Join EWB-SWE at Frihamnsdagarna in Gothenburg

We are thrilled to announce that Engineers Without Borders Sweden (EWB-SWE) will be participating as an exhibitor at Frihamnsdagarna in Gothenburg, and we warmly invite you to join us for this exciting event! We are most grateful for this fantastic opportunity to connect and network with interesting organisation, companies and individuals during the three-day event.

Event Details:

• Date: 29-31 August 2024

• Location: Bananpiren, Gothenburg

• Admission: Free

Frihamnsdagarna, an annual event since 2021, is a vibrant platform bringing together hundreds of organisations to engage in meaningful conversations about pressing societal issues. With free entry for the public, it promises to be an enriching experience for all attendees.

What to Expect:

• Engaging Seminars: Attend free seminars covering a wide range of topics.

• Interactive Workshops: Participate in hands-on workshops and enhance your knowledge.

• Insightful Panel Discussions: Listen to experts debate and discuss current issues.

• Political Debates: Witness engaging political debates on relevant societal matters.

• Cultural Activities: Enjoy a mix of food, music, and cultural activities throughout the event.

This year’s theme focuses on change and sustainability, encouraging everyone to "Be the change." It’s an excellent opportunity to explore diverse perspectives, gain insights, and contribute to important conversations.

About the Organiser: Frihamnsdagarna is organised by an non-profit association dedicated to societal benefit. The event is non-political, non-religious, and as said non-profit, making it a unique arena for free and open discussions.

We look forward to meeting you at Frihamnsdagarna. Join us at Bananpiren from 29-31 August to be part of Sweden’s new arena for free conversation and collective action towards a sustainable future.

Visit our exhibition page

See you in Gothenburg!

EWB-SWE Collaborates with Norden International for Upcoming WASH Seminar

We are pleased to announce our collaboration with Norden International for the upcoming WASH seminar on September 3rd. Norden International, a politically and religiously independent association affiliated with the Norden Association (Föreningen Norden), is dedicated to strengthening communication, collaboration, and knowledge exchange within the Nordic countries and internationally.

Mats Hellström, Chair of Norden International and Sweden’s former Minister of Foreign Trade, EU-Affairs, Nordic Issues, and Agriculture, shared his thoughts on this partnership: "The collaboration with Engineers Without Borders Sweden is rooted in our shared commitment to sustainability and reflects our dedication to dialogue and innovation. It also underscores the importance of Nordic values and principles in driving positive global impact.”

Caroline Edelstam, Secretary General of Engineers Without Borders Sweden, highlighted the significance of this joint effort: “Together, we aim to develop sustainable solutions that will benefit communities and the environment alike, demonstrating the power of collective action in creating a more resilient and equal world."

This partnership emphasises our mutual commitment to working towards sustainable development and innovation through collaborative efforts. We look forward to a productive seminar that will address critical water challenges and explore innovative solutions for a better future.

Presenting Our Half-Year Report: January - June 2024

We are delighted to share our Half-Year Report, covering the significant events and milestones achieved during the first six months of 2024. The report highlights our ongoing efforts and progress in various projects and collaborations aimed at promoting sustainable engineering solutions and enhancing education and inclusivity.

Key Highlights:

• January: We concluded our Winter Campaign and launched the School Campaign 2024. A major donation was received from Polhem Prize Laureate Truvé, and Mavuno Secondary School achieved an outstanding academic ranking.

• February: Sustainable Engineering Week was celebrated in four cities, accompanied by a Happy Valentine Campaign. Our local student groups arranged lunch seminars at universities across Sweden.

• March: We welcomed News Machine as a new pro bono partner for our Global Newsfeed. The Alstom Foundation supported our WASH project in Tanzania, and we initiated a collaboration with "IT for Children" in Ghana. Caroline Edelstam signed a call for a non-profit cause.

• April: Windows were installed in the new high school in Mavuno, TZ. The Mavuno project was featured in CATCH’s review, and we held a strategic meeting. We also shared EWB Norway’s initiative for Gaza and appointed Jan Burenius as our new Chairman of the Board.

• May: EWB-SWE reached the finals in The Next Awards and hosted a successful Missing Maps Mapathon. Our water project in Chile was endorsed by the Chilean Embassy, and we launched a new WASH project in collaboration with ESF Chile. WOW Foundation became a new partner for our Engineer2Engineer initiative.

• June: Ingenjörsfirman Rörkraft joined as a Bronze partner. The recruitment for the Sandvik mentorship program closed, and we provided an update on the WASH for Schools project in Tanzania. Solar panels were delivered to the school in Mavuno, and we began planning our summer campaign with a WASH focus. The local student group in Lund restarted, and we celebrated International Women in Engineering Day 2024.

Additional Highlights:

• Missing Maps in May: Over 50 dedicated mappers participated in our Mapathon, mapping flood-affected areas in Demak Regency, Indonesia.

• New Collaboration with WOW Foundations: We are proud to welcome WOW Foundations as a new partner, supporting the integration of foreign-born and refugee women into Swedish society and offering free membership to those with engineering qualifications.

• International Women in Engineering Day: We celebrated the achievements of women engineers within our organisation, with interviews facilitated by our partner Sandvik.

Fundraising Efforts:

• Q1-Q2: Fundraising focused on the installation of solar panels at the new high school building in Mavuno and additional WASH projects at schools in Karagwe, Tanzania.

• Q3: Our Summer Campaign will highlight the importance of water, showcasing ongoing WASH projects in Chile, Bangladesh, and Tanzania.

Communications and Publicity:

We continue to refine our brand-building strategy to engage more effectively with our audiences, raise awareness within the engineering and academic communities, and expand our network. Our media publicity has highlighted major donations, new corporate partnerships, and the excellent academic results at our programme schools.

Stay updated on our journey as we strive to engineer a more sustainable, equal, and inclusive future. For more information, visit www.ewb-swe.org.

Welcome to a Seminar on Water Challenges in Latin America

We are happy to announce an upcoming seminar on September 3rd, organised in collaboration with the Nordic Institute of Latin American Studies (NILAS) at Stockholm University, Engineers Without Borders Sweden, the European Commission, Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), and Norden International, with the support of GRULAC Stockholm.

The seminar will address critical water issues in Latin America, focusing on the lack of infrastructure, insufficient international support, and planning risks.

The seminar will gather leading experts and practitioners to discuss solutions and innovations emerging from civil society and their impact on human rights, peace, governance, sustainability, and equal water access in Latin America.

Caroline Edelstam, Secretary General of Engineers Without Borders Sweden, emphasises the significance of this seminar:

"This event is a great opportunity to address  the pressing water challenges in Latin America. It brings together an incredible pool of expertise to share insights and drive forward innovative solutions. We are honoured to be part of such an important dialogue."

Agenda Highlights

The seminar will start off with welcoming remarks by Dr. Thaïs Machado-Borges, Director of NILAS, and Ms. Caroline Edelstam, Secretary General of Engineers Without Borders Sweden. Ambassador Milton Soto Santiesteban, the Ambassador of Bolivia to Sweden, will provide an introduction to the challenges posed by climate change in Latin America. Mr. Tommy Lindström from Engineers Without Borders Sweden will present the current water situation in Latin America and talk further about the Aqua 365 project in Chile.

Ms. Adriana Soto Trujillo of the Stockholm Environment Institute will offer insights on integrating WASH and IWRM in Bolivia, followed by Ms. Carla Liera, who will present aspects regarding human rights and water-related climate risks in Mexico. The seminar will conclude with Mr. Erik von Pistohlkors from the European Commission discussing the EU's perspective on future international community support for Latin America. The session will end with a discussion and Q&A session moderated by Professor Andrés Rivarola Puntigliano from NILAS, Stockholm University.

Read and download the full agenda here

Details:

• Date: September 3, 2024

• Time: 5.30 – 6.45 PM

• Venue: The Nordic Institute of Latin American Studies, Stockholm University, Universitetsvägen 10 B, Building B, 5th floor, Frescati, Stockholm.

The seminar will be conducted in English and it will also be live-streamed. Sign up below to receive the link to the livestream as well.

We look forward to welcoming you to this important event. Please register at the following link:

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN IN ENGINEERING DAY on June 23rd.

To join in on this important day, we at EWB-SWE would like to acknowledge the many incredible women engineers in or around our organisation. These women make significant contributions to change and development in Sweden and around the world. They are also true inspirations and role models for other women and girls considering a career in the STEM field or becoming engineers.

We would hereby like to lift the stories of two prominent engineers, and we would like to thank our main partner Sandvik for giving us the opportunity to do so.

Meet Taline Forsberg, Vice President, Digital Projects and Services, Sandvik Coromant,

Taline Forsberg, Vice President, Digital Projects and Services, Sandvik Coromant, talks about why she became an engineer, the possibilities in combining different fields, and why she loves her job. Her advice to women and girls going into engineering is: "Believe in yourself – You can do it! Engineering is not just one single lane ... and I do believe that we make the best engineers".

Meet Anne Sankari, BLM Automation, Sandvik Mining and Rock Solution, Central Africa.

Anne Sankari, BLM Automation, Sandvik Mining and Rock Solution, Central Africa, talks about why she became an engineer, and why she strongly recommends other women to go into the engineering field. She says: "For me the best thing in engineering is definitely the problem solving aspect of it ... solving problems is the part I really like. Making the world a little bit better".

What is International Women in Engineering Day?

International Women in Engineering Day, arranged by the Women’s Engineering Society (WES), is celebrating its 11th year. The mission is to promote the incredible work that women engineers across the globe do every day. This year’s theme is #Enhancedbyengineering, highlighting the work that enhances people’s everyday lives and helps build a brighter future.

INWED strives to give women engineers around the world a profile, as women are still hugely under-represented in the engineering field. In the UK, for example, only 16.5% of engineers are women, while in Sweden, it's 29%. The INWED platform plays an important role in encouraging more young women and girls to pursue engineering careers.

At EWB-SWE, we have increased equality and inclusion as key focus areas, and we strongly support the efforts of the Women’s Engineering Society (WES), Womengineer Women In Tech Sweden, Women in STEM Pink Programming, Openhack - coding for humanity and many, many other organisations that work towards this important issue.

Read more about the activities arranged by INWED24 on the link below!

Welcome to share the stories of other women engineers you would like to highlight, using the hashtag #INWED24.

https://www.inwed.org.uk/