Today s technologies if only governments had the courage to promote them on a massive scale would allow us to reduce our dependence on fossil energies significantly. It s not only the environment that would be a winner. Job creation and purchasing power would also benefit from opening up these fascinating development perspectives.;;Talk introduced by Prof. Stefan Catsicas, Provost.;

Speaker Bio

Born into a Swiss dynasty of explorers and scientists, who conquered the heights and the depths of our planet, Bertrand Piccard seems predestined to perpetuate one of the greatest family adventures of the 20th century. Psychiatrist, aeronaut and renowned lecturer, chairman of the Winds of Hope humanitarian foundation and goodwill ambassador for the United Nations, he uses his family heritage to deal with today s global challenges. A pioneer of ultralight flying in the 70s, an airplane and glider pilot, Bertrand Piccard achieved in 1999 the first ever non-stop round the world balloon flight, the longest flight in terms of duration and distance in the history of aviation. Combining exploration and protection of the environment, he initiated the Solar Impulse project to promote renewable energies and new technologies. Moving outside the customary certainties, Bertrand Piccard is first and foremost a visionary communicator and his forethought has motivated the financial partners of this adventure. He shares with Andr?? Borschberg the lead of this project, as he will share with him the controls.