DWIH focus topic 2023: The resilient society
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The global network of German Centres for Research and Innovation (DWIH) will focus on the complexity of the “resilient society” in its focus topic for 2023.
It is not easy to say exactly what defines resilience, as the term has come to have various meanings depending on the context or situation. For example, it can refer to the ability of the healthcare system or our ecosystem to withstand crises, or may be used when we find ourselves facing far-reaching changes such as the digital transformation, which shakes up much that is established with its dynamics.
A “resilient society” therefore must do justice to this complexity. Innovation drivers from a variety of disciplines are necessary to ensure that society can keep pace with the various challenges it faces. Furthermore, it requires formats and places for networking that allow problems to be discussed and strengths to be pooled.
Networking potential at various locations
Aware of the extraordinary networking potential of the worldwide DWIH locations, the Board of Trustees of the German Centres for Research and Innovation has selected “The resilient society” as the focus topic for 2023. The centres will explore what resilience means in different regions of the world, and will bring together stakeholders whose work enhances the resilience of innovation systems. Topics of relevance across the various locations will be studied, as will issues that have a particular significance for the region in question.
Further information about the choice of the DWIH focus topic for 2023 can be found on the website of the DWIH network.
The recent presidential election campaign has stirred up Brazilian society and exacerbated polarisations. In such a charged atmosphere, it is more difficult to conduct the dialogue and discussions that are vital for scientific freedom and innovations. However, it is crucial for the resilience of a society that it cultivates a culture of dialogue to resolve multi-layered challenges.
Dialogue for resilience
Numerous stakeholders in Brazilian science and business are committed to pursuing exchange across disciplinary and national borders. The German-Brazilian Dialogue on Science, Research and Innovation will be taking place for the tenth time in May 2023. Focusing on a sustainable energy transition, it will be sending out an important signal when it comes to the resilient further development of an economic system. The environmentally friendly design of cities will take centre stage in the German-Brazilian transdisciplinary “Klimapolis Symposium”. And Germany will also be represented as a dialogue partner at the 75th Annual Meeting of the Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science (SBPC) in July 2023.
In a round-table discussion at the SBPC’s Annual Meeting, the DWIH São Paulo will place the emphasis on the battle against disinformation and on the need for impartial exchange. The role of science and education in strengthening a democratic culture and groundbreaking decision-making will also be a focus of the DWIH’s work on resilient societies that are able to leverage the solution potential of many scientific disciplines.