- Global Engagement & Empowerment Forum on Sustainable Development (GEEF) 2021 Held Successfully February 22, 2021
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Discussions about the global cooperation and its changes in the post-pandemic world
On February 4 and 5, Yonsei University in Seoul, Korea held Global Engagement & Empowerment Forum on Sustainable Development (GEEF) with about 3,500 participants online. During the Special Conversation with Angelina Jolie and Ban Ki-moon, there were about 1,000 real-time participants.
The topic of the third GEEF was '3Ps Beyond Security: Peace, Prosperity, and Partnership.' Accordingly, the speakers discussed about the changes in global cooperation for the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the time of extended crisis of COVID-19 and the effect of climate change.
President of Yonsei University Seoung Hwan Suh said in his Welcome Remarks on February 5, "GEEF will play a pivotal role in presenting solutions for future generations with experts from all sectors.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kang Kyung-wha, underlined "the importance of equitable and affordable supply of vaccine" in the Congratulatory Remark on the same day. The former Austrian President Heinz Fischer stressed the importance of the efforts to advance the SDGs.
In her Keynote Speech, UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina J. Mohammed emphasized the role of the international community to guarantee the rights of vulnerable groups and to create an inclusive society. The first president of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, Colombian President, Iván Duque Márquez, and the 12th World Bank President, Jim Yong Kim also made a Keynote Speech emphasizing the use of multilateralism and innovative technologies to overcome COVID-19 and poverty.
From 9:10 am on February 5, a Round Table was held on the theme of 'Global Partnership During and Post-COVID-19', and from 3 pm on the same day, a Plenary Session was held on the theme of "Towards Carbon Neutrality for Planetary Sustainability."
The third GEEF was attended by world renowned experts and scholars from various fields, including Margaret Chan, the 7th Secretary General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Jeffrey D. Sachs, Professor of Columbia University, A. K. Abdul Momen, Foreign Minister of Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, Maria Castillo-Fernandez, EU Ambassador to Republic of Korea, Patrick V. Verkooijen, CEO of the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA), Soogil Young, CEO of the Korea Sustainable Development and Solution Network (SDSN), Bindu N. Lohani, Chairman of Board, Clean Air Asia, and Jean Asselborn, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Luxembourg. Participants gathered their ideas for what kind of efforts and common resources will be necessary for the recovery and cooperation for the collapsing humanity. Although on-site participation was not open to the public, there were active discussions among the participants through Youtube Live.
On February 5, from 10:40 am Angelina Jolie, Special Envoy of the UNHCR and Ban Ki-moon, Honorary Chair of the Institute for Global Engagement and Empowerment (the 8th UN Secretary-General) discussed the need for global cooperation to cope with global inequality caused by COVID-19 and climate change, as well as global efforts for children, women, and refugees. Angelina Jolie said, "there is no better investment than investment in refugees," stressing that "it is not only a humane thing to do, but also it is a smart thing to do." The speakers agreed on the urgency of the mental health issues of refugees situated in human rights violations and the need for education to help children recognize their own rights.
In addition, experts in six academic Featured Sessions sought international cooperation after COVID-19 in various fields such as future direction for achieving SDGs, higher education, social and creative innovation, and utilization of 4th industrial revolution technology.
In his closing remarks, Ban Ki-moon emphasized the importance of "sustainability based on solidarity with each other." The event ended with a message that "cooperation beyond borders should lead to the progress of the Paris Agreement on Sustainable Development Goals and Climate Change set by the UN."
GEEF is jointly sponsored by Institute for Global Engagement and Empowerment at Yonsei University, Ban Ki-moon Foundation for A Better Future, and Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens in Austria. This year's event was officially sponsored by POSCO, FleishmanHillard Korea, and Hanbul Motors.
The forum was streamed on Youtube Live (www.youtube.com/c/IGEEyonsei) in both English and Korea and photos will be provided on the GEEF website (www.geef-sd.org/).
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