I came back to Switzerland last summer leaving behind eight most inspiring years I spent in Washington D.C. leading the work of the department on Family, Health Promotion and Life Course of the Pan American Health Organization. There was everything: challenging strategic and political choices, joy of growing and developing in the midst of a thriving educational landscape and as part of an extremely dynamic entrepreneurial environment, love, losses, new ideas, and still many unanswered questions.
Credit: Andres de Francisco at CSP 30, September, 2022, Washington D.C, I PAHO
I came back to Switzerland with a huge library that has been accompanying us in all our relocations and growing by extra boxes with each move. Most of the books here I inherited from my father - Dr Adolfo de Francisco Zea... I remember him so vividly - an erudite scholar, committed scientist, a prominent Colombian cardiologist and a psychoanalyst, highly respected member of Professional Societies, trained in Paris, New York, Mexico, and Bogota, always consulting his amazing array of books from his own library. He also wrote incredibly interesting books himself: ‘The magic thinking in Medicine’, ‘About ideas of life and death’, ‘Humanism and Medicine’, 'Psychologic world of Kafka', ‘Madness of Don Quijote’, among others. As a child, I recall I did not understand how could they apply to the medicine I wanted to study. Little I knew then that he was searching for the humanistic approach to healing, to health, and to life.
Credit: Dr Adolfo de Francisco Zea, 1997 I Mahmud Rahman
Lately, I’ve been meeting a lot of people. These interactions helped me in my own reflections. Sieved through my own priority funnel, I have them now clearly crystallized in a few very important things that I put now at work with our new Swiss company - ÆRAS DEVELOPMENT GROUP S.a.r.l.
At ÆRAS, we firmly believe that investing in human capital is the key to success. Our philosophy is person-centered and is rooted in the traditions of humanism powered by the life course approach that is seen as a continuum of æras in life for interventions that can shape subsequent periods of human and community development. We are looking for ways to provide opportunities for a more balanced and harmonious development of personality at any life stage and we employ the best of public health, education, and heritage tools to help operationalize this humanistic concept.
Credit: Vitruvian Man I Leonardo Da Vinci
We observe a lot of new paradigms that would require a serious rethinking of what we have learnt so far. Health and impressive learning abilities are virtues most kids are born with. These need to be cherished and cultivated throughout life. The concept of attaining health in the contemporary era has been evolving ranging from the silent acceptance of a medical prescription in the 1940s-50s to more informed decisions in the 2000s to ask for a specific doctor or a specific treatment. With technology, as important as it is, doctors are now more focused on test results and diagnosis, having less time and drive to interact with patients on their health problems, treatment and support. The same is true for education. The lack of personal interaction between the teacher and the learner, in particular in public schools these days, leads to disengagement and hinders academic and social-emotional progress. At this critical historical juncture, it is equally crucial to keep connectivity between generations to build a legacy and mend the social fabric torn by societal dynamics and health emergencies.
Health is one of the core areas in which we specialize. A healthy population is a productive and happy population. We work towards improving access to healthcare services, promoting preventive care, and raising awareness about the importance of a healthy lifestyle. By investing in the health of individuals, we are ensuring their well-being and enabling them to reach their full potential.
Education is another crucial aspect of human capital. We understand the importance of providing diverse learning opportunities to children and adolescents, as they are the future leaders and innovators. Whether it’s through educational initiatives or mentorship programs, or educational initiatives, we are committed to empowering the next generation.
Heritage is a crosscutting component of our work. Having a balanced development of a personality without it is unimaginable. We believe that heritage in its multidimensional nature plays a vital role in shaping our identity and understanding our roots. It can connect generations and ensure that young people can learn to understand and appreciate traditions, culture, failures and achievements of their ancestors. This investment not only preserves our past but also creates a legacy and inspires future progress. We equally understand the importance of creating spaces that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also functional and sustainable. By preserving the history of places and investing in real estate design, we can create environments that enhance the quality of life for individuals and communities.
Investing in human capital also means reaching out to hard-to-reach groups. We believe that everyone deserves equal opportunities, regardless of their circumstances. By focusing on hard-to-reach groups, such as marginalized communities or individuals with disabilities, we can create inclusive solutions that address their unique needs and challenges at any stage of their life. Human capital is our main asset. At ÆRAS, we are delighted to be connected to amazing experts across the world who are as passionate as we are about important things. They have breadth and depth of their technical skills but also put a lot of creative energy and empathy in everything they do. Investing in human capital is the key to success. And we will do so - finding innovative solutions, preserving culture and history, empowering individuals to reach their full potential. That’s the way to continue searching for humanistic excellence in these new times.
Andres de Francisco
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