by Isha Shah September 2020

The world is incontestably interconnected to the point that it is not within our capacity to think about the world without a multilateral dynamic until we shift our attention to what we lose if it weren't for international collaboration. It suffices to think about the products you wouldn't own if it wasn't for robust global trade, or about the data you couldn't access, in order to realize our dependences on everything that only exists due to international cooperation.

Decades of failed treaties, wars, and recession went into a simple realization that the countries need to work together. This realization is not enough if it is not followed by action. Ironically, when global cooperation is in unquestionable need, we are witnessing it not only fade away but also disappear behind the shadow of mounting protectionism.

When the UN or its parent -LON came into being, there was little comprehension of how it will pan out. The architects of the institution made mistakes, but one thing that wasn't missing was the will. Now, it is lack of the same that is moving the political scene further away from cooperation. The issue here is nor the effort nor the initiative to strive for a world with shared values. Instead, the crux of the problem is the lack of will for cooperation.

It is naïve, if not ignorant, to think that current issues could be solved autonomously. If warm winds from one part of the world can destroy coral reefs in a whole other part of the world, how can the issue be solved if there is disharmony among countries? This is to say that if the problems trespass the borders, so should the solutions.

With a combined effort, we want to prevent a lopsided global economy as we emerge out of the pandemic, which requires the funding that the IMF has released but also substantial assistance and educational programs to complement the financing. Most UN subsidiaries are working to ensure stability through cross cultural conversations. For instance, UNESCO's effort to partner with digital platforms, governments, and NGOs ensures access to education in rural parts of the world. GDCOO's work rightly fits what UN calls for at the moment - "reinvigorating multilateralism."

Geneva Desk for Cooperation is one of the many organizations working towards resurrecting the will behind cooperation among people, institutions, and countries at large. The uncertainty around this time has caused managers, civil society heads, country leaders, and all organization heads to vacillate between hope and despair. But the ensuing months' decisions are a precursor to the future we envision that stands on values of joint action. We want the leaders to carefully evaluate the choices, reflect on the ethics, and strategically plan for the future. GDCOO aspires to create a networking and cooperation platform, which will help the participants do exactly that through carefully curated learning modules that mirror the post-pandemic world's needs.

The aim is to educate experts and support them to change their respective organization's culture to encourage collaboration among partners and promote a green economy. These course modules may also act as networking hub to forge long-lasting partnership with like-minded institutions and experts.

With the focus on Central Asian and European cooperation to meet the Sustainable Development goals, GDCOO has proposed a vocational training and capacity building project in Central Asia. By reversing the trend of youth migration (which is already disrupted due to the pandemic), the goal is to use Swiss expertise to train young professionals in central Asia, preparing them for a labor force that is driven towards sustainable development.

The pandemic has given us the unique opportunity to rethink the flaws and recreate the world's structures and systems. Let us engage in a conversation that does not stop at piecemeal changes but concrete actions leading to reforms that we want in our society. Join GDCOO to learn, converse, and act on some of the most pressing issues of our time.