PRESS RELEASE – For immediate distribution
Virginia, USA, November 17, 2023
NetHope Communications Team
Communications@NetHope.org
The 2023 NetHope Global Summit was the center of action where innovative solutions were fostered and strategic alliances forged, witnessing an impressive 565 in-person attendance and hosting an extraordinary 1491 virtual participants, showcasing the widespread reach of the Summit.
The Summit provided the best of both worlds: an in-person experience, between October 17-19, broadcasting live from the heart of Europe—Munich, Germany—with high-level interactive plenaries, in-depth solutions-focused sessions, networking and exhibitions.
The in-person version was followed by a subsequent virtual gathering that happened between October 23-24 and it featured Member-led sessions accessible across various time zones, all fostering strong global cross-collaboration and innovation and embodying the 2023 theme of “Collaborate. Innovate. Impact.”
“This is what this platform is about,” said the CEO of GOAL, Siobhan Walsh, during the Leadership in a Digital Age Plenary. “It is about sitting and saying can we share with one another – we don’t have to learn the hard way. We all want to learn smartly from one another and that is what this forum provides us and is that place to do it. That’s why it is called Net and Hope because we all need that.”
GOAL is one of the NetHope Member organizations, which consist of over 60 international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) that stand at the forefront of humanitarian and conservation, collectively shouldering responsibility for 60% of all international non-governmental aid. Remarkably, these organizations collaboratively serve a staggering 1.67 billion individuals across 190 countries.
Covering a wide range of subjects such as digital skills & leadership, digital inclusion, digital protection, innovation & digital transformation, and digital for climate adaptation & resilience, the plenaries and sessions encompassed all relevant aspects of the nonprofit sector. Throughout these sessions, esteemed speakers and thought-provoking discussions examined the landscape, carefully curating valuable insights that will shape the industry's outlook for 2024.
This unparalleled event provided a platform for leaders from various sectors to connect, acquire knowledge, foster collaboration and ignite inspiration.
The attendees of this years’ Summit included leading humanitarian nonprofit organizations, influential technology firms, government officials, social change advocates, top executives of leading humanitarian and conservation organizations, CEOs of nonprofit organizations, chief information executives, philanthropists, high-level IT experts, dedicated professionals working in field offices and programs within nonprofits, technologists from the private sector actively engaged in discussions about the pertinent challenges confronting our sectors today, while envisioning the collective impact we can achieve together.
Some of the high-level speakers included Ruth Rowan, Chief Marketing Officer, Avanade; Brian Tippens, SVP and Chief Social Impact Officer, Cisco; Jeremy Pitman, Global Director of Partner Development, Microsoft; Lori Freeman, General Manager of Salesforce for Nonprofits, Salesforce; Mathias Mogge, Secretary General & CEO, Welthungerhilfe; Ramin Shahzamani, CEO, War Child; and Melchior Lengsfeld, Executive Director, Helvetas.
The Summit also had closing keynote speeches from Nada Al-Nashif, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations and Clinton D. White, Counselor, United States Agency for International Development. Some of other notable speakers included Nora Lindström, Senior Director of ICT4D, Catholic Relief Services; Mark Hawkins, Senior Manager, Global Humanitarian Technology, Save the Children International; Claudia Garcia, ICT Manager, Norwegian Refugee Council; Lauren Stovall, Global Head of Nonprofit Programs, Amazon Web Services; Brent Carbno, Global ETC Coordinator, United Nations World Food Programme; Mike Wolff, EVP Salesforce for Nonprofit, Salesforce; Erin Connor, Director of Cisco Crisis Response, Cisco; and Mike Wolff, EVP Salesforce for Nonprofit, Salesforce.
“At this year’s Summit, NetHope launched a new strategic framework for the remainder of this decade, in collaboration with NetHope Members, partners, and supporters, that will shape NetHope’s work. It is intended to help all of those we work with be ready to operate effectively and responsibly in today and tomorrow’s world. The New Digital Divides in our strategic plan—skills and leadership, inclusion, protection, innovation, and resilience—come from the needs that the nonprofit sector has identified as critical in the digital and data spaces.
NetHope recognizes the immense potential of technology to empower, unite, and amplify the life-changing impact of nonprofit organizations. We look forward to working together with the entire NetHope community to bring this strategic plan to life.
Thank you to all those who made the 2023 NetHope Global Summit possible. I look forward to working with you in the year ahead and seeing you in Washington, DC, for our next Global Summit in 2024,” said NetHope CEO, Lance Pierce.
At the end of the in-person 2023 Summit, NetHope announced that its 2024 Global Summit will take place in October in Washington DC. It has already begun making preparations for what promises to be another incredible global gathering. Discover more about how you can get involved with NetHope.
About NetHope
NetHope is a consortium of leading global nonprofits working across geographies and missions to solve some of the world’s greatest development, humanitarian, and conservation challenges. Over 60 nonprofit Members and 50 technology partners collaborate to leverage digital solutions for exponential impact. Collectively, NetHope Members deliver more than 60% of all annual international, non-governmental aid, serving over 1.67 billion people in 190 countries. For more information, visit www.nethope.org.
