What’s Next: Outcomes from DOTS. The Impact Summit

What’s Next: Outcomes from DOTS. The Impact Summit

By Theresa FendNo Comments
At DOTS. The Impact Summit that took place in Nakuru, Kenya from December 5-7, we used the power of a gathering to co-create and kick off long-term projects that offer collaborative solutions to systemic problems in different localities. Here come some of the outcomes: Data Sensitivity (with Tactical Tech) Tactical Tech is an international NGO that engages with citizens and civil-society organisations to explore and mitigate the impacts of technology on society. One of their current flagship projects is The Glass Room: a multi-format interactive exhibition in several versions including the Community Edition. It has travelled the world to expose the data trails we leave and to increase public awareness and contribute to the dynamic education on this topic. In the Glass Room Community Edition, a pop-up exhibition explores how society is dealing with the growing dependency on data and technology. Tactical Tech, GIG and the organizations represented at DOTS created a joint strategy to develop a Global Hub Edition of the Glassroom...
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This was DOTS. The Impact Summit!

This was DOTS. The Impact Summit!

By Theresa Fend1 Comment
Climate change, economic inequality and political divisions are only becoming more pressing challenges in the whole world. As a network of networks, hubs and innovative individuals, we want to jointly implement change through concrete and tangible projects. At DOTS, we used the power of a gathering to co-create concrete projects that offer collaborative solutions to systemic problems in different localities. From the 5th to the 7th of December, over 60 people from all across the world gathered in Nakuru, Kenya for DOTS. The Impact Summit, hosted by the ​Global Innovation Gathering (GIG)​, and ​r0g Agency for Open Culture and Critical Transformation (r0g).​ The objective of the summit was to link various hubs, activists, entrepreneurs and innovators across the Global North and South that use technology to address such systemic challenges as Conflict and Migration, Civic Engagement, Healthcare, Data Protection & Digital Privacy, and the Sustainability of maker spaces. DOTS. The Impact Summit was a new, impact and output driven event...
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DreamSpace Academy won the Falling Walls Science Engagement Award

DreamSpace Academy won the Falling Walls Science Engagement Award

By Zen Editor1 Comment
On Friday last week, DreamSpace Academy won the Falling Walls Science Engagement award of the year, among 81 applications from 44 countries. Falling Walls Engage is one of the largest international platforms for all forms of science engagement, co-organised by Falling Walls Foundation, Robert Bosch Stiftung, Helmholtz Association, Federal Ministry of Education and Research and many universities around the world. DreamSpace Academy is a community innovation center that tackles socio-economic and environmental challenges using project-based learning. Our mission is to empower creative minds through Maker Education, to create innovative local solutions using Open Innovation, and ultimately leading them to become successful Social Entrepreneurs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B17rJ07Ljs4 The winner of this year‘s @Falling_Walls Engage conference is „DreamSpace Academy“ from Sri Lanka! The project provides workshops for children and teenagers, encouraging them to deal with social and ecological issues using science. https://t.co/Ewl8uQ16eW #FallingWalls19 pic.twitter.com/JjYUncvr4x— RobertBosch Stiftung (@BoschStiftung) November 8, 2019 Press coverage Nov 8, 2019 – Falling Walls Engage: Award for the best project in science communication (German),...
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GIG @ Communities & Technologies

GIG @ Communities & Technologies

By Victoria WenzelmannNo Comments
The biennial Communities and Technologies (C&T) conference stimulates scholarly debate and is a prime venue to disseminate research on the complex connections between communities and information and communication technologies. #comtech2019 aimed to also connect academia and practitioners - an endeavor that GIG as a network and many members obviously relate and can contribute much to! Already in 2017, some GIGers participated in C&T in Troyes, as Oliver Stickel from Fablab Siegen had initiated a workshop around 3D printing and digital fabrication for education and the common good. This year’s C&T took place in Vienna from June 3rd till June 7th, and many GIG members participated in various roles. Regina Sipos and me organized the workshop Critical Making For and With Communities with the goal to facilitate and further exchange between researchers, practitioners and activists in the fields of critical making, social and digital innovation, participatory design, and community management. It was a very fruitful exchange between people working in...
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Malian in Diaspora of the Year 2018

Malian in Diaspora of the Year 2018

By Zen EditorNo Comments
On January 26, Youssouf Simbo Diakite, founder and CEO at African Diaspora Youth Forum in Europe (ADYFE) was awarded the Mali Entrepreneurship and Engagement Award in the category Malian in Diaspora of the Year 2018 – Best Achievement. Watch the ortm.ml news itemDownload Watch Youssouf Simbo Diakite interviewDownload Read more at maliactu.net/mali-4eme-edition-de-la-nuit-de-lentrepreneuriat-promouvoir-la-creation-demploi/ (French). In December 2018, Youssouf and his team at ADYFE organized the high-level forum 'Accelerated Africa Conference 2018 – from Entrepreneur to CEO: Channeling the power of the Diaspora : ...
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GIG @ re:publica Accra 2018

GIG @ re:publica Accra 2018

By Mugethi GitauNo Comments
re:publica Accra, the very first re:publica conference held in Africa, took place on 14-15th December 2018 at the Trade Centre in Accra, Ghana and was attended by over 2000 people from 32 countries. 1st @republica in Africa was a blast. More than 2000 attendees came to Ghana to debate the rising digital society. 274 spokesperson, 110 Hours of program. It was hot, exciting and mindblowing. I learned so much about Africa! Thank you everyone who was involved doing it. #RpAccra pic.twitter.com/RcBpAHSSYV — netzpolitik (@netzpolitik) December 15, 2018 GIG was a supporter for this African edition of re:publica. Many GIGers were among the curation & organizing team as well as speakers. GIG also  hosted the makerspace through Kumasi Hive. Kudzai M Mubaiwa (iZone Hub, Zimbabwe), Nanjira Sambuli (World Wide Web Foundation, Kenya) and Jorge Appiah (Kumasi Hive, Ghana) curated the tracks around the topics ‘Business and Innovation’, Politics and Society’ and ‘Science and Education’. Nanjira Sambuli gave the first keynote speech right after the opening...
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CryptoParty in Brazil

CryptoParty in Brazil

By Zen EditorNo Comments
CriptoAxé, a CryptoParty event aimed to strengthen the security community of Bahia State in Brazil. It was an effort to unite diverse people, collectives and organizations already involved in the dissemination of the debate about the importance of privacy and the tools of online security and cryptography. An event open to the public, with workshops and lectures for all audiences and where the spirit of sharing, solidarity and respect prevailed, so that all people, regardless of gender, class, ethnicity or religion were welcome. The event took place at Raul Hacker Club, on December 8th (Saturday), from 9am to 8pm. At the end, everyone was invited to join the end(less) party.  ...
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GIG@35C3. Hacking Diversity at a Hacker Congress.

GIG@35C3. Hacking Diversity at a Hacker Congress.

By Victoria WenzelmannNo Comments
In December 2018, we managed to gig up rp:Accra and just a week later also 35C3. It has been an intense time - but totally worth it! What is 35C3? The Chaos Communication Congress is an annual conference organized by the Chaos Computer Club, Europe’s largest association of hackers. The congress features a variety of lectures and workshops on technical and political issues related to security, cryptography, privacy and online freedom of speech. The event takes place regularly at the end of the year since 1984, hence the 2018 edition is the 35th one - 35C3. With now 16,000 participants, Congress is considered one of the largest events of this kind, and it is completely self-organized. GIG@35C5 Similar to re:publica and due to the bottom-up nature of the events, Congress is quite focused on Europe and Northern America, which is reflected in the speakers, participants and topics. We want to make sure international perspectives beyond these are represented at CCC. . Hence, GIG...
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GIG @re:publica Accra

GIG @re:publica Accra

By Zen EditorNo Comments
Under the motto "next level" re:publica is going to Accra and so is GIG! The two-day festival will gather the digital society in Accra, Ghana.  As in Berlin you can expect mind blowing talks, hands-on workshops, art installations, an innovation marketplace, four themed lounges and an evening and party program. Through our the Through the CfP re:publica received over 200 applications, over 81% came from Africa-based speakers! There will be about 75 Speakers from all over Africa, from about 15 countries, among them South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Benin, Gambia and Senegal, as well as about  65 speakers from Ghana, on top of that there will be about 25 speakers from other continents (e.g. Brazil, USA, UK, Germany). As of today the program will be published bit by bit. At the moment there are 15 sessions online, with a  50%-50% Gender Balance among speakers.  GIG will be presenting a makerspace as one of the themed lounges and members will be present in different sessions! Sénamé Koffi Agbodjinou will...
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