Mexico Takes the Lead at World Engineering Day

The Mexican Aerospace Agency (AEM) participated in World Engineering Day, organized by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO).

"World Engineering Day brings together all branches of this profession to give our country access to cooperation and the most recent and important technological developments to meet social welfare goals for our population," says Salvador Landeros Ayala, Director General, AEM.

UNESCO designated March 4 as World Engineering for Sustainable Development Day at its 40th session of the General Conference in November 2019 to raise awareness on the importance of engineering in modern life. UNESCO explained via its website that engineering is vital to tackle climate change and improve on sustainable development.

Landeros led the Pan American Union of Engineers Associations (UPADI) in representation of 27 countries in the Americas. Landeros highlighted that Mexican engineering is one of the best in the world, which allowed AEM to endorse the participation of Mexico before the WFEO. AEM explained that 50 years passed since a Mexican held the UPADI presidency in representation of America and described Mexico as a country with a “peaceful and supportive international vocation,” explains AEM via a press release. 

The international cooperation agreement includes the promotion of Mexican youth under the "Leaders of the Future" program, which aims to provide more access to Mexican talent and strengthen Mexico’s capacities in engineering. The "Technological Innovation Technical Committees for the Promotion of Women Engineers, Education, Energy, Disaster Risk Management, Information and Communication" program was also promoted to help Mexico’s development. 

Mexico will also benefit from international cooperation for services and infrastructure, transportation systems and communications, according to AEM. Through this and other programs, Mexico aims to reach the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, fight against climate change and implement a circular economy.