More than 1,500 world leaders of research on sustainability, government experts, innovators and civil society meet in Panama from today, June 26 to 30 at the third Congress of Research and Innovation in Sustainability (SRI2023), which will have nearly 200 sessions and transdisciplinary events, workshops and training opportunities, demonstrations and innovation contests, inclusive spaces for networking and international satellite events, among others that will be
The organizers of the event seek to promote knowledge about sustainability from transdisciplinary perspectives, constitute a platform to share innovative and inspiring ideas and create an inclusive space for action and collaboration among the social actors involved.
The congress, which will be completely hybrid (face-to-face and online) and bilingual (in Spanish and English), is organized by a consortium of four partners: the National Secretariat of Science, Technology and Innovation (Senacyt), Belmont Forum, Future Earth and the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI).
Dr. Eduardo Ortega Barría, secretary of Senacyt, said: “As hosts of the Congress of Research and Innovation in Sustainability (SRI2023), it is a distinction for Panama to host this event that for the first time is held in the American continent. With this transdisciplinary meeting we begin a new stage of international collaboration, exchange of knowledge and innovation in the face of the challenges of the 21st century as a result of global change.”
On the other hand, he encouraged the sharing of visions, advances and solutions in sustainability, including the ancestral knowledge and techniques of indigenous populations, and stressed the importance that the decisions made by governments are based on science for the good of future generations.
Panama has a significant number of scientific research centers and organizations at the intergovernmental, global and regional levels, and in recent years it has positioned itself among the most innovative countries in the field of the green economy and the blue economy.
“Keeping in mind the preparation and rapid response to emerging pathogens and possible pandemics in the future, driven by climate change, we are creating new research facilities, one of them will be the Regional Center for Innovation in Vaccines and Biopharmaceuticals. In addition, on the island of Coiba, we are building a scientific station, Coiba AIP, to study marine and terrestrial biodiversity in the park that bears its name.” Dr. Ortega Barría added that the decisions made by governments must be based on science, for the sake of future generations.
“Today Panama, like the vast majority of countries in Central America and the Caribbean, is highly vulnerable to global change and has the expectation that its commitment demonstrated in complying with international agreements to limit the increase in global temperature will be reinforced at the end of this important meeting,” summarized the highest authority of Senacyt.
Dr. Anna Stewart, executive director of the IAI, said: “It is a historic moment for the Americas and the global sustainability community. Last week we met with the governments and scientists of 15 countries of the Americas at the CoP of the IAl. They expressed the urgency of seeking solutions to the most important challenges for the region: the climate crisis, loss of biodiversity, water security, health threats, and growing poverty and inequality. Our governments shared innovative initiatives to incorporate scientific information into decision-making. There is hope to build the next generation of professionals who work at the science-politics interface, to strengthen scientific diplomacy, and to work in a fair and equitable way with indigenous peoples and local communities.”
The closing of the opening ceremony corresponded to Lcdo. José Gabriel Carrizo Jaén, vice president of the Republic of Panama, who said: “For centuries, the privileged geographical location of Panama has allowed us to serve as a place of approximation and exchange between the nations of the world, through meetings such as the one that summons us here today. We are honored to host a meeting like this, which promotes the exchange of ideas and purposes from multiple perspectives around a relevant, urgent and urgent issue for the future of the planet and humanity.”
The opening ceremony also featured the interventions of Dr. Erica Key, director of Future Earth US Global Hub and member of the executive committee of the SRI 2023; Dr. Nicole Arbour, executive director of the Belmont Forum and member of the executive committee of the SRI 2023; and Professor Stephanie Burton, of the University of Pretoria (South Africa), who, following a tradition, passed a cane from the
In her message, based on a poem, Professor Burton referred to following the voice of our region and sustainability, to celebrating the planet and the people. “The future is now and here, and this is an opportunity for future leaders, experts and innovators. Have a successful congress.” And Dr. Ortega Barría thanked the relay cane: “We will present it next year to the following organizers.”
Key issues
During the five days of the congress, various topics of importance will be addressed in this scientific event that will revolve around 4 main areas such as: Changing the Course of Climate Change: Collaborative Action for Institutional Transformation; Healthy and Inclusive Communities; A Peaceful Planetary Mind; and Latin America and the Caribbean, Science and Innovation for Sustainability.
The approaches that will be addressed in the main issues are the strategies of biodiversity/water loss; sustainable agricultural and mining practices; sustainable tourism in vulnerable regions; The dispersion of Latin American and Caribbean communities as a resource for innovative transformation.
This important event began with a plenary session that focuses on the “Advancement of science and innovation for sustainability in Latin America,” since climate change and environmental degradation add complexity to the already unequal access to health services, education and poverty gaps, which were aggravated during the Covid-19 pandemic.
This session was attended by recognized national and international exhibitors, such as architect Raisa Banfield, director of Sustainable Development of the Center for the Integration of Nature and Cities (CINC) and executive president of the Sustainable Panama Foundation (PASOS); Dr. David Smith, coordinator of the Institute for Sustainable Development (ISD) at the University of the West Indies; Dr. Rolando A Gittens, Research Engineer at the Institute of Scientific Research and High Technology Services (INDICASAT AIP) in Panama, among others.
One of those conferences of the SRI2023 week is entitled “Biodiversity and ecosystem services: knowledge gaps and paths to follow,” which will seek to teach about the results of the latest evaluations of use and sustainable values of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biological Diversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), which are key topics that appear in many collaborative research calls for action of the Belmont Forum It will be dictated by Dr. Brian Leung, a member of scientific and technological policy of AAAS/IAI at the National Science Foundation, in the United States.
The congress will present several interactive dialogue sessions, among which we can highlight: “Water scarcity on two continents: Africa and the Americas,” based on a study carried out by the Water Program of the Inter-American Network of Academies of Sciences (IANAS) and the Network of African Academies of Sciences (NASAC), taking into account different findings, including the threats and uncertainty of
Another of the congress dialogues is called “The Indigenous perspectives of Panama towards the protection of the territories of life by 2030”, where the speakers belong to the Panamanian indigenous communities of Maje Emberá and Ngäbe-Buglé, with topics such as “The indigenous struggle to protect the territories of life”, by the Cacique Maje Emberá Drua, Lázaro Me
On June 28, “the Open Day” will be held: it is a unique opportunity for civil society groups and organizations, companies and educational institutions to show their work to the global audience of the SRI2023 professional sustainability experts gathered in Panama. The Open Day will have activities at the Panama Convention Center, the Technological University of Panama, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and the Interoceanic Canal Museum.
The congress will provide the opportunity for young students and professionals who will participate in the “Eoe Market Day”, together with a panel of sustainability experts, where they will be able to show their research, advances or innovative ideas in sustainability, sharing good practices and lessons learned.
During the academic day, Senacyt will have a stand with the participation of researchers from the National Research System (SNI), to discuss its sustainability projects.
For more information about the congress, visit: https://sricongress.org/
About SENACYT: The National Secretariat of Science, Technology and Innovation (Senacyt), is an autonomous institution whose mission is to turn science and technology into tools for the sustainable development of Panama. Our projects and programs are focused on enhancing the scientific and technological development of the country and thus, closing the inequality gap and promoting equitable development that improves the quality of life of Panamanians.