WiRE’s COP28 Dinner: A Testament to Global Collaboration

WiRE is more than just a collective; it’s an extraordinary global adventure. Despite being dispersed across the world and entangled in our respective responsibilities, our interactions often find themselves confined to the digital realm of Zoom and Google Meets meetings.

WiRE hosted 2 beautiful and productive dinners, in the dazzling city of Dubai during the 28th Annual Conference of Parties. It was a rare opportunity for all of us to step out from behind our webcams and come together in person, in the company of our friends and partners from GE VERNOVA Africa.

The esteemed President of GE Vernova Africa, Mai Abdelhalim, graced us with her presence, joined by her colleague, Suraya Gaia Watfa. Amidst a delectable meal in a unique setting, the usual unfocused digital backdrops were replaced with lively, face-to-face exchanges. For some, it was a first encounter, while for others, it was a joyful reunion a year after Sharm-el-Sheikh.

The highlight of the evening was the chance to engage in cross-cultural exchanges and fully appreciate the diversity of our members, who hail from over 15 countries. As Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala rightly emphasized, “climate change requires immediate global action,” and such action demands momentum, sparked by gatherings like ours where ideas and experiences are shared.

Our dinner served as a platform to deliberate on our ongoing projects, outline our impact goals for 2024, and articulate the vision we aspire to present at COP29. As we write this article, we are confident that the bonds we have strengthened will form the bedrock of our collective actions at COP29.

We eagerly look forward to continuing this journey in Baku. See you soon!