What technology can do for the good of the human experience
Written by Douglas Weinstein, via Technology Designer
THE RECENT 2023 CONSUMER ELECTRONICS SHOW (CES) HELD IN LAS VEGAS was a remarkable event and projected a powerful message to the leading companies in the industry and the rest of the 115,000 business and global press representatives who participated. For the first time, CES 2023 adopted a theme for the conference and projected it to participants through exhibits, innovation awards, Great Minds seminars, video and massive campaign signage.
That theme announced the launching of a global campaign on human security — Human Security for All (HS4A) — which is being conducted by the UN Trust Fund for Human Security and the World Academy of Art and Science. CES 2023 showcased the critical role of technology as a catalyst and powerful driver in support of the United Nations’ efforts to advance human security around the world. One of the highlights of CES 2023 was the introduction of a new category of Innovation Awards showcasing technologies that advance human security.
I came away from the show with the realization that the very technologies we report on here at Technology Designer Magazine — energy conservation, sustainability and resource management, wellness and healthy environments, clean air and water — are themselves agents of change in the global struggle for human security. Let me share some thoughts from the show and an interview with one of the leaders of this exciting and critical campaign.
Human Security is a broad conceptual approach applicable to all areas of development policy.
Humanity is faced with myriad global challenges, from war to climate change, to personal safety and freedom. These challenges can no longer be addressed at the state or national level — they are global in nature and require global reach, a message I believe every human being can appreciate. The traditional understanding of national security through military security is giving way to the understanding that security should be measured at the personal level rather than the national level. Human Security is that message and speaks to people about their own personal issues.
This concept of Human Security confronts us all — peace, personal safety, basic human rights, healthcare, food availability, educational opportunities, jobs, energy, climate change and access to the very fundamentals that life depends on: clean air and water. The UN has identified 17 sustainable development goals that everyone can identify with and is rallying widespread support for commitments in all sectors to make the world a safer, better place for all of mankind. These goals were unanimously approved by 193 member states of the United Nations in 2015 and are now shaping the regulatory landscape around the globe. Human security is a comprehensive, integrated approach that encompasses all 17 SDGs.
