2016 ICT4D Conference

In this “executive salon” we will reflect on the theme of the conference “Using Technology to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals”. In considering worldwide change through technology innovation we will ask simple but immensely vital questions: What would happen if our world’s tech sector, NGOs, forward-thinking governments, investors and multi-national agencies came together in true integration and collaboration around the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)? What could we change? What would we ask from each other?

Fundamentally, the spirit of a salon exists as much more than an executive meeting. Instead, salons draw inspiration from the French literary and philosophical movements of the 17th and 18th centuries, representing a rebirth of ideas and a revival of intellectual culture. We’ll embark on a journey toward discourse and discovery, gathering together a group of insightful leaders from all walks of the world.

As part of this intimate group, we’ll dive into each attendee’s expertise, opinions, hopes and fears surrounding this unwieldy issue. Together, we’ll paint a picture of progress and optimism, development and possibility.

Areas for debate & discovery will include:
· How can the development community harness the floods of disruptive technologies emerging from the private sector?
· How do we balance the needs of efficacy with the demands of social justice?
· How might we measure progress towards the SDGs in the communities we serve on a level that makes sense for everyone involved?

Join us at the 2016 ICT4D Conference in Nairobi, Kenya as we tackle these issues and more. The salon will be (impartially) moderated by Scott Wayne, founder and lead consultant for The Frontier Project, a consulting firm specializing in influence and behavior change.