In applauding this initiative, which has a clear positive impact on the present and future of young people and is instructive for world leaders, Samsung values it as a golden opportunity for a frank, deep and shared understanding that technology must link the collective responsibility to prioritize environmental sustainability, education and the formulation and implementation of community initiatives.

The company also identified another superlative motivation for being present at this meeting alongside so many children and young people. The Olympiad was held in Panama, a country of historic importance to the world.  The motto of this technological meeting, "Connecting the world", synthesizes both the spirit of the event to integrate thousands of talented participants, as well as the role that this Central American country plays in connecting the world.  There is no better symbol of this reality than the Panama Canal, a universal example of engineering, a connecting point between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and a neuralgic passage for the global maritime flow.

From the country to the world

It is fair to look at the path taken by Panama's official and private sectors in a crusade to promote the learning of technological tools, such as robotics, among the nation's children and youth.   WRO-Panama has been nurturing experiences and knowledge in the field of educational robotics, laying the groundwork for the country to grow as a regional hub in this area, contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals.

This year, competitors between the ages of 9 and 19, from public and private schools in more than 80 countries, presented "projects focused on how robots can connect the world in a sustainable, safe and efficient way", as stated on the official website of the event.  This year, this Olympiad demonstrated once again that it has a main vocational and executive strength: the public and private alliance that joins wills to promote educational robotics and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) education in the educational system in Panama.  For Samsung, this type of initiative is an expression of an optimistic and responsible society with the future and, consequently, it adds its support in perfect harmony with its own corporate trajectory of educational programs, creation of sustainable technologies and other responsible initiatives.

Education for change

Samsung's sponsorship of the World Robotics Olympiad 2023 is part of its commitment to empowering the planet's younger generations as agents of change through education with uplifting purposes: to focus on STEAM-based academics, train students in skills attuned to the realities of the job market and foster a vocation for active participation in addressing the collective needs of their environments. It is a key part of the company's global vision of Corporate Citizenship entitled "Together for Tomorrow! Enabling People".

In this context, two educational initiatives that are part of Samsung's management and have a strong track record in Latin America have had a successful echo in Latin American countries.  The Solve for Tomorrow (SFT) and Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC) programs have paved the way for thousands of students to reach their full potential and be pioneers in building a better world.

SFT recently celebrated its tenth regional edition, with the participation of teams from 10 Central American countries, the Caribbean, Ecuador and Venezuela.   This year 8,200 students and 698 teachers formally registered, while 7,766 participated in the 2022 edition, which can be read as a growing success. In the course of the program, young people receive technical training with an emphasis on technical tools and Steam Virtual learning from the National Foundation for the Development of STEAM (Fundesteam), one of the institutions that created and organizes this Olympiad.  All teams formulate a project in response to a need or problem that affects their communities and during the course of the program they optimize it based on the knowledge learned.

The SIC program creates new educational realities for young people in this region through technology training.   This year, more than 650 participants from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama and the Dominican Republic have completed their training plan which, among other goals, focuses on training to facilitate incorporation into the labor market.   The training contemplates coding and programming, in addition to Big Data, Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence.

Innovations in favor of the planet

Technological innovation and a healthy planet.  These two axes are united in Samsung's corporate vision and are expressed in concrete solutions that transcend the work of technological engineering and craftsmanship to be present in the daily lives of users.  When people use and enjoy the brand's environmentally friendly products and services, they make small daily contributions that help build an environmentally conscious global community. Samsung strives to create a present and future where innovation supports environmental sustainability, and its products reflect this positive relationship.

Living in harmony with the Earth, without affecting future generations, is an important goal to make a positive impact. Samsung supports this by using recycled materials, eco-friendly packaging, energy-saving technologies, and developing products such as the Solar Cell Remote to reduce waste. In addition, they are committed to reducing carbon emissions in the production of displays and mobile devices. These efforts align Samsung with events such as the World Robotics Olympiad 2023, demonstrating their commitment to a better planet.

Translated by: A.M