EDEN Seminar I

On the evening of May 8th, 2019, EDEN’s inaugural seminar, with presenters and EDEN co-founders, Prof. Monte Cassim and Dr. Kaitu-u Funaki, was held with the theme “CHALLENGING THE CURRENT GLOBAL PARADIGM: Inclusive Innovation, Reciprocity and Generosity as the foundation for Transnational Collaboration.” The presentations and discussion at this Seminar took up the issue of Exclusion and its ramifications, notably its roots in discontent and the threat it poses to maintaining civil order, a timely theme which resonates in many parts of the world where Populism, often referred to as “fascism with a democratic face”, has gained a new lease of life, affecting developed, developing and emerging economies equally.

Two streams of solutions were proposed in this first EDEN Seminar. Prof. Cassim showed that the first antidote to Exclusion, as you might have guessed, was Inclusion. The concept of Inclusive Innovation, which mobilizes advances in science and technology from developed nations like Japan, to solve pressing problems in developing and emerging economies, was the first of these two solutions to be presented. The second was founded on Reciprocity and Generosity as the basis of development cooperation among nations and territories, discussed by Dr. Funaki Kaitu’u. An interactive session among the two presenters, stimulated by the Seminar Chair and EDEN co-founder, Dr. Nassrine Azimi, was an inspiring evening for all in attendance.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE INAUGURAL EDEN SEMINAR COMMEMORATIVE BOOKLET.