The Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE) and the UNESCO Ghana country mission have met to discuss preparations towards the launch of the first World Engineering Day (WED) on March 4, 2020, as a UNESCO international day of celebration of engineers and engineering.

The day was proposed by the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO) with support letters from over 80 professional engineering institutions, international academics and national commissions to UNESCO representing over 23 million engineers around the world.

The WFEO proposal was also backed by over 40 nations including Ghana and was eventually adopted at the UNESCO General Assembly in November 2019.

This international day is an opportunity to celebrate the significant contributions of engineers and engineering to sustainable development and modern life.

It is universally recognised that the implementation of solutions to achieve the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) depends largely on engineers and engineering.

The WED event is expected to be observed by all 193 UNESCO WFEO members countries across the world to raise the profile of the engineering profession. 

In Ghana, the GhIE which is the primary professional body representing over 11,000 registered engineering practitioners, has subsequently re-aligned its strategic plan to reflect the global vison by using the inaugural event to promote engineering as a professional career for the next generation especially the girl child. 

As such, all engineering institutions, universities, businesses, engineering practitioners and students are cordially invited to join the GhIE in the celebration of the WED.

In attendance at the meeting were Mr Abdourahamane Diallo, Head of Mission UNESCO Ghana and Melody Boateng, UNESCO Programs Director, Ing. Alexander Ayeh, President of the GhIE, Ing. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, Executive Director of the GhIE and Ing. Mavis Allotey, Chair of the Programs and Conferences Committee.