On September 4-6, 2023, the 7th Digital Belt and Road Conference (DBAR) was held at the Beijing International International Convention Center. It was organized by International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CBAS). As a global high-level academic exchange platform for science and technology to serve the construction of the “Belt and Road” Initiative, the conference has the theme of “Digital Technology Facilitates Sustainable Development”. Around 250 experts from more than 20 countries, including Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Nepal, attended the conference.
DBAR was initiated by Chinese scientists and officially launched in 2016. 2023 is a critical year for the implementation phase of DBAR. This year marks the 10th Anniversary for China’s “Belt and Road” Initiative. It also coincides with the mid-point of the implementation of 2030 Agenda and the key year of the implementation stage (2023-2026) of “Digital Belt and Road Program”. This conference aimed to promote the monitoring, evaluation, and demonstration of the sustainable development goals along the “Belt and Road”. An official report entitled “Big Earth Data for SDGs on the Belt and Road” was launched at the opening ceremony.
Prof. Gretchen Kalonji, Dean of the Institute for Disaster Management and Reconstruction, Sichuan University-The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, gave a special report entitled “International Collaborations on Disaster Risk Reduction and Response: Challenges and Opportunities within the Belt and Road Initiative”. She outlined the various international collaboration models so far, and the lessons we have learnt. She further encourages more inclusive international collaborations on disaster risk reduction with more stakeholders and young professionals involved in.
