SWF Elected as a Participating Organization to GEO

Thursday, January 30, 2014

The Secure World Foundation (SWF) was honored with election as a “Participating Organization” at the recently completed plenary session of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) in Geneva, Switzerland in January 2014.

SWF was acknowledged for the substantial work it has done to broaden the base of those benefitting from space capabilities, as well as its efforts on some of GEO’s principle issue areas like data sharing, disaster management, space applications in the service of humanity, and user engagement.

These activities included co-sponsorship with the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) and the U.S. National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of two workshops in 2013.  Held in East Africa and Central America, each workshop trained technicians on how to use recently released digital elevation modeling data for community planning and flood control. Local partners included the Regional Center for Mapping and Resources for Development (RCMRD) in Kenya and the Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education for Latin America (CRECTEALC).

The year was also marked by close cooperation with the United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UNSPIDER)  on field applications of space based tools for disaster management, co-sponsorship of a conference in November 2013 on the use of Earth observation technologies in support of food security with the European Commission and GEO, and a workshop as part of the GEO Ministerial in January 2014 on advancing the development of a system of systems out of the several institutions advancing the use of space assets to mitigate disasters.

SWF’s election came at an historic moment in the history of GEO as the organization’s mandate was extended for a decade and its future direction was clarified by the adoption of the Geneva Declaration aimed at guiding its work through 2025.  Even after just a quick reading of that document, you only need to scroll back through the summaries of our activities last year to see the substantial resonance between GEO’s work and Secure World Foundation’s vision, mission, values, and activity.

With good reason, we look forward to a long and productive partnership.