WSF2023 – Singapore – MDPI Blog

We are excited to be a part of the 10^th World Sustainability Forum (WSF) and to participate in the expansion of knowledge surrounding this fascinating and deeply important idea through the Singapore WSF2023 Hub. Sustainability is the idea of being able to avoid the depletion of resources and maintaining growth and the improving of people’s lives.

What is sustainability?

There are many different ways in which sustainability is defined as a concept. Two of the most important definitions are for sustainability and sustainable development. UNESCO defines them as,

“Sustainability is often thought of as a long-term goal (i.e. a more sustainable world), while sustainable development refers to the many processes and pathways to achieve it.”

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Agreed upon in 2015 by the United Nations, these are a series of goals that aim towards addressing matters such as poverty, health, gender equality, and more. There are 17 such goals, ranging from ending poverty, to building resilient infrastructure, to promoting peaceful societies.

They are noble goals, all aiming to produce a better and more sustainable world.

Sustainability for Social and Community Impact

This year’s forum focuses on potential and realized social and community impacts of sustainability. This also includes efforts towards social and community good, the challenges in achieving this, and looking at innovative means to create even greater impacts. This theme thus inspires and showcases collaborative efforts among different groups within the community. This can include social groups, industry, institutions, and individuals, who are aiming at co-creating sustainable solutions for current and future problems.

World Sustainability Forum Events

Coordinated with universities in Singapore, Basel (Switzerland) and Toronto (Canada), this will be a 24-hour event. Held in the three locations, as well as online for worldwide participation in this global event, the forum will have four main subjects distributed at the three locations.

Kicking off in Singapore, the focus will be on sustainability for social and community impact. Then, on to Basel, where the Chairs will lead discussions on sustainability in interdisciplinary sciences – tools, organizations, and approaches. Finally, in Toronto, the focus will be on sustainability in the built environment.

As a hybrid event, it will provide scholars, industry, and the community with the opportunity to attend the event in-person at one of the three conference sites or, most sustainably, online. We invite the community to participate in this event.

Sustainability through Innovation

At 11 a.m. (Singapore time), the first session will take place, and will focus on sustainability through innovation. There will be paper presentations and a showcase to discuss the matter, and we invite the community to think deeply on the questions related to this topic.

Singapore Event Co-Chairs

We are thrilled that Professor Cheah Horn Mun, Assistant Provost at the Singapore University of Social Sciences. He is also the Dean of the College of Lifelong & Experiential Learning, and Associate Professor Renee Tan, Director of the Research Division at the Institute for Adult Learning. They will be co-charing the WSF Singapore events.

Being Part of WSF2023