First Pinoy science diplomat honored with Geneva Centre for Security Policy Fellowship

The Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP), an international peace and security training foundation, has just selected its first Filipino science diplomat to join its roster of esteemed fellows for its Global Fellowship Initiative (GFI).

Sc. Dpl. Glenn Banaguas has been chosen as an Executive Fellow of the GCSP, for which he will present his research and humanitarian work in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. Along with other fellows from around the world, he will be conducting a comprehensive intersectional study on security, inclusivity, resilience, and sustainability for the people in the region

“My fellowship project will focus on actions and interventions that will not cause harm, conflict dynamics, tension escalations, and insecurity in society,” Banaguas said on his conferment. “I would also like to develop and implement a project that will serve as an opportunity to maximize positive change and minimize negative impacts.”

Banaguas is no stranger to international relations and science-based diplomacy: he is the president and founder of the Environmental and Climate Change Research Institute (ECCRI), whose flagship program, Climate Smart Philippines, brings scientific experts and stakeholders together in addressing disasters and preventing losses from climate change and other hazards. For his work, Banaguas received the prestigious UN Sasakawa Award for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Asia Leaders Award for Sustainable Leadership, and other international accolades. He is the Chairman of the ASEAN Science Diplomats and the US-ASEAN Fellows for Science and Technology, and a member of the EU-Asia Expert Panel for Climate Diplomacy and Environmental Security.

The GFI is a vibrant, multidisciplinary, multicultural and multigenerational network of leaders, experts and practitioners from a variety of backgrounds who want to develop sustainable solutions for a more peaceful future. It was created to overcome siloed approaches to learning and to act as an incubator for talent, innovation and creativity. Government officials, executives, scholars, and young leaders participate from around the world in Geneva, the center of international affairs, diplomacy, peacebuilding and human rights, with the aim of advancing global peace and security.

Established in 1995, the GCSP is an impartial, independent, and inclusive platform based in the heart of International Geneva that focuses on advancing peace and security and international cooperation through executive education, diplomatic dialogue, policy analysis and advice, and the exchange of innovative ideas. It is governed by a Foundation Council comprised of representatives from 53 nations, including five permanent members of the UN Security Council, as well as the Canton of Geneva.

Further inquiries may be sent to csdra-secretariat@csdrasean.com