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Damjanović: Utilising innovative ideas to improve road safety

Published on: May 17, 2019 11:59 PM Author: Ministry of Science
Ministry of Science Ministry of Science
Ministry of Science Ministry of Science

In cooperation with NGO Digitalizuj.me, the United Nations System in Montenegro and the Ministry of Science of Montenegro organised a conference “Innovations for Life”, marking the Global Road Safety Week. The event took place in Hilton Hotel in Podgorica.

The conference was opened by UN Resident Coordinator in Montenegro Fiona McCluney, Minister of Science Dr. Sanja Damjanović and Permanent Representative of Montenegro to the United Nations Dr. Milica Pejanović-Đurišić.

In her address, Minister Damjanović welcomed the event participants and thanked the United Nations for indicating the importance of science and innovation as key tools in addressing the societal challenges by organising the conference.

The minister pointed to the great importance of “Road Safety” project, as it brings innovative solutions that can be useful in improving the road safety, adding that the “engagement of young people under the principle of project-based problem solving is a method that should be implemented in the entire education system in order to become the way of thinking and creating”.

Damjanović indicated that the number of innovation and research projects in the field of traffic that were financed through Horizon 2020 and EUREKA programmes was rather limited, emphasising in this regard the importance of applying for the funds available to us and using them.

The minister also reminded those present that the Government of Montenegro had passed the Programme of Incentives for Innovative Start-ups last year, with a clear vision to create more favourable legal conditions for starting and developing innovative businesses. The goal of the Ministry of Science in this regard is to use synergy of all the actors to create a strong innovation ecosystem.

“In addition, new financial instruments are planned that will direct the enterprises to innovations for the global market, as well as to innovations useful in addressing our local challenges. The first call for applications for start-up support (in the amount of EUR 120,000) will be launched soon, and so will the second call for support to innovative projects (in the amount of EUR 1 million – up to EUR 100,000 per project)”, the minister said.

United Nations Resident Coordinator in Montenegro Fiona McCluney recalled that more than 1.2 million people lost their lives in traffic each year – half of which accounting for pedestrians, as well as that traffic accidents were the leading cause of mortality for the age group of 14 to 29.

Because of the above worrying statistics, road safety is among the priorities of the United Nations and a reason why this problem has been included in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with clear instructions to Member States to cut the number of traffic accidents globally by half by 2030 to meet the goal – McCluney said.

As part of the conference, four innovative solutions for improving road safety were presented, which had previously been developed through a series of hackathon competitions for innovations organised by the NGO Digitalizuj.me in the southern, central and northern part of Montenegro.


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