Talking about how to use social media for social good is one of our favorite conversations at the UN Foundation. At the upcoming 2012 Social Good Summit, we’ll be taking this conversation global – discussing how to use technology and social media for change with leaders, innovators, activists, technology experts and others around the world!
But we just couldn’t wait until Saturday to get the conversation started, so we hosted a call with our partners last week to give an all-access preview of the Social Good Summit. You can listen here.
Every September, the opening of the United Nations General Assembly signals the beginning of UN Week as world leaders meet in New York City to address global challenges. The Social Good Summit, created in 2010, is held annually in conjunction with UN Week to bring the important conversations out of the halls of the UN and to everyone’s doorsteps, or perhaps we should say desktops.
It is the only space during UN Week that gives everyone, everywhere a seat at the table. This year’s partners – Mashable, 92nd Street Y, the United Nations Foundation, Ericsson, UN Development Programme, and The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – are elevating the conversation to an even bigger level. This year people in 100 countries will participate in The Global Conversation through 200 “meetups.” And for the first time, it will be available in all six UN official languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish). This year’s event is shaping up to truly be bigger, better, and more global.
In case you missed the call last week, here are some highlights (and don’t forget to join the Social Good Summit from September 22nd to 24th. You can learn more and register at socialgoodsummit.com):
“As social media has grown, [with] access to the internet and to mobile phones, the community has grown, and we now have realized the power and profoundness of a truly connected world and what the web can do with this connection…
“For the Social Good Summit, we want to dedicate three-days to further encourage a movement, bring together the brightest minds and the innovators in one space that’s on and off line.”
Stacy Green, Head of Marketing and Communications, Mashable
“I think the most exciting thing about the Social Good Summit this year is the real success of conversations we are seeing all around the world, not just the hub conversations you’ll hear about in Nairobi and Beijing, but actually now we are diving into dozens and verging into hundreds of conversations around the world; all of whom will have meet ups surrounding the Summit.”
Henry Timms, Deputy Executive Director, Strategy, Content and Innovation, 92Y
“The Social Good Summit is such a revolution in digital technology and social media in connecting people around the world…
We feel …[the Social Good Summit] is an opportunity to bring people together first to learn about the issues but also find out who is really making a difference, then leveraging the power of social media and taking crowdsourcing to an unprecedented global level of transparency and innovation to bring everyone in to the solutions. “
Kathy Calvin, CEO, UN Foundation
“This combination of partners, plus the use of social media, is really going to make this one of the most global ..‘access [to] sustainability’ events in history.”
Elaine Weidman Grunewald, VP, Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility, Ericsson
“We are really about inclusiveness, raising the issues that sometimes don’t make it to summits, creating a space where people find it safe and important and that each and every voice is heard.”
Sigrid Kaag, Assistant Secretary General and Director of Bureau for External Relations and Advocacy, UNDP
“I’m delighted that we are able to take the conversation outside of New York City to Beijing and Nairobi and really enthusiastic and energetic about the potential power that will come out of the global meet up.”
Kate James, Chief Communications Officer, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation