Chair of the Kofi Annan Foundation and former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has spoken about advancing development, return migration and the Geneva Challenge, an international contest for Masters students on advancing development goals.
The theme of this year’s Geneva Challenge is return migration, and particularly the effects of knowledge and capital transfers on socio-economic development.
Global migration is one of the most significant phenomena shaping our societies and their development. The Geneva Challenge aims to develop new and innovative ideas, as well as helping students bridge the gap between their studies and real development policy.
Kofi Annan, who is also High Patron of the Geneva Challenge, talks about the contest, development and return migration. Watch the short videos here:
- Kofi Annan on return migration and development
- Kofi Annan on student creativity and solving development issues
- Kofi Annan on the Geneva Challenge (1)
- Kofi Annan on the Geneva Challenge (2)
Many senior UN officials have thrown their weight behind the Geneva Challenge, including UNDP Geneva head Neil Buhne, UNRISD Director Sarah Cook and IOM Director General William Lacy Swing.
Last year’s contest, with almost 300 participating students, addressed women empowerment and development. It was won by a Colombian team whose proposal used a health-rights approach to help sex workers in Bogota.
The Geneva Challenge is organised by the Graduate Institute, Geneva, with the support of former Swiss Ambassador Jenö Staehelin, who conceived and inspired the contest to channel student creativity, intellectual dynamism and motivation to help overcome obstacles to human development.