"Connecting Minds, Creating the Future" is the catchcry of what Dubai is calling "a festival of human ingenuity".  Wanting nations and people to collaborate, the challenge has already gone out to university students to find ways towards innovations that will improve lives while preserving the environment. 

As part of this partnership program, US$100m. will 'fund, accelerate and promote' research and development for real and positive social impacts.  Durie, C., in a recent "Open Skies' article referred to the opening cycle of this initiative that has awarded kits to grow food from home without soil, a drone-system that promptly cleans up oil spills, an App that improves mobility by sharing car/taxi/bike plans, reuse of plastic bottles (and saves the remaining water) to reduce wastage, to an unmanned submarine detecting and providing feedback on the progressive health of coral reefs.  This concept is something that could spread and take root everywhere in learning communities and cities, not just the UAE.

Projects will be showcased at Expo 2020, 20 October 2020 to 10 April 2021.  With this lead time, ideas can be finessed and enable grass roots projects to be realised in unison with 'big name' initiatives.  The intention is to shape a better world into the future.  In addition, as a meeting point for millions, the Al Wasl Plaza is being constructed with pavilions to focus on issues around mobility and sustainability, as well as providing a place for worthwhile conversations across cultures and diverse interests.  For further information on developments, please see: https://www.expo2020dubai.com/.

Denise Reghenzani-Kearns PhD
PASCAL Associate