Media Invitation to the Sustainability Research and Innovation Congress Africa (SRI2024) Satellite Event

Over 300 academic researchers, Government and civil society experts, funders, entrepreneurs and innovators from across Africa will gather in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, from 21 to 24 May 2024 for the 3rd Sustainability Research and Innovation Congress Africa (SRI2024) Satellite Event to share their innovations and insights into sustainability research.

The event is hosted by the Future Earth Africa Hub, supported by the National Research Foundation (NRF) in collaboration with the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Journalists are invited to cover this important event. In addition to sessions coverage, there will be opportunities for sideline one-on-one interviews with experts from South Africa and our continent.  

EVENT DETAILS:

DATE: 21 – 24 May 2024

VENUE: Southern Sun Elangeni, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal

TIME: 08:00 – 16:45

Media contact: NRF Media Relations Officer, Bongani Nkosi, on b.nkosi@nrf.ac.za or 061 477 3064.

SRI2024 will be a prelude to the fourth edition of the Sustainability Research & Innovation Congress (SRI2024) which will be held in Helsinki and Espoo, Finland as well as online from 10-14 June 2024. Established by the Belmont Forum and Future Earth, the SRI Congress is the world’s largest annual transdisciplinary gathering for the global sustainability research community. It hosts more than 2 000 global sustainability research leaders, Government and civil society experts, funders and innovators for week-long gathering where they bring forth solutions and innovations to achieve knowledge-based sustainable transformation. 

Says Dr Fulufhelo Nelwamondo, CEO of the NRF, “The Africa satellite event serves the same purpose. It is a platform for more than 200 African innovation experts to share their latest tangible innovations, their successes and challenges. Importantly, the event is a platform to ensure the sustainability of these innovations. The previous satellite events showcased many innovations that are changing the lives of ordinary people across Africa, and also hosted live discussions on how to sustain these impactful projects. Perspectives on collaborations and funding also come to the fore at this seminal science sustainability gathering.”

The 2024 event will build on the success of the previous year’s proceedings, which hosted over 320 African experts from more than 34 countries and more than 40 sessions and six plenaries over three days. It will feature a mixture of cross-cutting plenary sessions, parallel thematic sessions and live discussions.

Furthermore, two critical research funding programmes will also be launched during the SRI2024. These are the Future Earth Africa Hub Nodes and the Belmont Forum Africa Regional Call.

• The Future Earth Africa Hub Nodes launch on 22 May 2024, the second day of SRI202422, which will see the announcement of regional Future Earth Africa regional nodes across East, North and West Africa. These nodes will collectively coordinate sustainability research endeavours within their respective geographical regions. They will be supported by academic partner institutions and/or funders, e.g. science granting councils. The Central and Southern Africa nodes will be announced later this year.
• The Belmont Forum Africa Regional Call will be launched on 24 May 2024, the last day of SRI2024. The Call will introduce funding opportunities for scientists and stakeholders involved in transdisciplinary research addressing sustainable approaches for climate adaptation and mitigation in Africa. Developed by the Belmont Forum Thematic Programme Office, chaired by the NRF, the Call is in line with the AU Climate Change Strategy 2030 drive to ensure that the continent generates its own dynamic scientific, technological, and entrepreneurial capability; and innovate new, predictable, and sustainable sources of funding for its response to climate change. The Call themes are Water-Food-Energy-Health nexus; Pollution; and Disaster Preparedness.

Find Programme below: