The UNESCO-INDIA-AFRICA HACKATHON was officially opened on the 22nd of November 2022 at the Gautum Budda University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India by Yogi Adityanath, the Honorable Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh of Gautum on behalf of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi of India.
The Gambia delegation in attendance include the High Commissioner of the Republic of The Gambia in India Mr. Mustapha Jawara, officials from the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, headed by the Permanent Secretary Dr. Yusupha Touray and 10 students from different universities in The Gambia. Other African countries in attendance include Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, Botswana, Ethiopia, Mauritius, Morocco among others.
In his opening remarks, the Honorable Chief Minister welcomed all participants and delegates to the UNESCO-India-Africa Hackathon and stated that India and Africa’s bilateral relations are exemplary and the collaborative fight against colonialism and close cooperation between developing countries is the foundation of our strong relations.
In his remarks, the Chief Minister also said that the UNESCO-India-Africa Hackathon is a noble initiative and a first of its kind in the world that has the capability to take India and Africa relations to a whole new paradigm.
The Hackathon is a 36-hour event from the 22nd to 25th of November 2022 by students from India and 500 plus students from 22 African countries. These students will be divided into 100 teams to find innovative solutions to 20 problem statements in the fields of education, energy, drinking water and sanitation, agriculture, health and hygiene. The end results can lead to the establishment of startups.
