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TNC23 closes – but nobody wants it to!

Erik Huizer addresses the TNC23 audience in the closing plenary

“If ever there was a TNC you didn’t want to end, this is it!” – GÉANT CEO Erik Huizer

The highly anticipated TNC23 came to an end today, following a packed week of conversations and collaborations, and within a closing plenary led by GÉANT CEO Erik Huizer and featuring keynote speaker Laura Paglione of the Spherical Cow Group, and John Dyer of the Vietsch Foundation.

However, the plenary started with a surprise guest: the mayor of host city Tirana, Erion Veliaj, who delivered an impromptu, insightful, inspiring, and motivating speech that even pulled in references to Bart Simpson! Tirana is clearly a city in good hands.

Erik followed this with an update on GÉANT’s environment and the need for that essential ingredient that makes our community unique: trust. It is trust that will see our community continue to thrive despite the geopolitical challenges that become more apparent every day.

John Dyer illustrated this latter point with his touching tribute to URAN, the Ukrainian NREN, reminding all of us of their bravery and heroism in continuing to operate alongside the horrific conditions they are surviving through, for the benefit of research and education.

Erion Veliaj, Mayor of Tirana, addresses the TNC23 audience
Laura Paglione of SCG delivers her keynote to the TNC23 audience

Leveraging the Digital Native Superpower in Research & Education

Laura Paglione’s keynote focused on the power of digital natives and how to harness it in our community. This power is the key to unlock the next phase of the digital revolution. “We have knowledge and tools to help digital natives leverage their power. How can we enable digital natives to consider research as a personal journey of discovery? Let’s work together to ensure information is disseminated openly, accurately, and collaboratively.”

Did you manage to see everything?  

On the third and final day, participants had the choice of eight sessions – covering such topics as quantum, AI, submarine optical cables, earthquake monitoring in Albania, and identity federations in Africa. On top of that, we had seven side meetings, numerous demonstrations, and the closing plenary!

Accepting the fact that we can’t all be everywhere at once (not even AI and ChatGPT can help with that yet!) it’s good to know that all recorded sessions and slides from the conference will be available at https://tnc23.geant.org/recordings soon.

Looking ahead to TNC24

With greatly deserved thanks given to TNC23’s organisers – including the Programme Committee to the local host RASH, to the whole event team (including those from NORDUnet and PSNC), we then discovered the host for TNC24 – French NREN RENATER who will welcome us next year to Rennes!

See you next year!

More about TNC23: Day 1 | Day 2

Watch recordings on the TNC23 website: https://tnc23.geant.org/recordings

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