URBiNAT contributed to the arrangement of an international event hosted by the Sultanate of Oman at the W Hotel in Central Muscat, on October 17-19, 2022.
The Global Forum on Technology, Sustainability and Humanity combined the 2022 edition of the Global Forum/Shaping the Future event with the platform for Water and Humanity, that has been established with the support of URBiNAT, among other organisations. Several of the partners in URBiNAT took active part in the event.
Opening of the Global Forum on Technology, Sustainability and Humanity on 17 October, Omani Womens Day, with welcome addresses given by HE Dr Ali Al Shidani, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, Abdul Rahman Al Yahya’ey, CEO OPAL, HE Stella Kloth, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, HE Thomas Oertle, Ambassador of Switzerland, and Mona Luqman, Founder of Food4Humanity and Co-founder of Women in Solidarity Network, Yemen. The Welcome Session was moderated by URBiNAT partner Ingrid Andersson, IKED.
Keynote Opening on second day moderated by URBiNAT partner Thomas Andersson, IKED.
Within 3 days, some 200 experts, thought leaders, business representatives and decision makers from all over the world discussed ideas and visions on solutions for a smarter, more sustainable, more liveable and resilient world.
The sessions were led by international experts, such as Dalia A. Badawi, Futurist, Egypt, Michael Stankowski, George Washington University, US, Alexandre Hedjazi, Geneva University, Switzerland, and Marc Watum, CEO Vertex Ecosystem, South Africa – to name only a few.
Besides topics related to infrastructures, disruptive technologies, AI and digital health solutions, the conference also addressed sustainable smart cities, water related issues, food and energy management, women in tech, nature-based solutions, and cultural heritage.
On the second conference day, José Miguel Lameiras, University of Porto /CIBIO, contributed to the discussions on Smart vs. Nature Based Solutions by raising the issue of science and knowledge in the development of NBS, using the example ofthe 3D Virtual Immersion of the Porto Healthy Corridor. Meanwhile, Guido Ferilli, IULM, discussed the Digitalisation and Innovation for Heritage & Culture in the parallel session.
URBiNAT was just as present on the 3rd conference day: Guido Ferilli gave a talk in the session on Youth, Education and Awareness-Creation: Valuing Water, moderated by Ingrid Andersson. José Miguel Lameiras advocated key actions for climate resilience in the session on Visualising and Mobilising Action Defending the Global Commons. Américo Mateus, Head of Research TRIE (Transdisciplinary Research Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship Ecosystems), moderated a great session on Circularity and Unconventional Water Resources, and presented a Circular Innovation Ecosystem based on Co-Nature’ing in the session on the Role of Business and Stakeholder Engagement.
