Global conferences tackle world challenges beyond the scope of national governments

Surprisingly, global conferences have stepped up to the plate to tackle many such issues and facilitate positive change. Consider the following conferences that have taken place at the Estrel Congress Center (ECC) over the past 18 months.

Originally created to enable the sharing of information between universities and research institutions, the Internet has no national border. Who is to govern the activities taking place there? This was the exact objective of the IGF 2019 “One World” Congress. The Estrel Berlin became an area under UN jurisdiction and welcomed 4,000+ global delegates, including world leaders such as UN General Secretary António Guterres and Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel, who gathered with the objective of maintaining the free flow of information while also addressing the security and safety of the platform – without question a matter beyond the reach of any national government.

Hosted by the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology (ISUOG), this was the main annual scientific meeting for clinicians utilizing ultrasound in obstetrics and gynecology. Attended by 3,000+ healthcare professionals from around the world, each returned to their respective home country better able to utilize ultrasound technology and in turn directly and positively impacting women's health around the globe.

When the hosts of an important meeting include the German Federal Ministry of Education & Research, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Grand Challenges Canada, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and Wellcome, it is clear that collaboration was truly across nations and organizations. More than 1,000 delegates attended from around the globe, including Co-Founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates, Director General of the WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Prime Minister of Norway, Erna Solberg, and Chancellor Merkel. The goal was to accelerate the translation of innovation to address the world’s most urgent global health and development problems. The meeting served as a forum for researchers to share their work, learn about cutting-edge advances in the field and build collaborations with other investigators and organizations.  In his conference address, Gates stated, “We’re honored that some of the world’s most important leaders in the fight against global poverty and disease are here. Grand Challenges is about identifying the most important unsolved problems – and then soliciting the best ideas to solve them.” Truly an endeavor transcending national borders, made possible by a global conference.