With 92nd Street Y in New York City as its base and introducing this year's theme, #2030NOW, the summit will facilitate a global conversation and lively debate on the world we want in 2030 and how we unleash the next generation of innovation to make it a reality.
A unique mix of notable speakers will share their visions for the future. This group includes individuals such as:
• Pete Cashmore, Mashable
• Helen Clark, UNDP
• Dr. Jim Yong Kim, World Bank
• Michael Roth, Wesleyan University
• Hans Vestberg, Ericsson
• The Climate Reality Project
• Zeenat Rahman, State Department
• Astronaut Ron Garan, NASA
• Ian Somerhalder, RYOT & actor
• Jack Andraka, Youth cancer researcher
• Sarah Kramer, New York Times
This year's summit will include creative new features to maximise engagement, such as an increased number of meet ups around the world to take place alongside the summit and prominent experts serving as Keynote Listeners. The first class of Social Good Summit Keynote Listeners will be announced in July. Registration for the global event is now open at www.socialgoodsummit.com.
The Social Good Summit will take place as the UN General Assembly convenes for its annual meeting. This year's theme, #2030NOW, will challenge participants to imagine the world we want in 2030 and share solutions, lessons learned, and ideas about how technology and social media can help create it.
#2030NOW builds on the UN-led process to craft a post-2015 development agenda that will follow and accelerate progress on the Millennium Development Goals.
Summit participants will support the UN's long-term goals by focusing on the following question: Will the solutions we are creating in today's digital world truly have a lasting impact on our future and how are we paving the way for the next generation of innovation?
Whatever global challenges we face, we know that quick and simple fixes are not always the best for deep-rooted problems. #2030NOW will confront the status quo of social media and social change by forcing participants to think about how to take technology and innovation to the next level.
This year's Social Good Summit will extend across the globe, reaching more communities than ever before. Last year, people in more than 300 cities in 150 countries joined the summit conversation by organising in-person or online meetings in their own communities and connecting via video and social media.
Through the newly launched +SocialGood platform and with the reach of the UN Development Programme's country offices, the 2013 summit organisers will increase the number of meet ups in local communities around the world.
Meet ups currently scheduled to happen include Brazil, Morocco, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Somalia and Ukraine. To get involved in a global meet up, go to: www.socialgoodsummit.com.
Additional speakers at the 2013 Social Good Summit will be announced online and on social media every two weeks leading up to the Summit.
Speakers will include technology pioneers, global leaders, UN experts, celebrities, youth innovators and others currently doing cutting-edge work to solve today's most important global challenges.
