Quantum Unplugged: exploring the fundamentals of quantum technology with Geneva’s diplomatic community
On 12th February, representatives from 20 Permanent Missions in Geneva attended the third edition of Quantum Unplugged, organised by the Open Quantum Institute in collaboration with the Delegation of the European Union to the UN and other international organisations in Geneva .
Building on the success of previous editions, this session was also hosted at IdeaSquare, the innovation space at CERN, an ideal backdrop to bring together the diplomatic community of Geneva to explore the concepts of quantum mechanics and quantum computing – fostering open dialogue and leaving jargon at the door.
During the session, the diplomatic community had the opportunity to learn more about quantum concepts in an open environment where there is no such thing as a stupid question. The session was led by Martin Gastal, who also presented the work we are doing at OQI, highlighting our work supporting the developing quantum computing applications to accelerate the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), alongside our other activities such as global capacity building – from hackathons to Quantum Diplomacy Games and regional events taking place around the world.
Since 2021, OQI has been curating a diplomatic dialogue on quantum computing with permanent representations in Geneva – with inputs from UN international organisations, the private sector and academia. The sessions of Quantum Unplugged is one example of how we are continuing this dialogue, through fostering engagement with the diplomatic community to collaboratively build capacity and co-shape the developing technology for the benefit of all.
