Our mission

Use the Future to Build the Present

The Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator (GESDA) Foundation was established in 2019 by the Federal Government of Switzerland, the Republic and Canton of Geneva, the City of Geneva to ensure that Switzerland and Geneva remain a prime location for multilateralism, and that GESDA, through its four fora, becomes an effective tool for innovative science and diplomacy. This commitment is summarised in the motto ‘Use the Future to build the Present”.

GESDA’s mission is to anticipate emerging scientific discoveries and translate them into concrete actions for the benefit of society.

Inspired by the long-standing tradition of International Geneva as a hub for diplomacy, science, and multilateral cooperation, GESDA operates at the intersection of science, diplomacy, and societal impact. It functions as both a think-tank and a do-tank, proactively shaping the future by:

Identifying and analysing the most pressing scientific and technological trends

Engaging policymakers, diplomats, industry leaders, and citizens in forward-looking dialogues

Catalysing projects that transform scientific advancements into tangible global solutions

In an era where scientific progress moves at an exponential pace, GESDA acts as an instrument of anticipation and action, fostering international public-private partnerships that turn scientific progress into opportunities for all.

By translating scientific anticipation into global action, the Foundation strengthens multilateral collaboration and reinforces Switzerland’s role as a hub for diplomacy and innovation. In doing so, GESDA empowers global leaders to shape a more sustainable, equitable, and technologically inclusive world.

GESDA’s approach – captured in the guiding principle, “Use the future to build the present”- is to unite four key communities: the academic, diplomatic, impact, and citizen sectors.