Cornelius Holtorf

Professional preparedness for a global future

Being professionally prepared for the future, as well as showing global solidarity, is more important than ever in the state of emergency that the world is now experiencing as a result of the covid-19 pandemic. Last week, the Swedish UNESCO Chairs met with the Swedish National Commission for UNESCO to discuss collaboration. Together they conduct research on freedom of speech, education for sustainable development, and global capacity building within a number of different fields.

Since 2017, Cornelius Holtorf holds a UNESCO Chair on Heritage Futures at Linnaeus University.

“The international spread and the consequences of the pandemic clearly show how necessary global solidarity is right now. It is not enough to worry just about the situation in one’s own country but, now more than ever, people all over the world need to support each other. The current crisis does not only affect health and the economy, but also UNESCO's areas science, education, culture, and communication, all over the world”, says Holtorf.

“Universities play an important role, to create and set knowledge into motion, but also as providers for institutions and politicians worldwide. This autumn, we are planning to invite the Swedish UNESCO Chairs to a UNESCO Day where they will meet with staff and students at Linnaeus University”, Holtorf continues.

“The UNESCO Chair at Linnaeus University has an important role. There are multiple possible futures, and we build the future in our minds and with our actions today. We support professionals in the global cultural heritage sector by providing tools for creative and critical futures thinking and for learning how their own activities can benefit future generations”, Holtorf concludes.

More information about the UNESCO Chair on Heritage Futures at Linnaeus University: https://lnu.se/en/unescochair
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