Accelerating Digital Equity Global Summit Hosted by HP Inc. and the Aspen Institute Features Pitch Fest and Regional Summits focusing on Africa, Asia, and Latin America
Contact: Elizabeth Vivirito
The Aspen Institute
elizabeth.vivirito@aspeninstitute.org
(773) 332-2570
Washington, DC, October 10, 2023 – In an era where digital connectivity plays an increasingly pivotal role in our lives, millions around the world still lack access to the digital resources essential for education, healthcare, employment, and social inclusion. To address this pressing issue and accelerate global progress toward digital equity, HP Inc. and the Aspen Institute will host the 2023 Accelerating Digital Equity Global Summit, a virtual event on October 17-19, 2023. Members of the media are invited to register here.
Speakers Include:
- Francesca Arienzo Schnippenkoetter, Director of International Development, UNETE
- Hazami Barmada, Director/ Lead of the Digital Equity Accelerator, Aspen Digital
- Jimena Bello, Head of Operations, La Cana
- Maryte Espinosa, Project Manager, IIDEAC
- Ana Ibañez, CEO, StartUpLab MX
- Renee Koo, Head of Marketing & Communications, Dignity for Children Foundation
- Michele Malejki, HP Global Head of Social Impact and Director of the HP Foundation
- Dr. Murallitharan Munisamy, Managing Director, National Cancer Society of Malaysia
- Danutcha Catriona Singh, Managing Director, SOLS Foundation
- Gavin Weale, CEO, Digify Africa
- Faiza Xaba, Siyafunda Community Centre CTC
This landmark event, organized by the Digital Equity Accelerator, a collaboration between HP and the Aspen Institute, will bring together leaders from philanthropy, technology, government, international development, and social impact to collaborate on strategies to bridge the digital divide and promote social and economic justice worldwide. The 2023 Accelerator cohort includes ten not-for-profit organizations and NGOs across Malaysia, Mexico, and South Africa.
Key Highlights of the 2023 Accelerating Digital Equity Global Summit:
- Global Thought Leadership: The 2023 Accelerating Digital Equity Global Summit will host engaging discussions aimed at advancing global thought leadership in digital equity, with a specific focus on healthcare, employment, and education. All Summit activities will be conducted on a fully interactive virtual platform, enabling networking and substantive engagement among attendees.
- Digital Equity Pitch Fest and Social Innovation Showcase: 10 nonprofit organizations that are part of the 2023 Digital Equity Accelerator Cohort will pitch their innovate solutions to inequity in healthcare, employment and education, with a chance to win Awards in Digital Inclusion, including Judge’s Choice Award; Social Innovation Award; Best in Pitch Award; People’s Choice Awards; and Audience Choice Awards. Open to the general public, the event will allow judges, registered Summit attendees, and the public to vote on the solutions that resonate with them with an additional $25,000 USD in awards to support the organizations’ digital equity initiatives.
- Asia Summit, Africa Summit, and Latin America Summit, held on October 18-19, 2023, and will feature regional leaders and perspectives on digital equity. Each Regional Summit will feature local leaders deeply engaged in social innovation, digital inclusion, and social impact within their respective regions. Advanced registration is required to participate in these enlightening conversations. Register for the Regional Summits here.
“We cannot achieve global development objectives without addressing the digital divide. Digital equity is not a luxury but a necessity in today’s world – and when we invest in closing digital gaps, we can make progress against global goals further, faster, ” said Hazami Barmada, Director/Lead of the Digital Equity Accelerator, Aspen Institute. “At the 2023 Accelerating Digital Equity Global Summit we are bringing together leading thinkers and doers who are actively building technology solutions, inspiring social innovation, and creating the knowledge needed to tangibly improve the social and economic outcomes for millions of people worldwide.”
“No entity alone can close the digital divide. Partnering with local experts and innovators is vital to support communities’ access to economic opportunities, education, and healthcare,” said Michele Malejki, HP Global Head of Social Impact and Director of the HP Foundation. “We are eager to showcase and celebrate the solutions pioneered by this year’s Digital Equity Accelerator cohort. The Summit is a fantastic opportunity for all to learn from the Accelerator participants working to narrow the digital divide.”
“The Summit reflects the importance of investing in local solutions and uplifting local leadership in these critical times,” said Vivian Schiller, Executive Director of Aspen Digital. “We’re thrilled to present the technology solutions built with and for local communities and highlight the stellar participants of our 2023 Digital Equity Accelerator cohort. We salute the commitment of the private sector, namely our partners at HP, for investing into this timely agenda to work towards closing the digital divide.”
For more information about the 2023 Accelerating Digital Equity Global Summit, including registration details and the event’s agenda, please visit aspendigital.vfairs.com
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About the Digital Equity Accelerator
The Digital Equity Accelerator, a collaboration between HP Inc. and the Aspen Institute’s Aspen Digital, works to advance social and economic equality by investing in not-for-profit organizations and NGOs that are accelerating digital inclusion. Founded in 2022, the Accelerator has helped seven organizations from India, Morocco, and the United States scale their efforts, boosting their cumulative reach by 1.7 million people and counting. In 2023, the Accelerator expanded programming to ten organizations from Malaysia, Mexico, and South Africa. Visit digitalequityaccelerator.org or join the mailing list to learn more.
About Aspen Digital
Aspen Digital is a nonpartisan technology and information-focused organization that brings together thinkers and doers to uncover new ideas and spark policies, processes, and procedures that empower communities and strengthen democracy. This future-focused Aspen Institute program inspires collaboration among diverse voices from industry, government, and civil society to ensure our interconnected world is accessible, safe, and inclusive – both online and off. Across its initiatives, Aspen Digital develops methods for elevating promising solutions and turning thought into networked impact. To learn more, visit aspendigital.org or email aspendigital@aspeninstitute.org.
About HP
HP Inc. (NYSE: HPQ) is a global technology leader and creator of solutions that enable people to bring their ideas to life and connect to the things that matter most. Operating in more than 170 countries, HP delivers a wide range of innovative and sustainable devices, services and subscriptions for personal computing, printing, 3D printing, hybrid work, gaming, and more. For more information, please visit: http://www.hp.com