Innovation, as an engine of economic development, provides new possibilities in education, health care, communication and productivity. With increasing access for many, innovation has the potential to reduce these deep-rooted inequalities and offer better lives for vulnerable groups. These include the provision of high quality education, innovation in health or better jobs. Through technological progress the possibility of participation and inclusion of marginalized groups can be strengthened. Increased access can foster international cooperation through better communication, improve access to science and technology, resulting in increased knowledge sharing necessary to flatten existing inequalities.

In 2022, in the third year of a global pandemic, the world is facing  pertinent challenges threatening the sustainability of previous achievements and peace. Addressing these deeply persisting inequalities will require innovation across actors, regions and sectors. The 2022 Regional Academy on the United Nations (RAUN 2022) will contribute to this timely conversation by engaging young academics in researching the role of innovation in reducing inequalities for creating a sustainable and peaceful future for all. A focus will be placed on different aspects of inequalities and innovation, including challenges that can hinder the access to innovation and on different types of inequalities including social, economic and environmental aspects. RAUN 2022 will seek to answer the following questions:

• What are the areas where innovation can help to reduce existing inequalities? 

• Which types of inequalities can be reduced through innovation?

• How can health, social, environmental and economic inequalities be addressed? 

• How can inclusiveness and participation be ensured through innovation? 

• How can barriers to innovation be overcome and inequalities reduced?