- Based in Córdoba Capital, it seeks to become a model location for research and development in the region, in direct collaboration with five other specialized centers of the international organization located in Chile, Peru, Mexico, Panama and Colombia.
The Municipality of Córdoba and the Organization of American States (OAS) have launched a Center of Excellence for Innovation and Transformative Technologies for the Circular Economy (Ceitt.EC) in the provincial capital.
Argentina and the only one in Latin America specializing in this subject. One from Córdoba will work alongside five others in the network and will focus on different areas: Chile (artificial intelligence); Peru (advanced materials and nanotechnology); Mexico (blockchain); Columbia (Artificial Intelligence and Robotics); Panama (Biotechnology).
The launch event took place at the 6 de Julio Palace and was chaired by Mayor Daniel Passerini and Kim Osborne, Executive Secretary for Integrated Development of the OAS. During the ceremony, the first municipal president was appointed as the top official of the Ceitt.EC.
“In September of last year, Governor Martin Lariora signed a cooperation agreement with the OAS. Today we are taking another fundamental step towards a more sustainable future, renewing our commitment to reducing waste production and improving people's quality of life,” Passerini said.
The mayor of the city stated the social and economic benefits that the public policies that will now be implemented will bring: “The designation of Córdoba is a unique opportunity: it will bring financing for investments and circular economy projects, and will create more. Employment and status for the city in terms of innovation and technology.
“The exchange of experience with other specialized centers in other countries will, for us, enrich a program centered on public policies on a mandate: people. We are convinced that this will be the path to growth and development that the whole country needs. The center will be an engine of great change and change for Córdoba and Argentina. ,” the local leader concluded.
For his part, Osborne highlighted: “This launch is an important milestone in Cordoba. Adopting a circular economy has profound implications for U.S. growth but requires policies, regulations, and measures to promote it. We at OAS are committed to creating a future where innovation transcends boundaries, giving every community the opportunity to reach its full potential and improve its quality of life.”
The choice of the city as the headquarters of Ceitt.EC was recognized by the international organization of circular economy principles implemented by the municipality in recent years. In this sense, this initiative is presented as a model space for the research and development of common policies, knowledge, experiences and practices that can be transferred to other members of the network.
Among other activities, the Center of Excellence will map global and regional trends in the circular economy. It will encourage collaborative work with researchers, entrepreneurs and governments, thereby strengthening regional cooperation of experts in transformative technologies.
“The circular economy has the potential to be a state policy because there is a committee consisting of Governor Martín Lariora and Mayor Passerini, and two Cabinets that work together daily to improve the quality of life of citizens and provide solutions,” said the Minister of Economy and Public Management of the Province of Córdoba, Guillermo Acosta.
It will have an online portal with access to resources, training opportunities, webinars, workshops and other events of community sharing of knowledge.
Ceitt.EC will operate within the jurisdiction of the City's Secretariat of Sustainable Environment and Circular Economy.
The secretary of this portfolio, George Folloni, highlighted: “We encourage all the actors of the circular economy, not only from our city, not only from our province, and we want to be actors all over the world. “With the help of the OAS, I am confident that we will achieve it.”
The Centers of Excellence are part of Prospecta Americas, a regional platform operating since 2019 within the framework of the Inter-American Commission on Science and Technology (COMCYT).
César Parga, Head of Competitiveness, Innovation and Technology Unit, Economic Development Department SEDI, was part of the launch event; Rodrigo Duran, manager of Chile's National Center for Artificial Intelligence; Maria Quintana, Director of the Department of Physics at the National University of Engineering, Peru's Center for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology Development; Hernán Islas Vázquez, Director of Talent at Cytnova, Center of Excellence in Blockchain-Hidalgo, Mexico; Reynaldo Villarreal, Director of the Center of Excellence for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Simon Bolivar University, Colombia; Aryanne Quintal, Science and Technology Specialist in the Department of Economic Development at SEDI, OAS; and Head of Climate Change Unit, Department of Sustainable Development, SED, Ruben Contreras.
Work
This Thursday the 25th, the first working day among the representatives of the centers will define the priorities and projects for the year and develop an action plan for the network.
These activities will include various bilateral meetings to develop strategic alliances and joint projects, as well as contacting different Córdoba actors from the circular ecosystem of the city.
The meeting will include a series of thematic talks that will be followed live on the Córdoba Municipality's YouTube channel.
From 15:00 there will be presentations by two experts on the circular economy, and at 16:30 a workshop to exchange good practices on transformative technologies and applications for the circular economy. The latter will be led by representatives of various centers of excellence and special guests.
Event completion can also be viewed online.
