joint Inspection Unit of the United Nations system (JIU) in the Palais des Nations – Geneva, as an expression of participatory, open and multi-stakeholder approach that underlies the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Both JIU and WASD are inspired by the conviction that the 2030 Agenda and its 17 goals provides momentum for a renewed UN engagement with the private sector.
Diaspora
The collaboration between the Diaspora and those working within the country of origin offers several opportunities and contributes to increase productivity towards sustainable and inclusive knowledge-based growth. Building constructive relationships between the Diasporas and countries of origin require that Diasporas be treated not as a mere resource, but as partners and investors with mutual benefits.
It has long been argued that Diasporas will be most interested in contributing to SD efforts when they have a sense of belonging in relation to their country of origin. Therefore, it is very important to establish trust between Diasporas and governments in the country of origin. In doing so, governments need to invest in identifying their Diasporas abroad and in understanding their skills and interests.
Many sustainability problems can only be tackled by connecting the diaspora with those working within the country of origin, for example combating the results of climate change, diseases such as malaria, reservation of natural resources, fighting land degradation or limiting the loss of biodiversity and many other problems. Moreover, knowledge or evidence-based policymaking is indispensable if gaps in living standards are to be narrowed. Therefore, building capacity in country of origin is necessary for competing in the global arena and there it is critical to turn the diaspora into a positive tool for SD as well as serving as role models for the youth in the country of origin.
Location
Geneva, Switzerland
Team
The conference is organised by several committees from WASD and under close supervision of WASD Advisory Board.
WASD Team
- Prof. Allam Ahmed: Co-Chair and President WASD
- Janet Snow: International Coordinator and Editor
- N. Joseph Navinraj: Publishing
- Salma Hassan: Marketing and Communication
- Ahmed Abdeldaim: Project Coordinator
- Sara Altigani: Social Media
- Mhdi Safe Aldeen Ibrahim: Webmaster
- Sheema Hassan: Network Coordinator
- Siham Ismail: Network Coordinator
- Joseph Adamson: Video Production
- Moniem Ibrahim: Video Production
- Vicky Trainer: Graphic Designer
- Mervyn Clingan: Video Production
UN JIU Team
- Dr. Petru Dumitriu: Conference Chair and author of the JIU report on
the partnership between the United Nations and the private sector - Hervé Baudat: Research Assistant
- Lucie Pelfort: Intern
- Pierre Alan Seya: Intern