From left: Niel Swanepoel, Prof. Mamokgethi Phakeng, Rejoyce Kgabo Legodi and Bekithemba Ntoni. The three students were selected to travel to Geneva and participated in the GESDA Summit 2022 based on their submissions of applying the thinking of the GESDA 2021 Science Breakthrough Radar.
GESDA invites you to submit your ideas to win an all-expenses paid trip to the GESDA Summit 2023 in Geneva
GESDA is pleased to announce an exciting competition to involve African youth on the use of the GESDA Science Breakthrough Radar®.
The purpose of this initiative is to empower African youth to realise not only that the present shapes the future, but that they can use the future to shape the present.
GESDA Board member Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng hosted two webinars with African experts to discuss topics of the GESDA 2022 Science Breakthrough Radar®. You can watch them on the GESDA Youtube channel:
15 August 2023: The Future of AI: Why African Leadership Matters with Dr. Vukosi Marivate, University of Pretoria
22 August 2023: Human Augmentation: Opportunities and Challenges of Neurotechnologies in Africa with Dr. Mubeen Goolam, University of Cape Town
Following the series, GESDA invites African youth under the age of 30 to submit ideas about how you can use the future to shape our present, based on any of the topics covered in the sessions. The prize is an all-expenses paid trip to attend the GESDA Summit 2023, a global summit of thought leaders on these topics that will take place in Geneva, Switzerland from 11–13 October 2023. The Summit will bring together academics, politicians, diplomats, executives, and investors from around the world to participate in a series of plenary and parallel sessions of rich and engaged discussions.
Competition guidelines
Your idea should propose how to apply one of the scientific breakthroughs or emerging technologies of the GESDA Science Breakthrough Radar® discussed during the online series to tackle a challenge in any field or sector in your local context.
Please download this template to fill out your application and return in Word or PDF format by September 10, 2023 to info@gesda.global.
Please make sure to include the following details in the document:
- Full name as shown in your passport
- Nationality and current country of residence
- Date of birth
- Current affiliation (if you are a student, university and degree you are enrolled in)
Eligibility criteria
- You must be 30 years old or younger at the time of submission.
- You must have a current passport, valid until at least May 2024, and be eligible to obtain a visa to travel to Switzerland.
- You must be available to travel to Geneva, Switzerland, from 11-13 October 2023.
- You must be of African citizenship or residency.
- You must have attended the live sessions with Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng or watched the recordings.
How to apply
- Submit your entry by email to info@gesda.global by September 10, 2023.
- The document must be in Word or PDF format
- Include in the subject Youth and Anticipation Competition and name your file Name_Surname_GESDAYouth
- Winners will be notified by mid-September 2023
Please direct any questions to info@gesda.global and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter