The Global Issues Convention 2024 was funded and organized by the Volkswagen Foundation, Germany, and the venue took place in the stunning Herrenhausen Palace, creating a truly memorable setting for a meaningful exchange of ideas and thoughts. As part of one of the selected twenty projects, the AMR@Lab project members from India, Nepal, and Denmark had the opportunity to participate in this interactive convention. The convention was thoughtfully designed to ensure full engagement for all participants. The sessions included a gallery walk where posters from all participating projects were displayed and presented by the respective project teams.

 The AMR@Lab team also displayed and presented the project through posters during the gallery walk, which attracted genuine interest and curiosity among scholars across the world who eagerly posed questions and provided insightful discussions.

There were group meetings with policymakers and funders, which provided valuable opportunities to align perspectives and share ideas. The convention presented a unique platform for participants, especially postdocs to reflect on their projects from a different perspective. The AMR@Lab team members were also actively engaged in organizing different workshops in parallel sessions which explored themes such as global health and infrastructure of mobility, pandemics and navigating boundaries, interdisciplinarity research initiatives, challenges related to visa clearance, etc. ensuring diverse knowledge and expertise shaped the discussions.

The convention was a valuable opportunity for participating members as it was the first time that representatives from recognized foundations, policymakers, stakeholders, project leaders, and postdocs came together with a shared purpose. Overall, the convention was an enriching and inspiring experience.