By Nicole Neroulias Gupte
Dozens of representatives of Seattle-area nonprofits, businesses and academic/research institutions working in global development have mixed and mingled at Global Washington’s first two Global Socials of 2013. The March 20 gathering focused on India and China, featuring speakers from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Unitus Seed Fund, and the Mona Foundation. The April 10 social focused on Vietnam and Southeast Asia, with speakers from PeaceTrees Vietnam and Partners Asia.
This series provides valuable opportunities for Global Washington members and stakeholders working in the same region to discuss their work, share ideas and inspire further collaboration. Common themes include the balance between technological advances, which increasingly help reach and mobilize the world’s poorest, and grassroots knowledge, which can predict challenges and help tailor an international program more effectively to a specific region or community.
“Telecommunication and mobile banking services is what enables growth in the developing world,” said Pwint Htun, a Partners Asia board member working in Burma. “Technology is fantastic… but the social engineering, the community organizing is the enabler that is really necessary,”
The Global Socials are held at HUB Seattle, a historic Pioneer Square building that offers meeting and workspace to socially conscious projects. The next two socials will be on May 8, focused on Latin America, and June 12, focused on Kenya, Uganda and East Africa. For more information or to register, visit https://globalwa.org/convene/global-washington-events.