Sustainability Week 2024

Discover the Sustainability Week 2024 programme!

IHEID Sustainability Week Program 2024.pdf Download the clickable programme to register

Scroll down to have more information on what the Sustainability Week is, detailed description of all the events and find the registration links!

What is the Sustainability Week ?

Each year, the Environmental Committee at The Graduate Institute ensures that sustainability takes center stage by organizing a variety of sustainability-focused events for the students. One notable event is the Swiss Sustainability Week, which is a Swiss-wide effort to engage in discussions and find solutions for environmental and sustainability issues.

Achievements and Recognition: Award for Excellence in Student Leadership from the International Sustainable Campus Network; Recognition from the Clinton Global Initiative, UNEP Green Gown, and the United Nations Secretary General’s Climate Action Summit; In 2023, approximately 100 volunteers organized a record number of 355 events at 24 Swiss higher education institutes across 16 cities.

Check out our past events and visit our blog to read feedback from previous years. We hope to see you at the upcoming effort to promote sustainability at all levels of civic and daily life, in Geneva and across Switzerland!

Spotlighting Sustainability at the Graduate Institute

This year, from March 11th to the 17th, the Environmental Committee shines a spotlight on sustainability by organizing a variety of events at The Graduate Institute, discover the program !

Registration is required!

DAY 1 – Monday 11th

Sustainability and Art workshop | 11:30-14:30 in P1-850

Join us for a hands-on workshop with artist, entrepreneur, professor and alumna Brindusa Burrows (MIA’03; MDEV’05). Learn techniques for sketching and gouache painting. Explore various artistic media as creative tools to respond to the environmental crisis and sustainability challenge. After the workshop, you will leave with your own work and, we hope, the desire to make more art! All materials will be provided for participants. Seats are limited.

Clothing repair workshop with Histoire sans Chute | 16:15-18:00 in S2

Do you have favorite pieces that are showing signs of wear and tear? Are you looking to breathe new life into your wardrobe without breaking the bank? Do you believe in sustainable fashion and want to contribute to reducing textile waste? Join us at the Histoire sans Chute Workshop for an exciting opportunity to repair and extend the lifetime of your beloved garments!

DAY 2 – Tuseday 12th

Alumni Roundtable: Professions Toward a Sustainable Future | 12:30-14:00 in S8

The Alumnae-i Relations Office invites you to the Inspire Students Roundtable on Professions Towards a Sustainable Future. This event is organized in collaboration with the Environmental Committee, the Target Initiative on Sustainability and Career Services. The panel for the upcoming event comprises four distinguished individuals representing diverse expertise in environmental sustainability. Hugo Brandam, with a background in migration and disaster risk reduction, currently serves at IOM and has interned at UNOPS. Arno Ratzinger, co-founder of ComposTerra, brings experience from the private sector and research consultancy. Beatrice Mosello, a senior advisor at adelphi, specializes in policy analysis on climate resilience and gender inclusivity. Solene Frei-Sfeir, president of the Festival du Film Vert, adds a dynamic perspective from her work in holistic health and wellbeing.

The Alumnae-i Office is organising a series of thematic roundtables aimed at connecting current students and alumni of the Institute around shared interests and to share experiences. Do you have a question for the panel? Join us live or submit your questions ahead of time to alumni@graduateinstitute.ch.

Second-hand exchange| 12:00-16:00 in Kogler Hall (next to the library)

Do you want to get involved in the second-hand exchange scene? Looking for a spot at the Graduate Institute to make it happen? Join our Second-Hand Exchange Market for fabulous deals on clothing, shoes, textbooks, etc. Discover everything you need to upgrade your student life while reducing your carbon footprint and engaging into greener sustainable life. 🌱

DAY 3 – Wednesday 13th

Vegetarian cooking workshop | 8:45-12:45 at Ferme de Budé and Ma-Terre kitchen

Join us for an enriching workshop organized in collaboration with 2050Today, Ma-Terre, and Ferme de Budé, associations in Geneva dedicated to fostering climate action. The workshop aims to delve into the realm of sustainability within the food industry by offering participants a unique opportunity to visit an urban farm and engage in a hands-on cooking workshop. The workshop will culminate in a shared meal, providing a platform for lively discussions and community building around sustainable diets.

Registration deadline until 4th of March at 5pm!

Registration closed

Empowering youth for environmental action: Student-led NGO | 12:15-14:00 in S5

From humble beginnings to an international movement, attendees will delve into the challenges encountered by the student-led NGO “The Journey of Young Travelers and The Forum” in implementing environmental projects, navigating the complexities of youth-driven initiatives, and overcoming barriers to impact. Explore the story behind the organization’s inception, its expansion across diverse countries, and the pivotal role young people play in driving the changes our world urgently needs. Don’t miss this opportunity to explore how youth empowerment can shape a sustainable future for generations to come.

Career Center presentation with Biovision | 14:15-15:30 in S6

The Swiss NGO, Biovision, will give a 1-hour career presentation with Q&A for master’s students interested in internships. Biovision focuses on sustainable development, and in particular, on sustainable food systems in Switzerland, in sub-Saharan Africa, and around the world. Their goal is “a world with enough healthy food for everyone, produced by healthy people in a healthy environment.”. If this resonates with you, come attend their internship info session at the Graduate Institute. Interns can be of any nationality, but must be French-speaking OR English- and German-speaking.

Greenwashing: Film screening and Round table | 18:15-21:00 in Auditorium A2

In today’s climate crisis, multinational corporations often tout their commitment to “carbon neutrality,” raising questions about the authenticity of their claims. Is ‘net zero’ achievement legitimate or merely greenwashing?

Join us for an enlightening film screening in collaboration with the Festival du Film Vert (FFV) titled “Greenwashing: Climate Killer” directed by Claire Tesson which tries to answer these questions. The event kicks off with: An insightful Speech by the Mayor of Geneva; followed by the film screening “Greenwashing: Climate Killer”; Culminating by a dynamic roundtable discussion featuring experts in sustainability, economics, consumption, corporate responsibility, and consumer accountability.

Participants to the round table:

Moderator: Professor Anne Saab (IHEID, Associate Professor, Internationa Law Co-Director, LL.M in International Law Faculty Associate, Center for International Environmental Studies)
Professor Marlyne Sahakian (University of Geneva, Associate Professor, directing the Master’s program on Sustainability and Social Change.)
Professor Joost Pauwelyn (IHEID, International Law and Co-Director of the Centre for Trade and Economic Integration)
Professor Tobias Brosch (University of Geneva, Associate Professor, chair for Psychology of Sustainable Development)
Madam Nadine Allal (Representative, Service Agenda 21)

Check out the Festival du Film Vert program

DAY 4 – Thursday 14th

Draw for Change | 11:30-13:30 P2 in front of the cateferia

We’re excited to invite you to our upcoming interactive event where you can make a meaningful impact on sustainability. Join us for “Draw for Change” a unique opportunity to blend art and activism. Express your concerns for the environment by contributing to our public art tableaux adorned with stickers and notes. We’re collecting stickers and papers from middle school kids who no longer use them, ensuring that they find new life in our creative endeavor. Come share your voice and creativity with us as we address pressing environmental issues together. Let’s create art that inspires change and fosters a deeper connection to our planet. You do not need to register, feel free to join us !

An Introduction to the African Union Environmental Treaties | 12:30-13:30 in Auditorium A2 and online

Explore the African Union’s pivotal role in environmental protection with “Introduction to the African Union Environmental Treaties” by Amb. Dr. Namira Negm. Delve into the evolution of environmental law within Africa, from its colonial legacy to sustainable resource management.

Panelists:

Amb. Dr. Namira Negm: Director of the African Migration Observatory, former Legal Counsel of the African Union
Delidji Eric Degila: Professor of Practice of International Relations, Geneva Graduate Institute
Anne Saab: Associate Professor of International Law, Co-Director of LL.M. in International Law, Geneva Graduate Institute
Debolina Bhatt: PhD candidate and Teaching Assistant, Geneva Graduate Institute; Assistant Professor (on leave) Jindal Global Law School

We invite attendees to take part in the Q&A session.

Geneva Impact Investing Association (GIIA) Pitches New Fund | 14:15-16:00 in S11

Join us to experience this exciting initiative of GIIA that focuses on presenting its own impact investing fund. This workshop will offer a deep dive into the idea of the fund, its relevance, strategy, objectives, and how student training would be conducted. You will discover how an impact fund works, the essential skills for managing an impact fund, the importance of youth-led financial initiatives, and how such initiatives are key to protecting the interests of future generations. It is a unique opportunity to see how you can make a difference in the world of sustainability through finance, and also to give feedback and ask questions about the evolution of the funds project so far.

Live podcast and Apéro Climat on planetary boundaries | 15:15-17:30 at the FAB

Join us for a captivating live podcast recording by The Ecologist team in collaboration with the association Le Sablier de Cassandre, an organization dedicated to making scientific knowledge more accessible. Featuring the esteemed speaker Oksana Tarasova, Senior Scientific Officer at the WMO (World Meteorological Organization), this event will delve into the critical topic of planetary boundaries. Explore the intricate dynamics shaping our planet’s ecological balance and participate in an engaging discussion and apero session with a distinguished speaker from the WMO. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights and contribute to the discourse on environmental sustainability in an accessible and informative setting.

Race the Wild: Digital Technologies and the Conservation of Nature | 18:15-20:00 in A2

Join us for this fascinating lecture by Professor Adams on digital technologies and nature conservation. Digital technologies increasingly shape the way we understand the global environment, and try to conserve it. In the field of biodiversity conservation, digital tracking devices offer astonishing insights into animal behaviour and ecology, and novel opportunities for conservation management. Human understanding of wild animals is increasingly dependent on digital media and data. But does the enrollment of animals into environments change the ways in which we understand nature? Do digital technologies bring us closer to actual nature, or separate us further from it? Using examples from the livestreaming of digital ‘webcams’ of nesting birds and the enrolment of wild animal movement data into digital games, this seminar will report research that explores the significance of the digital revolution for the conservation of nature.

DAY 5 – Friday 15th

Bike repair workshop | 12:00-15:00 between P1 and P2 (outdoor)

Squeaky brakes? Rusty chain? La Bicyclette Bleue rides to the Graduate Institute by Cargo Bike to teach you the basics of Do-It-Yourself bike repair and maintenance. Bring your bike and learn in this hands-on workshop how to whip your bike into shape for the Spring commute! La Bicyclette Bleue is a group of friends who share the same conviction: soft mobility must be actively promoted to make our cities more environmentally sustainable, healthier, more pleasant, safer and more humane. Thus, their small contribution begins with offering long-term rentals by reusing abandoned bikes.

Happening everyday

Art Exhibition on Sustainability with HEAD | All-day at the FAB

Join us in celebrating the transformative potential of art as a catalyst for positive change. Engage with the artists, exchange ideas with fellow attendees, and immerse yourself in a vibrant community dedicated to creating a better world for future generations. Experience the awe-inspiring fusion of artistic ingenuity and environmental consciousness at our upcoming Art Exhibition, a showcase of the extraordinary talents of students from L’HEAD (L’École des Hautes Études en Art et Design). You’re warmly invited to immerse yourself in an evening of unparalleled creativity and sustainability-driven innovation. Step into a realm where imagination knows no bounds, and creativity becomes a powerful force for change. Our exhibition transcends traditional boundaries, offering a captivating array of paintings, sculptures, and photographs that serve as poignant reflections on our relationship with the natural world.

We invite you to find more than one way to tackle sustainability challenge! All events are free and open to the public!