The 2014 Social Good Summit is almost upon us. Tomorrow, world leaders, grassroots activists, celebrities, new media mavens and UN experts will come together to discuss one question: what type of world do we want to live in by the year 2030?
I've been a fan of this event since I started attending in 2010, always impressed by its commitment to showcasing diverse voices, staying inclusive and maintaining a sense of openness. To discuss the Summit's evolution since its early days, and what its organizers hope to accomplish this year, I sat down with Aaron Sherinian, UN Foundation vice president of public relations.
This year's Social Good Summit New York brings together leaders and thinkers across sectors to talk about the "most pressing issues of our time." What are these issues? How do you define them?
We live in an era when it's possible to get the pulse of global conversations in real-time. The Social Good Summit takes advantage of that reality. The partners that partner to make the Summit are part of that story since they touch such a broad, diverse group of people and networks. But the agenda is set by watching what the community is talking about and what the UN has on its agenda. That's where things get interesting....and where there is urgency and relevance.
The issues come up through the discussions taking place within the global social good community, especially via the Plus Social Good platform, and also come from the big topics being discussed at the UN. The Social Good Summit partners listen to, watch, and take part in these conversations year-round, and the issues being discussed by the community shape the agenda for the Social Good Summit in New York. Additionally, through our interactions with Social Good Summit hosts in communities around the world, we learn about the topics they want to address, which feeds into the global theme and helps shape the dialogue that takes place between the dozens of Social Good Summits being held around the world.
This process has led to an incredible program for the gathering in New York, and speakers will address a range of compelling issues, including: climate change, global humanitarian crises, human rights, girls’ and women’s empowerment, post-conflict recovery, maternal and children’s health, technology and entrepreneurship as drivers of change, urgent refugee situations worldwide, education, and more. Under the umbrella theme of “#2030Now: Connecting for Good. Connecting for All.”, these conversations will feature ways we can create a better world for all people by 2030.
How has the Social Good Summit changed over the years?
In 2010 – when Mashable, the 92nd Street Y, and the United Nations Foundation first partnered on the Social Good Summit – it was an exciting experiment to see what would happen if we created an open dialogue around issues being discussed in and around the UN General Assembly, inviting everyone to take part, and exploring how technology and social media could help drive change on the big issues. Since then, with expanding interest in the Summit and through new partnerships including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, we have been able to grow the Summit into a truly global phenomenon. This year, the Social Good Summits will include physical gatherings in more than 70 countries around the world. These Meetups are connected to the global theme – Connecting for Good. Connecting for All. – and the hashtag #2030Now, which challenges us to look forward to the future we want at 2030 and what we can do to get there. At the same time, each takes on locally relevant topics, speakers, and projects. One of the most exciting elements of the Summit is the interaction that takes place online between these various gatherings – the exchange of ideas, best practices, and inspiration across borders, time zones, and oceans. It’s the power of face-to-face dialogue combined with the power of online conversation.
Each year we look to add new elements to make the Summit more dynamic, engaging, and accessible – both online and offline, as well as throughout the year. Over the years we’ve expanded globally, added simultaneous translation of the New York Summit into seven languages, launched #Instacorps -- a behind-the-scenes photographic social media conversation, and begun a Massive Online Open Course (MOOC) at the Summit that runs all year.
The global Meetups that take place are definitely something to watch. Some of them have already started and it is clear from the conversations that are taking place, whether in downtown Manila or throughout all of Morocco, that the global agenda is changing at the speed of wi-fi. Our partners at the UNDP and their partners throughout the world have helped bring this conversation to a new, global level of understanding.
This year we are excited to work with students from the Design for Social Innovation Master’s program at the NYC School of Visual Arts (SVA). This partnership will bring talented young designers to the New York Summit to produce shareable social media tools and graphics in real-time to engage even more people in the Summit’s #2030Now conversation.
Some conferences are all about exclusivity, but the Social Good Summit is just the opposite. Can you share some of the ways that the Summit encourages openness and inclusion--and why you decided to go this route?
The Social Good Summit was born out of the idea of opening up a conversation, creating an open-source platform for anyone to help think about the most pressing issues facing our world and how we can work together, using technology and social media to tackle those challenges. The partners realize that if we are going to take on these big, global issues, we must bring in everyone who wants to be part of the search for solutions.
The open nature of the dialogue is primarily driven through digital technology and social media, and connected via the #2030Now hashtag. For example, the New York Summit is streamed in seven languages for anyone around the world to watch and join the conversation, and we bring questions and comments from the social stream onto the stage. Additionally, many of the Meetups around the world will be streamed, literally allowing people to take part in multiple conversations happening around the world. Many of the gatherings take advantage of this opportunity by checking in live with other Summit events around the world – something we will be doing in New York.
How are companies getting involved in the Social Good Summit? Have you noticed any growth in this area?
One trend we have seen at the Social Good Summit is that companies don’t just want to see their branding as part of the event – they want to be part of the discussions on the big issues, they want to engage with thought leaders and activists in real conversations around shared values. It's refreshing for me to see the conversation around corporate social responsibility, philanthropy, innovation and global advocacy come together when global brands act like responsible global leaders. These corporations are run by people who depend on a healthy, peaceful, secure world in 2030. If the Social Good Summit can be a place where corporate leaders hear from NGO leaders and UN policy leaders and technology leaders (and vice-versa), then we've accomplished something good. No one sector can drive the progress we need on the global goals like the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)…we need everyone at the table.
In New York, we are excited to welcome speakers from BT, Jynwel Capital Limited, Dell Inc., Dermologica, Facebook,
There will be a discussion around the documentary of Beyond Right & Wrong: Stories of Justice and Forgiveness at the Summit. How did you choose this film, and what role do you see film having in creating social change?
It’s critical for the Social Good Summit to address global issues that need attention but that are, at time, the most difficult to discuss. It a world torn by so many conflicts, we must consider how societies can rebuild after those conflicts are brought to a close. Beyond Right & Wrong – and the discussion around the film -- is an important instrument for bringing that discussion to the forefront. This discussion will challenge all of us to take a new look at the word "conflict" and for me is a reminder of what is at the heart of all these global policy issues -- people. People whose lives are precious and who are, at the very core, brothers and sisters.
How do you ensure that momentum continues after the conference ends?
There are both formal and informal ways in which the Social Good Summit momentum continues year-round. First and foremost are the participants in the events and the online discussion. They draw ideas, inspiration, and connections from their participation that manifest in new programs, new partnerships, and new organizations that work throughout the year to improve lives around the world. The hashtag #socialgood is an informal mechanism for maintaining a global dialogue year-round on how we can advance a positive agenda for social change. The Plus Social Good community – found at plussocialgood.org – brings together thousands of members from around the world to share content, ideas, and resources across sectors and geographies in order to advance progress on the issues that matter most.
I hope everyone reading this article will join the discussion over the next few days using #2030Now, and throughout the year at plussocialgood.org.
The Social Good Summit is presented by Mashable, 92nd Street Y, the United Nations Foundation, the United Nations Development Programme, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
