Podcast

IKEA is one of the most recognized companies for its commitment to the environment when creating its designs. Behind this minimalism there is a green conscience that Guillem Bargalló, the head of sustainability at IKEA, will tell us about.

Today’s society is facing major challenges that will certainly sound familiar: youth unemployment, declining access to and quality of public services, growing inequality and polarization of… well, practically everything… In this context, there are many who see technology as the solution to improve not only the economy of countries but society as a whole, and yes, to improve your daily life.

The COTEC Foundation, whose objective is to promote innovation as a driver of economic and social development, is engaged in this struggle. In other words, to put technology and innovation at the service of citizens. Today we have the pleasure of welcoming its CEO Jorge Barrero, science communicator and specialist in technology transfer for citizen participation.

In the smile of a child, of a girl, infinite possibilities are hidden; in the longing of her bright eyes await futures that we cannot even imagine today, and even less so in these times of uncertainty. Childhood is, for those of us who were lucky enough to live it happily, a refuge to which we always return and which we remember with affection and, why not, with a touch of nostalgia. But that happy childhood is not guaranteed, neither in the world nor, of course, in Spain. That is where the work of UNICEF comes in, possibly one of the best known agencies of the United Nations, which is concerned with defending the rights of children around the world.

It could be said that we live in the information age, at a time when anyone, from their cell phone, can consult any data or learn about any subject. One might think that at such a time, everyone would be perfectly informed about one of the greatest challenges facing humanity, Climate Change; however, the reality is different, precisely because today it is as easy to spread information as it is to spread misinformation, myths or lies. And in a subject as sensitive as Climate Change, there are many myths to combat.

At EdTech Generation, as you know, we address issues that are of general interest, from mental health to education, including, as we are doing today, sustainability. And the fact is that… there are very few challenges we face as a society, more important than Climate Change. Some are already calling it a Climate Emergency. No wonder, because the effects of global climate change are becoming more and more intense in every corner of the world, from increasingly prolonged droughts to more intense climatic disasters such as hurricanes or fires.

We live among constant peaks of dopamine offered by new technologies, to the point where we have normalized and trivialized concepts such as being hooked on something: a series, a video game, the cell phone…

There is a lot of ignorance about what it means to suffer from Autism Spectrum Disorder despite the fact that it is estimated that around 1 in 100 people in Spain have this condition.

Since it was founded in 2015, Open Arms has rescued nearly 70,000 people, so today we have the great pleasure of inviting Ángeles Schjaer, coordinator of the Education Department of Open Arms to Generación EDTECH. We will embark on the journey of a person who makes this journey and we will learn about her approach on how education can be the engine of social change.
Now, yes, we are starting a new season of Generation EdTech.

Gradually, mental health is ceasing to be a taboo subject and is beginning to be visible in a society that is increasingly demanding measures against what may be one of the pandemics of this century.