Sustainability Week Switzerland 2025

Discover the Sustainability Week 2025 programme!

IHEID Sustainability Week 2025 Download here

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 Sustainability Week?

Each year, the Environmental Committee at The Graduate Institute brings sustainability to the forefront through a week-long series of impactful events. As part of the Swiss Sustainability Week, a nationwide initiative driving environmental action, we create opportunities for students to engage in meaningful discussions, explore innovative solutions, and take hands-on action for a greener future. This year, immerse yourself in an exciting lineup of events: explore local farms, tour the World Meteorological Organization, engage in thought-provoking panel discussions, swap clothes sustainably, repair your bike, enjoy an eye-opening film screening, and put your creativity to the test in a thrilling kitchen battle! This commitment to sustainability has earned widespread recognition, including the Award for Excellence in Student Leadership from the International Sustainable Campus Network. We have also been recognized by the Clinton Global Initiative, UNEP Green Gown Awards, and the United Nations Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit for our efforts in fostering environmental awareness and action. Join us to learn, connect, and take tangible steps toward a more sustainable world. Together, we can make a difference!

DAY 1 – MONDAY, 17TH MARCH 2025

Farm visit with AgriFood collective

Join us for a Farm Visit and Panel Discussion to explore the realities of food systems and farmers’ conditions in Switzerland. This engaging field visit will include a tour of La Touvière farm, followed by an insightful panel discussion on ‘Food Sovereignty in Switzerland’ with Rudi Berli, who manages the Geneva section of the Swiss peasant movement UNITERRE. The event will highlight key issues such as Swiss food sovereignty and micro-farming, offering participants a unique opportunity to connect with local farmers and agricultural experts.

🕐 : 10:00 – 13:30
📍 : La Touvière, Route du Carre-d’Aval 10, 1252 Meinier

Women in Sustainability

Women are transforming the future of sustainability with innovation, leadership, and resilience. This inspiring panel—featuring experts from policy, business, and academia, including a BBC 100 Women honoree—highlights the powerful role of women in driving sustainable solutions. Join us as we welcome an exceptional lineup of women who are leading the way in sustainability: – Dr. Rosa Vásquez Espinoza – Founder and Executive Director of Amazon Research Int. – Prof. Elisabeth Prügl – Founding director of the Institute’s Gender Centre – Stephania Bonilla-Feret – Chief of staff, investment and Enterprise division, UNCTAD – Khulan Berger – Co-Director of Climate Bridges 🕐 : 18:15 – 19:30
📍 : Auditorium 2, Petal 2, 2nd floor, Geneva Graduate Institute

DAY 2 – TUESDAY, 18TH MARCH 2025

Visit to WMO

Join us for an exclusive session with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO)! Learn about their vital work in weather, climate, and water resources, and how they foster global cooperation on climate protection. You will discover WMO’s latest projects & youth engagement initiatives, as well as gain insights into careers in meteorology & climate science. Alumni & Institute’s students currently working at WMO will then share their experience in this organisation during a Q&A session!

🕐 : 14:00 – 15:00
📍 : World Meteorological Organization

When Climate Meets Conflict: The Socio-Economic Fallout of Climate Shocks and Agricultural Change

In this interdisciplinary lecture, two professors explore the links between climate change, resource competition, and social inequality.

– Prof. Christophe Gironde examines the shift of Cambodian farmers to commercial agriculture, highlighting growing social and ethnic inequalities and escalating debt, raising concerns about agricultural sustainability.
– Prof. Dominic Rohner presents a study on the impact of climate shocks on farmer-herder violence in Africa (1997-2014), showing a one-degree temperature increase significantly raises conflict probability, particularly in mixed settlements. Together, these talks offer critical insights into how climate stress, economic pressures, and social dynamics intersect globally.

🕐 : 18:15 – 19:30
📍 : S8, Petal 2, 1st Floor, Geneva Graduate Institute

DAY 3 – WEDNESDAY, 19TH MARCH 2025

Sustainable Future through Entrepreneurship

Explore how entrepreneurship can drive sustainability at this roundtable. Hear from innovative alumni, including:
– Tata Bate, an anthropologist, filmmaker and farmer, exploring pastoralism and human-animal-environment relationships.
– Andrés Torrico, a coffee entrepreneur dedicated to empowering smallholder farmers.
Discover their inspiring journeys and insights on creating a sustainable future through entrepreneurial practices.

🕐 : 12:30 – 14:00
📍 : S8, Petal 2, 1st Floor, Geneva Graduate Institute

Clothing Swap with Zero Waste Switzerland and Histoire sans Chute

Bring your pre-loved clothes to one of our drop-off points and collect tickets to redeem at the Clothing Swap! You can drop off your items every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday at Admissions Petal 1 (9 am to 5 pm) with Alexia or find us at the EC booth Petal 2 (12 to 2 pm) on March 12th. It’s simple—clear out your closet, collect your tickets, and get ready to refresh your wardrobe sustainably on March 19th!

Join us during Sustainability Week for an exciting Clothing Swap, where fashion meets eco-consciousness! Instead of letting old clothes gather dust or buying new ones, exchange them for fresh finds and give pre-loved pieces a second life. Learn about slow fashion and essential clothing repair skills at ZeroWaste Switzerland’s booth and discover inspiring circular fashion initiatives at Histoire sans Chute’s booth. Whether you’re swapping, repairing, or simply exploring, this event is your chance to embrace a more sustainable lifestyle!

🕐 : 12:00 – 17:00
📍 : Hall Kogler, Petal 2, Geneva Graduate Institute

Sustainable Blue Economy with GIIA

Dive into the future of the blue economy with an inspiring panel discussion exploring the challenges and opportunities of sustainable marine activities. From fishing and aquaculture to maritime trade and marine conservation, this event will highlight innovative solutions for reconciling economic growth, the preservation of marine ecosystems and the livelihoods of coastal communities.
Join us for an insightful discussion on shaping a resilient and thriving blue economy with distinguished experts:
–Babatunde Adeleke – Expert in sustainable aquaculture
–David Vivas Eugui – UN specialist in trade, environment, and ocean economy
–Ela Gökçiğdem – Blue economy specialist focusing on economic resilience in island communities.
Don’t miss this chance to engage with experts and be part of the transformative shift towards a sustainable ocean economy!

🕐 : 16:00 – 18:00
📍 : Auditorium 2, Petal 2, 2nd floor, Geneva Graduate Institute

DAY 4 – THURSDAY, 20TH MARCH 2025

Bicycle Repair Workshop with Ciclissimo

Join our hands-on bike repair workshop and learn how to keep your ride smooth and sustainable for free! Pro mechanics will show you the essentials, from fixing flats to fine-tuning brakes. Get your hands dirty, practice on your own bike, and get expert tips along the way. Plus, swing by our free bike check-up zone for pro advice on keeping your wheels in top shape.

🕐 : 11:00 – 14:00
📍 : Between Petal 1 and 2, Geneva Graduate Institute

No need to register !

Racializing Nature and Naturalizing Race: Consumption and Waste in International Law

Join us for an engaging discussion at the International Law Colloquium, where we will explore the complex relationships between race, consumption, and environmental justice in international law.

– Speaker: Usha Natarajan (Yale Law School)
– Discussant: Maria George (PhD Candidate)

Usha Natarajan is a Law and Political Economy Faculty Fellow at Yale Law School, with an extensive academic and professional background in international law, environmental justice, migration, and postcolonial studies. This session, convened by Neha Mishra, Alice Pirlot, and Anne Saab from the International Law Department will provide a critical perspective on how legal systems reinforce racial and environmental hierarchies.

🕐 : 12:30 – 14:00
📍 : Auditorium 2, Petal 2, 2nd floor, Geneva Graduate Institute and Online

Film Screening with the Festival Du Film Vert

The 2025 Festival Du Film Vert will feature a screening of Priceless Forests. The film takes us to the heart of Switzerland’s local forests and their over 150 years of sustainable management, with the people who bring them to life on a daily basis. Little by little, the film shows the limits of this ideal example by comparing the forestry of Switzerland and the needs of its citizens that impact other forests like the Amazon. A critical eye, that challenges Western values and certainties in the face of the urgent need to preserve this treasure of our planet.

The screening will be followed by an engaging panel discussion with:

– Orane Burri – Director of Priceless Forests
– Oksana Tarasova – Senior Scientific Officer, World Meteorological Organization
– Professor Alice Pirlot – Assistant Professor, International Law Faculty Associate, Centre For Finance and Development, Geneva Graduate Institute

🕐 : 18:00 – 20:45
📍 : Auditorium 2, Petal 2, 2nd floor, Geneva Graduate Institute

DAY 5 – FRIDAY, 21ST MARCH 2025

FoodSaver Kitchen Battle

Want to Win a Lunch at Refettorio? Join the Foodsaver Kitchen Battle!

Are you passionate about cooking and want to show off your culinary skills and win a prize? Then sign up to prepare one of the three dishes – you will have to be creative because the groceries available will be leftovers from La Farce. Or perhaps you simply love food and want to enjoy a delicious meal with 3 dishes for just 5 CHF? Here’s your chance to be part of an exciting event that combines creativity, sustainability, and delicious food!

🕐 : 18:00- 21:00
📍 : Grand Morillon Student House

Closing Apéro

Join us for a special closing apéro to wrap up Sustainability Week! Enjoy great company, good vibes, and a DJ set by Malko Kehtari. We’ll have delicious drinks and snacks, but spots are limited, so make sure to sign up fast! Let’s raise a glass, turn up the music, and celebrate a greener future!

🕐 : 20:00 onwards
📍 : Grand Morillon Student House CAFE

OUR PARTNERS:

OUR TEAM:

Ebrima Barrow, Mariana Hervigo, Sharmely Mayra Quijano Zavala, Lou Boileau, Johanna Boesiger, Devayani Aravindan, Chloe Chmelar, Malak Helal, Shilpa Ann Thomas, Ashwathy Sunilkumar, Leïla Joutet and Shubika Tagore