On November 13-15, 2023, the WAAS Board of Trustees met at the Academy of Athens in Greece to examine the progress of the Academy over the past decade and identify high-potential impact initiatives for the next five years. The Board recognized Human Security as a comprehensive, integrated, human-centered, value-based framework encompassing all major fields of the Academy's work as an agency for human security ranging from natural and social sciences, to technology, humanities, the fine and practical arts, business and other professions. 

The Human Security for All (HS4A) campaign will return to CES 2024 in Las Vegas in January — the world’s largest technology event, with more than 120,000 tech leaders from around the world.

 

The world’s technology leaders will converge in Las Vegas from 8-12 January 2024 to join the best and the brightest in the industry, and to share the latest advancements across the tech ecosystem. HS4A will host two “Great Minds” sessions at CES2024: “What Are the Technology Needs of the Developing World?” and ”How to Think Like an Innovator and Change the World." Both events will feature WAAS Fellows, who will also participate in a CES Research Summit session: “Technology and AI Building a Sustainable, Secure, Superior Future.” 

A team of WAAS Fellows and HS4A team members attended the recent COP28 event in Dubai. Achieving sustainable climate management and the other 16 Sustainable Development Goals requires messaging that appeals to the minds and hearts of the general public worldwide. Human Security is the personalized, unifying theme — a message conveyed by the HS4A team at the event. WAAS Fellows represented the human security campaign at multiple sessions at COP28: Phoebe Koundouri, Amanda Ellis, Chantal Line Carpentier, Garry Jacobs, Ketan Patel, and Marta Neskovic. Our engagement included a presentation by Phoebe Koundouri at a UN Climate Change Global Innovation Hub session titled “Accelerating Green Innovation” and a panel on “Skills of the Future” organized by the Global Futures Lab and Cisco. Amanda Ellis led a session on “Women Leaders in Climate Action.” 

The Interacademy Partnership (IAP) is a global network of science, engineering & medical academies working together to provide independent expert advice on scientific, technological & health issues. A statement on human security is currently being prepared in collaboration with HS4A in conjunction with 150 national and regional academies of IAP. The joint statement will affirm the central importance of human security as a unifying framework for research policy-making and implementation of measures to promote security and sustainable development for everyone on the planet. The statement is being prepared by an IAP working group chaired by WAAS Fellow Phoebe Koundouri, and based on a concept note by Janani Ramanathan. The final version will be released and circulated early next year. 

A podcast, hosted by CES Tech Talk, featured former New Zealand ambassador to the United Nations Amanda Ellis, and Jon Miller, former CEO of AOL and News Corp, and current Advisory Council Member at Force for Good. Ellis and Miller explored how investments can yield significant returns, why social impact causes are attracting top talent, and how the world’s technology companies can realize bottom-line benefits as they contribute to more stable and sustainable communities. 

Educating young children about human security is paramount for their well-being and the future of our communities. A collaborative project between SpellBee International, India, and the HS4A campaign aims to nurture well-informed and compassionate individuals and will reach out to young children by collaborating with schools and teachers. As part of this campaign, schools have the opportunity to align their efforts with globally observed days, adding a meaningful context to their contributions. Schools can choose from the curated list of days below, each dedicated to specific themes, fostering a global connection in our collective pursuit of human security. The initial phase will cover 400 schools throughout India.

 

Through video pledges, artwork, exhibitions, marathons, clean-up drives and more, every school, teacher and student to be a part of a global movement with the singular purpose of creating a secure, vibrant, and enlightened future. Certificates will be awarded to every participating student and school, acknowledging their valuable contributions. The most outstanding entries will receive prominent recognition, showcased on prestigious national and international platforms, including the HS4A website and SpellBee International’s platform.

In a collaboration between Human Security For All (HS4A) and the International Kids Film Festival (IKFF), we hosted an online filmmaking masterclass that captured the imaginations of more than 8,000 children from over 150 schools. Created and run by HS4A PR Manager and WAAS Junior Fellow, Dora Damjan, the workshop highlighted the 8 pillars of human security and presented example movie clips to the children to stimulate debate and creativity. The children have been tasked with creating a movie themed around human security, with the winners to feature on the HS4A website in the weeks to come.

In October, as part of the WAAS Talks series, an online discussion took place on the theme of “Science Diplomacy.” The report New Frontiers in Science Diplomacy, published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the Royal Society in 2010, lays out a framework for science diplomacy with three pillars: science for diplomacy, science in diplomacy, and diplomacy for science. These pillars cover the “soft” power of science to improve relations between countries even where official relations are strained or severed, how scientific knowledge and expertise help inform diplomatic objectives and foreign policy, and the ability of diplomacy to facilitate scientific cooperation across borders, respectively.

This hybrid event, held on September 29, 2023, in support of the HS4A Campaign, offered a framework for a free debate on the subject of AI, facilitating the exchange of ideas, best practices, and knowledge in order to identify new directions to be followed for conceiving the policies addressing the implementation of Human Security principles in the Black Sea area. The conference offered a platform for dialogue and exchange of ideas between governmental agencies, universities, NGOs, and other contributors from different disciplines.

 

This event was organized by Eden Mamut, WAAS Fellow & Secretary General of BSUN and the participants included other WAAS Fellows G.Jacobs, A.Zucconi, J.Glenn and M.Popovich.

The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) announced on 18 September that technology is now a new eighth pillar of the Human Security for All (HS4A) campaign. The announcement took place at an event on the United Nations Main Campus, co-hosted by CTA, The World Academy of Art and Science (WAAS), and the UN Trust Fund for Human Security during the 78th session of the UN General Assembly

 

“Technology is making our world a better place to live for literally billions of people, and we are only just scratching the surface of what’s possible,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, CTA. 

 

Critical Actions for Global Transformational Change at Global Futures 2023

The GF23 Global Futures Conference, held on September 19-21, 2023, in New York, was organized by the Global Futures Lab of Arizona State University under the direction of WAAS Fellows Peter Schlosser, Vice president of Global Futures at Arizona State University, and Amanda Ellis, former New Zealand ambassador to the UN. It brought together experts from the public and private sectors, science and academia, Indigenous communities, and youth from around the globe, to actualize bold steps for governments, corporations, and multilateral institutions to push the boundaries of discourse on 10 must-have actions needed to ensure sustainable life for all on our planet.

 

WAAS conducted a special SpotLight session on the central importance of human security as a complementary approach, inclusive umbrella, and cross-cutting theme integrating all 17 SDGs. 

 

 

The conference also included presentations by a wide range of WAAS Fellows, including Maria Espinosa, Ketan Patel, Walt Stinson, and Chantal Line Carpentier (pictured above).

From the stage of the 2023 Foreign Press Awards in New York on 11 November, WAAS Fellow Amanda Ellis addressed a gathering of foreign correspondents that represented the larger membership of 5,000 journalists: "Human security is what we all need to focus on, and the work that you all do as journalists is critical to that," she said. The guest of honor was CNN host Fareed Zakaria, who won the 2023 Foreign Press Award. Every year, the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents in the United States (AFPC-USA) honors individuals whose contributions throughout their lifetime careers have raised awareness about the importance of protecting press freedom and the role of correspondents on an international scale. The association is a longtime supporter of the HS4A campaign, hosting many WAAS Fellows as part of their “Education Series.”

On the occasion of CoNGO’s 75th anniversary (1948-2023), a webinar was broadcast in conjunction with the World Academy of Art and Science and the Human Security for All campaign, who co-sponsored the event. The Fourth CoNGO Global Thematic Webinar titled, “Peace, Human Security and Sustainability for People and the Planet,” was conducted in English, Spanish, French, and Arabic on 7 September 2023. The background to this ongoing series and the concept note for this event can be found by clicking the link below.

 

The meeting was co-organized by L.Bautista, President, CoNGO & G.Jacobs, President, WAAS & the participants included other WAAS Fellows I.Simanovic, P.Koundouri, K.Patel, A.Ware, J.Granoff, D.Kiniger-Passigli, A.Ellis, J.Ramanathan D.Damjanovic, and special invitees Usha Rao-Monari, Former UN Under-secretary General and Isabella Bunn, Research Fellow, Oxford University

With the power of music, human connection, and our shared hope for a more peaceful and regenerative future, a 5-hour live broadcast took place in September on World Peace Day, in iconic Times Square, New York, that included a message from the Human Security for All campaign. Dora Damjanovic, PR manager for the HS4A campaign WAAS Junior Fellow, delivered a message that emphasized the importance of peace as one of the pillars of our mission, and its alignment with the broader goal of global stability.

Between 18-20 October 2023, the Human Security for All (HS4A) team took part in the “Evolutionary Renaissance Assembly: The Dream of the Earth,” hosted by the Global Education Futures, a global think-do-tank that researches and prototypes the future of skills and learning for educational organizations, governments, and business. The event aimed to catalyze a conversation about a new long-term dream for humanity — and make it real. The forum set out to answer some fundamental questions. What can heal our civilizational wounds, inspire co-creation of the future, and lead to universal flourishing? Can the evolutionary transition of humankind be guided, and how can this guidance engage all of us? Presentations were delivered by Garry Jacobs, WAAS Trustees Walt Stinson and Jonathan Granoff, WAAS Junior Fellow Dora Damjanovic, and HS4A Global Campaign Manager, Grant Schreiber.

At a panel session on 20 September, in New York at the Leaders on Purpose CEO Summit, Charles Oppenheimer, Robert Oppenheimer’s grandson, engaged in his first-ever interaction with the World Academy of Art & Science (WAAS) — an organization co-founded by his illustrious grandfather. This poignant union delivered profound reflections on the interplay between innovation and ethics, especially relevant in today’s rapidly advancing tech landscape.

A people-centered framework that is proactive, empowering, and preventive is necessary to tackle the multifaceted challenges that societies face. By prioritizing the well-being and safety of individuals and communities through concrete, context-specific, and practical actions, the human security approach can serve as a roadmap to achieve the SDGs and build resilient societies. In order to delve into the concept of human security and its relevance today, an online meeting on Human Security and Parliament was co-organized by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and HS4A. 
 

This webinar provided an opportunity for stakeholders to deepen their understanding of the human security approach, its dimensions, and its importance in addressing contemporary challenges. It emphasized community involvement, public endorsement, and the interconnectedness of security dimensions. The webinar explored the potential impact of the human security approach on decision-making and offered guidance on implementing it. It also discussed how parliaments can incorporate this framework into their work, making it a valuable resource for those seeking to foster peace, stability, and sustainable development in an increasingly interconnected world. The webinar featured presentations by human security experts and practitioners. Among the speakers were Mehrnaz Mostafavi, Garry Jacobs, Amanda Ellis, and Thomas Reuter.

Science can play a vital role in facilitating the fulfillment of the SDGs. A webinar on Biohydrogen Production and Use was organized as part of the WAAS Talks series on Science for Human Security, to explore the potential of hydrogen as a clean energy solution. Moderated by Nebojša Nešković, this event featured Nebojsa Nakicenovic, Marcel Van de Voorde, Elena V. Pikuta, and Richard Hoover. The presentations focussed on the potential of hydrogen as an energy source in a decarbonized world energy system. They discussed the methods of hydrogen production, storage, and usage, and the challenges that need to be addressed along the way. This event, held in support of HS4A, also stressed the value of education and research in transitioning to non-polluting energy sources.

In support of HS4A and as part of the WAAS Talks series, WAAS organized a webinar to study the methods and tools for implementing and measuring human security. From a methodological point of view, ensuring human security at all scales of society consists of: preliminary evaluation of the status of the three freedoms and seven dimensions, identification and characterization of risks, definition of solutions with contingency plans by co-creation and co-design, implementation of measures and assessment of their impact. From a scientific perspective, the process includes a broad range of methods, multiscale and multiphysics models, approaches, data collection, data processing and mining, solvers, knowledge-based, multicriteria decision-making, multipurpose digital platforms, and interpretation.
 

The webinar aimed to identify new directions to be followed for scientific, evidence-based approaches to Human Security. The event was moderated by Phoebe Koundouri, and the speakers were Garry Jacobs, Jeffrey Sachs, Jonathan Granoff, Eden Mamut, Adrian Bejan, and Konstantinos Dellis.

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