New York, NY (PRWEB) September 15, 2014
The fifth annual Social Good Summit, a unique convening of world leaders, new media and technology pioneers, grassroots activists, UN experts and voices from around the world, today announced the addition of Melinda Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, in conversation with Robin Roberts, Co-Anchor of ABC’s “Good Morning America”; Alicia Keys, singer, songwriter and philanthropist; Edward Norton, actor and United Nations Goodwill Ambassador; and Rick Stengel, U.S. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs to its speaker roster, along with adding over 60 global meetups that will connect people from around the world to the conversation taking place in New York on September 21 and 22.
The additional speakers will join an exciting lineup that includes Megan Smith, who last week was the first woman to ever be named U.S. Chief Technology Officer, as well as the likes of Pete Cashmore, Founder and CEO of Mashable; Helen Clark, Administrator, United Nations Development Programme; Connie Britton, actress and UNDP Goodwill Ambassador; Michael Dell, Founder and CEO of Dell Inc.; Yael Maguire, Director, Facebook Connectivity Lab; and Pharrell Williams, musician and entrepreneur.
These speakers will come together in New York to discuss the pressing issues of our time, thanks to sponsors like Jynwel Charitable Foundation Limited, which seeks to fund breakthrough programs that help scale and accelerate advancements in global health, education and studies in conservation, and the film “Beyond Right & Wrong: Stories of Justice and Forgiveness.” The documentary follows victims of three conflicts as they recover from unimaginable loss and seek reconciliation. The filmmaker will be joined by people profiled in the film on a panel, where they can share their stories and help to communicate the film’s message that violence is not the inevitable outcome of trauma. “Beyond Right & Wrong” suggest in order for the audience to participate to watch the film ahead of time, which is available to view for free on FilmRaise.com where 50 cents is donated to charity for every viewer, epitomizing the Social Good Summit’s commitment to connecting, inspiring and engaging people and ideas from around the world.
This year, UNDP will once again give the New York event a global dimension with the Social Good Summit Meetups that are being organized in over 60 countries around the world. These Meetups bring together local communities to discuss how they are using the digital tools of today to connect for good and connect for all. This year’s Meetups include a number of exciting and unique locations. In the Ukraine, programmers will discuss their app, which monitors shelling damage resulting from the current conflict, thus making crucial security information publicly available. In Sudan UNDP is organizing a technology challenge, inviting young IT entrepreneurs to present their business ideas and win an innovation prize. In Georgia, social innovators, UNDP staff and entrepreneurs will convene in a design thinking workshop which will aim to improve service delivery of the “112” emergency number, specifically for persons with disabilities. Additional Meetups are taking place in Afghanistan, Albania, Azerbaijan, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, China, El Salvador, Guinea, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Japan, Lebanon, Madagascar, Morocco, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Switzerland, and Tunisia.
The Social Good Summit will also reach global audiences online and in real time, in seven different languages. People all over the world will meet and join forces in-person, online and by connecting back to the Summit in New York City through video and social media.
For the second year in a row, the Social Good Summit partners are leveraging Instagram and its community to host #Instacorps—a group of five digital photojournalists who will capture and share behind-the-scenes images from the Social Good Summit. Their images, combined with those of Instagram users from around the world using the #Instacorps and #2030Now hashtags, will provide a connection to people around the globe. The 2014 #Instacorps class is: Ben Fitch (@BenFitch), Kerry Payne (@KerryPayne), Eric Thayer (@EricThayer), Joshua Lott (@JoshuaLott); and 15-year-old Instagram star Ryan Parrilla (@Novess).
The Summit is also joining with the Design for Social Innovation Master’s program at the NYC School of Visual Arts (SVA). Students from the program will be on site at the Summit producing real time shareable social media tools and graphics. The Design for Social Innovation at SVA is the first MFA program in the rapidly growing field of social impact design. Created to be the center of learning for how to use design to address the world’s biggest challenges, it is a path for people who want to lead transformation change within business, government and the social sector.
Last year, 92Y launched its first MOOC (Massive Online Open Course) in partnership with Wesleyan University, and inspired by the Social Good Summit; it was titled “How to Change the World.” It has had over 100,000 registrants in its first year. This year’s MOOC will be announced on September 21, the first day of the Summit, when Wesleyan President Michael Roth will speak about the globalization and democratization of education. The first class of this year’s MOOC will be on November 11th, Veteran’s Day.
The Social Good Summit is a two-day conference that centers on the intersection of technology and social good hosted by Mashable, the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 92nd Street Y. The main event will be held at 92nd Street Y in New York City on Sept. 21-22, and meetups will be held around the world.
Press: Press credentials will be given to press and bloggers from around the world to the Digital Media Lounge (DML). The DML is a fully wired workspace at 92Y where you can report, network and organize interviews. Apply here.
Join us today: Tickets for the Social Good Summit are available now at http://www.socialgoodsummit.com.
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About the Social Good Summit Partners
The 2014 Social Good Summit is proudly presented by Mashable, 92nd Street Y, the United Nations Foundation, the United Nations Development Programme, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Mashable
Mashable is a leading source for news, information and resources for the Connected Generation. Mashable reports on the importance of digital innovation and how it empowers and inspires people around the world. Mashable’s 35 million unique visitors worldwide and 18 million social media followers are one of the most influential and engaged online communities. Founded in 2005, Mashable is headquartered in New York City with offices in San Francisco and Los Angeles.
92nd Street Y
Now celebrating its 140th Anniversary, 92nd Street Y is a nonprofit cultural and community center that fosters the mental, physical and spiritual health of people throughout their lives, with offerings that include wide-ranging conversations with the world’s best minds and an outstanding range of programming in the performing, visual and literary arts. 92Y is reimagining what it means to be a community center in the digital age with initiatives like #GivingTuesday, transforming the way people share ideas and translate them into action both locally and around the world. More than 300,000 people visit 92Y annually; millions more participate in 92Y’s digital and online initiatives. A proudly Jewish organization since its founding in 1874, 92Y embraces its Jewish heritage and welcomes people of all backgrounds and perspectives. For more information, visit http://www.92Y.org.
United Nations Foundation
The United Nations Foundation builds public-private partnerships to address the world’s most pressing problems, and broadens support for the United Nations through advocacy and public outreach. Through innovative campaigns and initiatives, the Foundation connects people, ideas, and resources to help the UN solve global problems. The Foundation was created in 1998 as a U.S. public charity by entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner and now is supported by global corporations, foundations, governments, and individuals.
United Nations Development Programme
UNDP partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground in 177 countries and territories, we offer global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations.
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources—have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Sue Desmond-Hellmann and Co-chair William H. Gates Sr., under the direction of Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett.