Reference :
V-P-CN-E-00186
Date :
22/11/2018
Caption :
Hong Kong. The ICRC president, Peter Maurer, and the president of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), Prof. Wei Shyy, exchanged insights over the theme “New horizons in humanitarian diplomacy: The power of new technologies and Asian youths”.
Confidentiality level :
public
Publication restrictions :
publication without restrictions
Description :
ICRC website, 22.11.2018, News Release: High-level dialogue in Hong Kong explores innovation opportunities and challenges in humanitarian work: “The dialogue touched upon issues like the emergence of autonomous weapons, the power of new technologies on humanitarian work, and how Asian youth could make an impact amid Asia's rise in the international arena.
President Peter Maurer of the ICRC and Prof. Wei Shyy, the President of HKUST, were joined by Dr Simon Shen, a high-profile international relations scholar and Prof. Kellee TSAI, the Dean of Humanities and Social Science, as moderator, to further the discussion in a panel setting. They delved into the opportunities and challenges that technology and innovation bring to the humanitarian sector and how Asian youth could play a role in it.
To deepen the understanding about international humanitarian work, a three-day exhibition was organized on the campus, showcasing innovations used or developed by the ICRC to help victims of armed conflict or for people who work in harsh settings.
The exhibits included a new generation prosthetic knee made to withstand the difficult environment of countries such as Afghanistan and South Sudan. This implant can be easily repaired and facilitates a range of movements like sitting down to offer prayers. Another innovation on display was an inexpensive, easy to operate and powerful solar lamp that provides light without electricity. It was also designed to charge mobile phones – the most empowering tool people have at their disposal during a crisis.
Giving visitors a "first-hand experience" of a crisis from across the world, the ICRC also displayed the virtual reality equipment that the organization uses to train its staff. The innovation allowed visitors to witness life inside an overcrowded prison, as also how it would feel to cross a road that is under sniper attack and under bombardment. Students from the university were invited to think about the difficulties in developing products for humanitarian work in harsh contexts, and how their skills and university training could be applied to meet humanitarian objectives.”
Original material :
digital
Resolution :
6720x4480
Orientation :
landscape
Colour/B&W :
colour
