Registration for the 'CovHack Virtual Innovation Challenge' has opened, the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, MOCCAE announced on 17 May 2020.

The CovHack Innovation Challenge is running under the theme ‘Circular Economy for Food’ that corresponds to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production. It aims to discover innovative ways of building resilience in local and global food supply chains through shifting towards a circular economy in the post-COVID-19 world, and as mankind plans for the future.

Innovate4Good, I4G - a sourcing, networking, and innovation platform for the impact startup ecosystem - is inviting innovative and ambitious change makers from the MENA region and beyond to join its CovHack Virtual Innovation Challenge.

The challenge is taking place in collaboration with UN75, MOCCAE, Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development, Catalyst (a Masdar-BP Initiative), Youth 4 Sustainability, and STRATECIS.

Online registration is open until 18th June 18 to startups, entrepreneurs, SMEs, young professionals, tech talent, and individual innovators under two categories - Early-Stage Startups and Teams.

Commenting on the announcement, Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, said, "The UAE leadership realises the severity of the challenges facing humanity at present, and the vital role innovation plays in addressing them."

"Targeting the crucial topic of food security," he explained, "the challenge builds on our country’s solid track record in bringing people together to come up with ground-breaking solutions to urgent global issues, as well as in supporting those who need it the most."

This CovHack Challenge is particularly significant, as it is taking place in the context of the 75th anniversary of the United Nations.

To mark the jubilee, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has launched the ‘world’s biggest conversation’ to listen to the views of the public, and notably young people, about the world’s challenges and potential solutions.

Since the start of the initiative in January 2020, findings from 186 countries have indicated overwhelming support for global cooperation, and even more so since the COVID-19 outbreak. Moreover, climate and the environment topped the list of issues that will most affect the future in the survey of over 40,000 respondents.

All participants in the UN75 dialogue will contribute to the world’s biggest conversation towards the United Nations’ centennial in 2045.

Participants will submit their solutions related to the circular economy for food across three innovation types – technologies, services, and products. The theme encompasses eight focus areas, including water efficiency, energy efficiency in agriculture, sustainable innovation in soilless growing media, sustainable greenhouse technologies and smart farming, food loss and waste management, distribution channels and delivery, sustainable packaging, and urban farming.

Speaking on the organisation’s involvement in the challenge, Fabrizio Hochschild, UN Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser on the Preparations for the Commemorations of the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations, said, "We will miss an unprecedented opportunity if we don’t use this crisis not only to recover but to recover better – in a manner that sets our communities, our countries, and our world on a healthier path economically, environmentally, and socially."

"The circular economy is one very important field where new, inspiring, and ground-breaking solutions can be found and achieved," he added.

"The UN75 Global Dialogue is about allowing people everywhere to have their say on the world they want, where they see the threats, and what their expectations are of global cooperation to address them. So, do join the conversation and speak up! Your voice will be heard," Hochschild asserted In the first round, judges will shortlist 20 of the best ideas in each of the two categories. The 40 startups and teams will then undergo mentorship to help them further develop their ideas and prototypes into viable solutions before the final project submission.

Twenty solutions will then be chosen to proceed to the semi-finals. The event will culminate in the CovHack Virtual Demo Day on 20th and 21st July. The winner in each category will receive incubation, mentorship, and acceleration opportunities.

The Institute for Economics & Peace are pleased to invite you to the launch webinar of the Global Peace Index 2020 report. Produced by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), it presents one of the most comprehensive data-driven analysis to-date on trends in peace, its economic value, and how to develop peaceful societies.

In addition to presenting the findings from the 2020 GPI, this year’s report will include an analysis of the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on peace. It examines how the impact of the pandemic, and in particular its economic consequences will increase the risk of severe deteriorations in Positive Peace over the next few years, and also examines which countries are best placed to recover from the shock.

The report will also outline IEP’s newest research report– the Ecological Threat Register (ETR), which combines a confluence of ecological risks with Positive Peace and economic coping capacity to better understand what future potential risks and fragilities nations will face in the coming years.

Government administration affects citizens daily in all walks of life, from public utilities to food safety, from law and order to general health, from revenue to election, and so forth. Trust and fame are thus built up between public services provider and the general recipients in this interactive motion. We expect public services provider and the general recipients positively reinforce each other so that a harmonious and cooperative bond is formed. The greater the bond, the smoother the relationship is, and no one welcomes the opposite circumstances.

A strong governance paradigm is not built in a day, which is complicated and sophisticated to establish. Constructive interaction, such as dialogues, is one way among the many to achieve the purpose.

In this regard, please take part in the Hong Kong's UN75 Dialogue jointly hosted by UNESCO Hong Kong Association (UHKA) and Hong Kong Institute of Education for Sustainable Development (HiESD) on the theme of "Sustainable governance with trust and support" at 3:00 pm on the 31st of May, 2020. The keynote speaker and the moderator is Dr. Elsie LEUNG, the former Secretary for Justice, the Past chairman of the Hospital Authority Dr. Leong Che Hung will also share some remarkable ideas on the this topic.

COVID-19 has paused the life of every human being on earth and affected global development at large. Whereas the world is under lockdown the progress of development is halted. On account of this, the International Youth Conference 2020 (IYC 2020) will take place under the theme ‘Regeneration: Moving forward with Development’. The conference will shed light on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and youth relevant themes. Youth and field experts will come together to discuss youth issues and drive youth action towards the achievement of SDGs while the world is at pause.

The objectives of the conference are:

• To provide an international platform to youth to develop and engage in participatory development of the world 
• To support the UN achieve its Sustainable Development Goals through youth engagement  
• To empower gender and youth equality and inclusion in decision making, policy making, and development at all levels (communal, local, institutional, national, and international)
• To brainstorm implementation of the Youth Climate Compact
• To chalk out innovative ideas for development
• To foster youth advancement through digital innovation and tools
• To steer thinking and aspiration towards social developmental solutions provision

IYC 2020 will also formulate a policy and action recommendation/document/manual for youth on how to act under ‘world at pause’ conditions, how to find relevant opportunities, combat depression and come out of it a victor.

The conference is truly global with organisers and speakers from all continents and is open to anyone identifying as youth as per the UN definition.

Capacity building both cultivates a person and a society. Hong Kong has implemented the essence of it in various fields for years, leading to a well-educated population beyond secondary level. Education, aligned with technology in the Greater Bay Area will be an influential topic of sustainable development in that location in the coming decade.

The education has brought people progressively out from poverty, and on the way to a technology-based and academically advanced situations. People are benefited in areas of job prospects, personal skills, wider scope of vision, deeper intrinsic values and the like. What we strive for is integration and articulation of education to sustainability in discipline it works, no matter it is social, environmental or economical. By doing so, the synergy generated is far greater, having more profound effects, and lasting perpetually in a dynamic way.

Your attendance through the web in Hong Kong‘s UN75 Dialogue jointly hosted by UNESCO Hong Kong Association (UHKA) and Hong Kong Institute of Education for Sustainable Development (HiESD) on the theme of “Prospecting Education with Technology and Human Resources in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area” at 3:00 pm on the 30th of May, 2020 is much appreciated. One of the keynote speakers is Chair Professor of the UNESCO and the Vice president of The Education University of Hong Kong, Prof. John LEE, with theme moderators by both Prof. Karen Q. CHEUNG – the Acting President & Secretary General of UNESCO Hong Kong Association and the Director of Hong Kong Institute of Education and Sustainable Development, as well as Prof. John LEE.

As COVID-19 has spread around the world, so has solidarity among people everywhere – with acts of kindness helping those in need and celebrating the frontline heroes. We want to recognise and nurture the value of solidarity, hope and togetherness and show that we are #StrongerTogether. Join the UN and civil society coalitions around the world to start a butterfly effect for solidarity and hope.

Share your solidarity with #StrongerTogether by using butterfly wings on zoom backgrounds; paint, create and share art; write messages of solidarity on signs, host colourful meetings or share heartwarming and impactful solidarity stories from your community. These inspiring acts of humanity improve the lives of others, inspire resilience and lift hopes in the ongoing health crisis. Share your action with #StrongerTogether! For action ideas and further information: SolidarityinAction.org #StrongerTogether

Also, join the UN75 dialogue ON the Global Day! How can society unite in solidarity, how can we empower vulnerable peoples, and how we protect the dignity of every human being? On the Global Day of Solidarity, join the UN75 Dialogue by taking the survey at https://un75.online/partner/solidarityday and joining at 9:00AM EST on 22 May http://bit.ly/un75solidarity to discuss how we can emerge from this global health crisis #StrongerTogether. Your views can make a difference! Register for the UN75 Dialogue: http://bit.ly/un75solidarity.

Join us in solidarity and send a message of hope! We have the opportunity to show the impact of individual actions to make the Sustainable Development Goals front and centre in the discussion on the recovery!

Hong Kong's UN 75th Dialogue jointly hosted by UNESCO Hong Kong Association (UHKA) and Hong Kong Institute of Education for Sustainable Development (HiESD) on the theme of "Climate & Environment Sustainability at a Financial Center, HK" at 4:00 p.m on the 18th of May, 2020. We invited the Chairman of Securities and Futures Commission - Mr. Tim LUI to make the keynote speeches, panel speakers of Prof. Bernard V. LIM, Prof. K C HO, Ir C S HO, with theme moderator by Prof Wilson CHAN from HiESD.

Our current generation is getting close to the tipping point of climate and environmental crisis, and it's accelerating at an unprecedented speed. However, it is by no means impossible to fight through this challenge, just as how the Secretary General of United Nations have ambitiously stated in his opening remarks at 2019 Climate Action Summit: "The climate emergency is a race we are losing, but it is a race we can win." The devastating consequences of climate change is inevitably endured by everyone on our planet. Facing such challenge, Hong Kong is utilizing its advantages of being an international financial center to foster the sustainable development of climate and environment, and more importantly, to complement the mainland’s green policies and objectives.

Mr. Lui pointed out the importance to support the development of Hong Kong into a green finance centre in the Greater Bay Area, and set up an internationally recognised green bond certification institution. The SFC were committed to lay link the necessary changes to help Hong Kong Financial Sector manage climate related issues while facilitating green and sustainable economic development. Professor LIM shared how Hong Kong had applied special architectural design, recycled constituents, low carbon building materials and environmentally friendly policy in construction industry. We were in line with international standards and in some fields, and we were proudly beyond the verge of them. Professor KC HO called attention to the prevention, control and management of climate changes from his experiences in the High Arctics. Rising Sea level, Increasing sea surface temperature, worsening climate conditions and the acceleration of shrinking arctic sea ice were all challenges that could be taken as opportunities. On the basis of scientific research, Hong Kong was well prepared to adapt, monitor, forecast and react to changes with positive and active mindsets. Ir HO said that over the years, the Hong Kong SAR Government and the financial community had done a lot of work in promoting green finance. The next step was to carry out regional and global cooperation, such as the Belt and Road cooperation with the Greater Bay Area; further cooperation between various industries, especially with the government; expanding the focus from the needs of large companies to the needs of SMEs. Responding to the UN 75th dialogue, Ir HO further envisioned for cooperation between the Secretary-General of the United Nations and governments to promote and implement green finance policies, expressing his ambitions of utilizing Hong Kong’s advantages to contribute to the development of both regional and global development in the field of green finance.

Professor CHAN summarized in the conclusion of the dialogue that the participants clearly saw the "milestone of sustainable financial development in Hong Kong" through the practice of local and international green cases, reflecting the innovation and leadership of Hong Kong professionals in green sustainability as well as the service capabilities of different countries and regions throughout the local area, the Greater Bay Area, the Belt and Road, and even the polar regions. We wished Hong Kong's sustainable finance to develop at a rapid pace. Let’s work together to shoulder the mission and jointly build a sustainable future under the principle of not leaving anyone behind.

The viewers of the online dialogue were from the United States, Japan, Mainland China and Hong Kong.

Coordinated by the UN2020 and Together First networks, the UN75 People’s Forum for the UN We Need will bring together civil society and other stakeholders online to adopt a declaration on the occasion of the UN’s 75th anniversary. The declaration will reflect their commitment to the principles expressed in the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and to the objectives set out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which draws on several seminal declarations, treaties and programmes of work adopted in previous years. 

Covid-19 is a stark reminder of the need for stronger cooperation across borders, sectors and generations. Ahead of the Forum, stakeholders are engaged in an inclusive process to examine global risks and trends, develop a global plan of action to address them, and promote partnerships for climate action, peace and security, human rights, democracy, sustainable development and disarmament. The unifying theme will be advancing people-centered multilateralism, and the focus will be both on addressing global risks as well as revitalizing the United Nations.

The People’s Declaration and Plan for Global Action is scheduled to be presented online to the President of the 74th UN General Assembly, H.E. Mr Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, on May 14, 2020. 

Please register to attend the UN75 People’s Forum for the UN We Need. A Zoom link and finalized agenda for the meeting will be sent to you on May 12.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has been invited to provide keynote remarks at the Forum and take questions related to the themes of the Declaration. Your questions for the Secretary-General can be submitted at un2020.org, when you register for the Forum.