Implementing GESDA’s vision requires the engagement and commitment of Moderators and Experts in four communities – each with its own mindset, way of working, pace of action and responsibilities.
| Community | Moderators and Experts |
| Academic | Leading researchers, universities, publishers, science and technology networks, national and international funding agencies |
| Diplomatic | States, international and regional organizations, politicians, diplomats, chief science officers, political think-tanks |
| Impact | Philanthropic organizations, business incubators and accelerators, venture capital funds, financial services firms, business platforms, multinationals |
| Citizens | Individual citizens, media, artists, cities, global decentralized networks, NGOs |
To structure our operations, we group these four communities into two Fora: an Academic Forum comprising the academic community and a Diplomacy Forum comprising representatives of the other three communities. They are engaged in the implementation of operational activities benefiting humanity.
We strive to build science- and people-driven “creative coalitions” as shown below, with the goal of identifying and developing global, inclusive solutions based on anticipated scientific and technological breakthroughs.
To make this exercise replicable for identified scientific emerging topics, a dedicated script equipped with specific tools is required to support the individuals and organizations in their collective engagement. A consistent, yet flexible, methodology allows for work on a number of scientific issues and emerging topics in parallel. Our methodology is called the Anticipatory Situation Room.
The Anticipatory Situation Room is designed as a funnel, as shown in the following diagram. Milestones for key steps have been identified in the technological development process, where stakeholders from the four communities can provide input and guide the implementation of the solutions.
There are three main steps in our approach:
1. Scientific anticipation
We anticipate, within the Academic Forum, possible next-generation frontier science and technology breakthroughs from laboratories and, within the Diplomacy Forum, emerging global challenges. This scouting step is based on two filters:
i) Time horizon: 5, 10 and 25 years
ii) Three fundamental and overarching questions:
- Who are we, as humans? What does it mean to be human in the era of robots, gene editing and augmented reality?
- How can we all live together? What technology can be deployed to help reduce inequality, improve well-being and foster inclusive development?
- How can we ensure the well-being of humankind and the sustainable future of our planet? How can we supply the world population with the necessary food and energy while regenerating our planet?
The work of the Academic Forum is initially focused on four frontier research areas, or Platforms:
- Quantum Revolution & Advanced Artificial Intelligence
- Human Augmentation
- Eco-regeneration & Geoengineering
- Science & Diplomacy
Each Platform, headed by at least two Academic Moderators, identifies which developments in science and technology to consider. Those Moderators then solicit the contributions of internationally renowned Experts, who are asked to give inputs to produce Scientific Anticipatory Briefs (SABs). The first series of 12 SABs were written in autumn 2020 and will be published in science journals in the coming months.
2. Diplomacy acceleration
Based on those Scientific Anticipatory Briefs, and based on an understanding of upcoming global emerging challenges, we bring together representatives of the Academic Forum and stakeholders of the three other communities, called Diplomacy Moderators, to accelerate the joint development of inclusive solutions to those challenges. This is done by setting up collaborative creative coalitions.
Those “solutions” can vary considerably depending on the specific anticipatory scientific emerging topics and the global emerging challenge being addressed.
They could be, for example:
- Setting up a new international regulatory body or organization on specific anticipatory science and technology issues
- Drafting a new globally accepted and respected framework agreement (on ethics or governance of science for example)
- Creating an advanced research centre for science policy and/or science diplomacy
- Establishing a capacity-building international initiative on rapidly developing sciences and technologies
- Rolling out a large-scale programme to implement the next scientific and technological advances
- Hosting, in Geneva, a series of high-level dialogues around anticipatory science, between international organizations, business and civil society/citizen representatives in assisting the transition around an emerging technology.
This process is intended to make those solutions available to the world as quickly and efficiently as possible.
3. Translation into action
Finally, we implement the solutions by translating them into concrete actions that can be deployed on a global scale. This entails using GESDA’s Impact Fund to finance on-the-ground work and drawing on the support of strategic and operational partners based in Geneva, elsewhere in Switzerland and around the world.
4. Connecting to the world: global visibility and partnerships
By bringing together Swiss and international stakeholders of the four communities having different mindsets and responsibilities, GESDA builds a “laboratory of the world – for the world”, focusing on anticipation, acceleration and translation of science and technology developments. By leveraging its location in Geneva, Switzerland, GESDA helps crystallize new international partnerships in Geneva, anchors the city’s role as the main “hub” for the most meaningful discussions on the future of impactful multilateralism, and shapes new multilateral diplomacy tools for the Swiss and international diplomatic community.