From a Budapest Conversation to Global Collaboration: Welcoming Misi to Mímesis 

From a Budapest Conversation to Global Collaboration: Welcoming Misi to Mímesis 

By Luis Ávila, Co-Founder of Mímesis Think Tank 

Last year during my solo travels through Europe, I found myself in Budapest, staying with a local named Misi (propnounced “Mihi” short for Mihály in Hungarian) through Couchsurfing. As often happens when travelers connect, we started sharing perspectives – but what began as casual conversation quickly deepened when we discovered our mutual passion for sustainability. 

There’s something special about these unplanned exchanges. One moment we’re discussing nuclear power’s role in clean energy transitions, the next we’re debating how geopolitical tensions affect climate cooperation. For hours, we kept returning to the same fundamental question: How can societies transform their relationship with the planet when so many systems resist change? 

At the time, I simply appreciated meeting someone who shared both my concerns and my intellectual interests, besides getting to explore Budapest through the lens of this fascinating person. Little did I know that this encounter would become the foundation for Mímesis’ first formal European partnership. 

Why SDG 17 Is the Linchpin for Progress 

That night in Budapest perfectly illustrated why SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) isn’t just another box to check – it’s the connective tissue making all other Sustainable Development Goals possible. In today’s interconnected world, where challenges like climate change and pandemics respect no borders, siloed solutions simply don’t work. 

SDG 17 matters because it: 

• Creates multiplier effects: When governments, businesses and civil society align efforts (like our new collaboration with Misi), impact grows exponentially 

• Bridges knowledge gaps: Think tanks like ours serve as neutral platforms where stakeholders can translate research into actionable policies 

• Democratizes solutions: By including marginalized voices often excluded from sustainability conversations 

Yet as Bulmer (2021) mentions,  partnerships face real hurdles – competing priorities, uneven power dynamics, and the lack of binding commitments. This is where research centers become essential. We provide the evidence base to: 

• Identify shared interests among seemingly opposed groups 

• Develop metrics that hold partners accountable 

• Create “safe spaces” for difficult conversations about trade-offs 

Turning Dialogue Into Action 

Now, I’m thrilled to share that Misi is joining Mímesis as a Research Consultant. Those wide-ranging discussions we started in Budapest? They’re evolving into concrete projects that embody SDG 17 principles: 

1. Policy Translation Labs: Adapting Latin American sustainability innovations for European contexts (and vice versa) 

2. Partnership Scorecards: Helping local governments measure collaboration quality beyond just funding amounts 

3. Unusual Suspects Dialogues: Connecting climate scientists with unexpected allies like artists and military planners 

What began as traveler’s curiosity has become exactly the kind of cross-border collaboration the SDGs envision. It reminds me that while global challenges can feel overwhelming, progress often starts with simple human connections – and is sustained through the hard work of turning those connections into systemic change. 

Welcome to the team, Misi! Readers can connect with him on LinkedIn. If you’re working on sustainability partnerships, we’d love to hear from you at Convocatorias – Mímesis Think Tank .