In partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Beyond Access invites you to Local Alternatives for Global Development: Rediscovering Libraries on October 3, 2012 in Washington, DC.

Invite: Local Alternatives for Global Development: Rediscovering Libraries

With the rapid expansion of new technologies and emerging perspectives on what works, the global development community is looking for new thinking on solving development challenges.  Join the conversation with a community of development professionals who are interested in a fresh perspective on information and development.

We can’t promise ready-made answers for achieving development goals. But we can promise thoughtful discussion in a non-traditional format about local approaches and innovative alternatives – all in a PowerPoint-free, coffee-charged setting that challenges the convention of typical DC conferences. The event features:
• USAID Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah joining 33rd President of Chile Ricardo Lagos for a candid armchair discussion on Development in the 21st Century: Information, Technology and Local Institutions
• An afternoon armchair discussion on The Future of Information and Development, including:
Esther Dyson, chairwoman of EDventure Holdings and leading technology entrepreneur
Jon Gosier, co-founder MetaLayer, TED Senior Fellow Alum, and one of CNN's top African tech voices
Suneet Singh Tuli, founder, Datawind
Moderated by Deborah Jacobs, Global Libraries Director at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
• First-hand government perspectives on finding the resources and strategies that match public development priorities, featuring officials from Colombia, Peru, Kyrgyzstan, Bhutan and Kenya moderated by Melanie Walker, Deputy Director fo Special Initiatives at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and World Economic Forum Young Global Leader.
• Development coffee lounges led by subject experts on how new technology and information models impact:

Civic participation Non-formal education Gender and ICT Youth engagement Open government

Economic opportunity Health information Access to technology Agricultural information Innovation spaces

1. • A dynamic Innovation Fair showcasing the work of communities partnering with libraries on development efforts, with delegations from government, NGOs and public libraries from Latin America, Africa, Asia and Europe.

Hosted by Beyond Access, this one-day event at Arena Stage aims to explore the “how” of information access, and its connection to development across the spectrum rooted in local priorities and partnerships. The event brings public libraries into discussions of development for the first time.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND:
• International NGOs looking for new ways to tap into local resources
• Development professionals and donors looking to leverage existing infrastructure and  resources
• ICT4D professionals looking for outlets to address international challenges

For more information about the event and to register, please visit beyondaccess.net/conference2012. For the latest on confirmed speakers and attendees, join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.