Providing information on the Accelerator Lab and explaining why UNDP engaged in the initiative at this moment, Mr. Claudio Tomasi, UNDP Turkey Resident Representative a.i. said: “The network of Accelerator Labs will be at the heart of all UNDP activities in the years to come. We will step up our progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by testing and finding new solutions within weeks or months, not years. We will increase our impact through new partnerships in this initiative while continuing to work with our reliable national and global partners. The innovation ecosystem in Turkey is advancing every day. If we are to effectively fight todays problems, which no one organisation can overcome alone, we should look for new opportunities, solutions, partnerships. We hope that you will be a part of this exciting initiative and support us in devising more effective solutions to Turkey’s social, economic and environmental problems. We expect your contributions at all levels ranging from exchange of ideas to offering comprehensive solutions in the field.”
Based on the idea that new approaches are needed to find solutions to the complex problems of the 21st Century, the Accelerator Labs will be the largest learning network of its kind in the world. Being established in 60 countries, the Labs will engage in work in 78 countries. New partnerships will be established to develop innovative solutions on such issues as circular economy, youth employment, climate change, urbanisation, plastics pollution in the seas. The power of local ideas and innovations, collective wisdom, new data sources and experiences will be utilised to expeditiously and effectively overcome the problems.
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