Information & Communication DepartmentPress Release No: 00325Date: 7th July, 2022Venue: Mogadishu, SomaliaTheme: STEM in Sustainable Impact
Somali STEM Summit, convened by Somali STEM Society and Hano Academy, is an annual gathering of academics, researchers, teachers, students, STEM enthusiasts, and entrepreneurs from in and outside Somalia to enhance scientific knowledge production and inquiry and to find sustainable solutions for evolving developmental issues facing Somalia and the Horn of Africa region. During this Summit, following key topics will be covered: Climate Change; Innovative Solutions for Floods and Droughts in Somalia; Blue-economy (Sustainable Energy); Education; Integrating Art in STEM & TVET; Youth Job Creation, Employment, and Financial Investment; Health; Women/Girls in STEM; Agriculture and Food Insecurity in Somalia; Somalia’s Progress on Sustainable Development Goals; Youth Skills Expo and Competition.
This year’s STEM Summit will be driving innovative solutions by majorly focusing on socio-economic trends for climate change in Somalia, due to rapid industrialization, technological innovation, and improving education levels, especially in Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). This will lead to sustainable impact which will lead to decreased levels of hunger and undernourishment. Climate change has been among Somalia’s key drivers of migration due to climate pressures on resources, mainly water and pasture. Following extreme weather conditions such as droughts, increased temperatures, floods and irregular seasonal patterns, many people have lost their livelihood and there has been scarcity of resources in Somalia. All this in addition to violent extremism caused by clan wrangles, armed conflicts and political instability have formed ways leading to migration. Many people in Somalia are pastoralists, due to the climate change, many have been affected by the resource scarcity pathway leaving them vulnerable to food insecurity. Those who are agropastoral and live near the river lines are particularly affected by floods which also cause famine and displacements. To tackle the climate crisis and protect the most vulnerable, we must urgently mitigate the problem by reducing emissions whilst simultaneously supporting communities to adapt to the worsening impacts. Innovative solutions are critical to creating a Somalia with Zero Hunger. STEM embraces innovative technology which is clustered inside one of three categories: Carbon Reduction Technologies, Geoengineering the Larger Environment, and Improved Battery Efficiency and Cooling Tech. All these can lead to innovative ways of dealing with climate change in Somalia.
With the absence of effective interventions on climate change, the current vulnerability suggests a prevalence in the future. This points to the urgency of implementing innovative socio-economic development strategies to curb climate change effects.
In this year’s STEM Summit, we will integrate the dissemination of climate information and sustainable measures to be taken for Climate Action in Somalia, while welcoming innovative ideas on climate action from the attendees. Climate change is a global challenge that requires local solutions and that’s why through the Somali STEM Summit we are seeking solutions and providing extensive information to enable climate-resilient development.
Research clearly shows that climate is deteriorating at an alarming rate and it will become more limited if global warming exceeds 1.5°C (2.7°F). This key finding underlines the urgency for climate action, focusing on equity and justice, technology transfer, governmental commitment and partnership to lead to more effective climate change adaptation and emissions reductions not only in Somalia but also in the world.
Women and girls in Somalia are essential, effective and powerful leaders and change-makers to address climate adaptation, mitigation and solutions, since they are disproportionately affected by climate change, and they play a crucial role in climate change adaptation and mitigation. Women have the knowledge and understanding of what is needed to adapt to changing environmental conditions and to come up with practical solutions. Somali STEM Society envisions a world where women feel confident to pursue STEM careers and be equally represented in the STEM workforce more so in curbing climate change in Somalia.
People are cordially invited to submit a paper to the Somali STEM Summit which will take place on 7-9 August 2022 in Mogadishu, Somalia.
The STEM Summit also facilities as a gateway to exploring new business ideas and investment opportunities, builds networks, shapes the country’s economic ecosystem and, most importantly supports connections and collaboration by showcasing Somalia’s best and brightest STEM experts and entrepreneurs.
Powering good in society and driving social innovation have been the pillars of the Somali STEM Society since its inception and it has supported the development of the society and the improvement of people’s lives. Thus, addressing climate change is the next frontier, and we have joined hands with different climate change innovation partners to meet this challenge head-on.
To read more information about the STEM Summit, please read
https://mcusercontent.com/d40e2821e0500ec3424664ab3/files/18b40bfa-acbb-0dc4-94e9-755aa2b50480/Booklet_STEM_Summit_2022.pdf
If you wish to submit a paper, please click
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSde29J8G5IPCHZ7dP1YM8RY9ZjdvXO4VLgvMZ2BsU9q-6Qk6g/viewform
If you wish to attend the STEM Summit, please register here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSftdOIVGnQrna2DwyuBiSje2O7goANi9SEeXG9XFKtS_8iLxg/viewform
If you are a STEM entrepreneur who has a business idea which is related to Agriculture and Livelihood Products; Renewable Energy; Tech-Based Business; Health Care and Fisheries; and you want a business investment, please register here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdu8abWiH_cMnhp9oqT1N9-ss5WcwZN4R22gh6nC2xs4K5C2Q/viewform\.
