3rd GANN- 30 cities across the world connected on one night
3rd GANN- 30 cities across the world connected on one night
The Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP) organised the third Global Alumni Networking Night (GANN) on 7 November 2019. Since its first edition in 2017, it continued to expand, almost doubling what it was last year.
Experts and policymakers in international peace and security gathered from North America, to Africa, Europe and Central Asia, on to North East Asia and the Pacific. This year numerous destinations in Africa joined in, featuring Accra, Abuja, Abidjan, Conakry, Kinshasa, Nairobi and Yaoundé. For a first time in Europe, our community stretched to The Hague, Prague, Budapest and in Central Asia to Bishkek. The GANN reached as far as Wellington, New Zealand.
At the GCSP, diplomats, military officers, representatives of international organisations and business professionals come together across the 80 executive courses and customised solutions provided in Geneva at the Maison de la paix. Course participants, guest speakers and practitioners engage in a co-creational learning model and share their knowledge and experience to inspire one another. “The GCSP changes the world one classroom at a time”, Ambassador Christian Dussey, Director of the GCSP, often explains.
The classroom interactions reach far beyond the walls of the GCSP. The Centre’s Community Engagement Office, establishes avenues for its former course participants to be able to remain connected. It cultivates a creative atmosphere where diverse expertise can extend boundaries and collaboratively shape solutions to the world’s numerous challenges. With the alumni community of over 8’200 members in 167 countries, wherever one goes, the GCSP community is present and can support individuals and their organisations.
The essence of the GANN is to fortify the local communities in international peace and security and unite intellectual capital across the vast GCSP network.
During the GANN receptions, GCSP alumni, regular guest speakers, fellows, management and staff had the chance to network and dialogue.
"The GANN means one night and thousands of conversations."
Discussions centred around pressing topics that participants identified as most relevant such as the role of the national monitoring mechanism in the efforts of the stabilisation and development of the DRC, UN peacekeeping planning at HQ level, as well as, cyber security, climate and environment, gender and inclusiveness.
Local communities of practice are growing across the globe. Already 15 GCSP Community Hubs are operational worldwide.
Great gratitude is expressed to our local alumni who had volunteered to support the event as well as the Swiss representations abroad.
Isabelle Gillet is the Head of Alumni and Community Engagement and leads, develops, and organizes the Centre’s community programmes in Geneva and abroad, including community-led projects. She aims to facilitate mutually beneficial and sustainable relationships between the GCSP and its alumni community.