Director-General's remarks at the Opening of the high-level plenary of the 2025 GESDA Summit "The Age of Possibility: Science, Sovereignty, and Shared Futures"

Opening of the high-level plenary of the 2025 GESDA Summit "The Age of Possibility: Science, Sovereignty, and Shared Futures" 
Wednesday, 15 October 2025 at 5.15 p.m.
Auditorium A, CERN Science Gateway

Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great pleasure to join you once again at the GESDA Summit, this year held under the inspiring theme “The Age of Possibility: Science, Sovereignty, and Shared Futures.” There could be no more fitting venue than CERN’s Science Gateway, a place where curiosity, cooperation, and courage converge to push the frontiers of human knowledge.

The “Age of Possibility” captures both the promise and the responsibility of our times. Scientific and technological breakthroughs are transforming the foundations of our societies, from artificial intelligence to quantum computing, from synthetic biology to clean energy. The choices we make today in how we govern, share, and apply these discoveries will shape the contours of our common future.

As these frontiers expand, so too must our capacity to collaborate across boundaries. No single nation or actor can navigate this complexity alone. Science diplomacy, which lies at the heart of GESDA’s mission, offers a bridge between scientific foresight and policy action ensuring that the benefits of innovation serve humanity as a whole, and not the interests of a few.

In an era marked by geopolitical fragmentation, this Summit reminds us that multilateralism remains our most powerful instrument for collective progress. The United Nations is deeply committed to fostering a global ecosystem where scientific cooperation underpins peace, sustainable development, and human rights.

The adoption of the Global Digital Compact as part of the Pact for the Future was an important milestone in this direction. It reaffirmed that technological development must be guided by universal principles, inclusivity, transparency, accountability, and respect for human dignity. But as we know, adoption is only the beginning. Implementation demands shared vision, sustained investment, and genuine partnership among governments, academia, the private sector, and civil society.

Here in Geneva, we are fortunate to host a unique constellation of actors, from international organizations and research institutions to start-ups and think tanks, all contributing to what I often call the “Geneva ecosystem of solutions.” GESDA’s collaboration with CERN and the UN family exemplifies this spirit of partnership, turning scientific anticipation into tangible initiatives for the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Open Quantum Institute, launched here at CERN, is a particularly compelling example. It demonstrates how quantum science can be directed toward solving concrete global challenges, from reducing carbon footprints and combating antimicrobial resistance to producing more food on less land. These initiatives remind us that when we align scientific innovation with the 2030 Agenda, we unlock new possibilities for prosperity and planetary well-being.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Science offers humanity a mirror of its potential, but also a test of its maturity. How we manage the power of discovery will determine whether the “Age of Possibility” becomes an age of shared progress or deepening divides.

Let us ensure that innovation strengthens sovereignty through cooperation, not competition, that knowledge becomes a source of empowerment, not exclusion; and that the pursuit of discovery remains anchored in the values of solidarity and sustainability.

The United Nations stands ready to continue this dialogue, to connect scientists and diplomats, innovators and policymakers, in the service of a future where no one is left behind.

Together, let us embrace this Age of Possibility with foresight, humility, and hope.

Thank you.