Geneva international synergies

Geneva has a long history of hosting international organizations, which is part of the reason why CERN is here, and it makes the canton an ideal place to forge links between such organizations. Over recent weeks, CERN has signed agreements with the ITU, WIPO and the WMO. At first sight, there may not seem to be much common ground between CERN and, say, the World Meteorological Organization, but scratch the surface, and you’ll soon find a common thread. All of these organizations have a vocation to stimulate technological innovation, and together we’re stronger.
 

Let’s start with ITU, the International Telecommunications Union. There, the synergies are evident. When ITU organized the World Summit on the Information Society in 2003, CERN provided a significant side event examining the Role of Science in the Information Society. The current agreement builds on that, allowing our two organizations to work together on important societal issues such as the extension of broadband to developing countries, training in digital librarianship in these countries, cybersecurity and the engagement of the public in science.

With WMO, the World Meteorological Organization, the agreement covers similar ground. In common with particle physics, the science of meteorology deals with large quantities of information and distributed information systems. Accordingly, this agreement focuses on high bandwidth capacity networks; collaborative on-line software tools for data and information analysis; management of mass data and storage systems; and capacity building and e-education tools, especially in developing nations. And, of course, we should not forget that CERN is actively contributing to meteorological science through the CLOUD experiment.

Finally, the agreement with the World Intellectual Property Organization is all about innovation, and how best to ensure that technological innovations made in the name of particle physics find applications in everyday life. Basic science is the driving force for innovation; Without it there is no science to apply. It is therefore vital for organizations like CERN to ensure that their knowledge and technologies find fertile ground for development. WIPO has precisely that expertise.

These agreements are important to CERN for many reasons. Within Geneva’s international community, CERN has long been perceived as being out in the suburbs and out on a limb. Our newfound engagement is being very positively seen, and we are not the only ones who are learning that the harder we look for synergies, the more we find. These agreements show recognition that the investment our Member States make in basic science at CERN has value to society far beyond the Laboratory’s walls. Our accumulated know-how, expertise and technological prowess bring benefit to society across many domains. I have been positively surprised by the depth and breadth of common ground we’ve already found with the ITO, WIPO and the WMO. I’m sure these will prove to be just the beginning.