collaboratio helvetica

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Written By Nora Wilhelm

Ever since experiencing a wake-up call to the state of the world at the age of 15, I have been on a quest to make my best possible contribution to a more just and sustainable future. I became an activist, community organiser, worked on local as well as international development, and spent over six years in service of the active citizenship and growth of young people all over Europe. 

Eventually, I realised that we do not only need more diverse voices to be heard within our systems, but that the current solutions are failing to address the complex challenges we are facing at the required scale and pace. Despite global efforts, we are not on track to stop global warming, threats to democratic institutions or rising economic inequality. To course correct and meet the Sustainable Development Goals, we urgently need approaches that address root causes and overcome polarisation, engaging both decision-makers and marginalised voices in co-creating a different future. This is why, in 2017, I co-founded collaboratio helvetica, an initiative dedicated to catalysing systems change towards the SDGs in Switzerland.

In 6 years, we brought cutting-edge social innovation approaches from the margin to high level stakeholders, including city and national governments, academia, and business. Our advocacy has reached thousands of people, and we trained >300 people in systems change skills. We supported the emergence of >90 new collaborations for the SDGs and raised >CHF4 million for this work, supporting hundreds of people in making their contribution. Collaboratio helvetica‘s long-term impact is laws shifting, innovative campaigns, new schools, behavioural change, citizen-led policy proposals, and so much more. Even though our primary focus is holding our country accountable, our work creates ripple effects across the world.

As collaboratio helvetica was a co-creative endeavour with ambitions of collective leadership, I did my best to support the project through ups and downs, acting as vision-keeper and ensuring we have the resources and partners needed.

As I am stepping out of the core team in 2023, I am thrilled to leave this special organisation and community in the hands of a very committed team.

Visit the website of collaboratio helvetica to find out more about our work and how to get involved.

Nora Wilhelm

Nora Wilhelm is a social innovator, entrepreneur and researcher dedicated to a world where people and planet can thrive. A changemaker since her teens, she has a background in youth engagement and active citizenship. She presided the European Youth Parliament Switzerland from 2014-2016 and organised an International Session of the EYP in Laax (GR), under the Patronage of then Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter. In 2017, she co-founded collaboratio helvetica, an initiative that catalyses systemic change towards the Agenda 2030 in Switzerland by cultivating a cross-sectoral innovation ecosystem, building the needed capacity, open knowledge sharing, and empowering systems change leaders. She was amongst others recognised for her outstanding contribution by Forbes (30 under 30), UNEP, UNESCO and the Swiss government, and spoke at events such as the Conference of Swiss Development Cooperation, the Swiss Conference of city mayors, TEDx and on global stages next to high level changemakers such as Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus. She holds a BA in International Affairs from the University of St. Gallen and a MSt in Social Innovation from the University of Cambridge. In 2023, she co-founded the well • change atelier to make art-based processes and tools to cultivate connection, creativity, and well-being available to more people.

https://www.norawilhelm.org
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