On 13 November 2012, the UK Department for International Development and Omidyar Network will host Open Up! – a one-day conference in London on technology, transparency and open government – in association with WIRED Magazine.
This high-level event brings together entrepreneurs (civic and business), governments and civil society, to galvanise action in the fast growing field of transparency and open government. Open Up! will show how web and mobile technologies can drive more engagement of citizens in government and showcase entrepreneurs’ innovations and experiences from around the world.
The day will feature a dynamic programme of speakers and panelists, from multiple sectors across four continents. Keynote speakers include:
Rt. Hon. Justine Greening MP, Secretary of State for International Development, who will set out how the UK government supports the use of new technology to achieve open societies and economies, fight corruption and harness private sector entrepreneurship. These issues are at the core of the UK government’s approach to development and economic growth.
Stephen King, partner at Omidyar Network, a philanthropic investment firm established by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar and his wife Pam. Omidyar Network invests in and helps scale innovative organizations to catalyse economic and social change. It plays a leading role in supporting technologies that give millions of people access to credible information about government actions and bringing social entrepreneurs together to build a global open government movement.
Jennifer Pahlka, founder and executive director of Code for America. Code for America works with talented web professionals and cities across the USA to promote public service and reboot government. In 2011, Government Technology named her one of the year’s “Doers, Dreamers and Drivers” in public sector innovation. The Huffington Post named her the top “Game Changer in Business and Technology” the same year.
Tim O’Reilly, founder and CEO of O’Reilly Media. O’Reilly Media spreads the knowledge of innovators through its books, online services, magazines, research and conferences. It has been a chronicler and catalyst of leading-edge development since 1978 and hones in on the technology trends that really matter. An active participant in the technology community, the company has a long history of advocacy, meme-making and evangelism.
Anne Jellema, CEO of the World Wide Web Foundation and former International Director of Policy and Campaigns at ActionAid International (AAI). The World Wide Web Foundation seeks to establish the open Web as a global public good and a basic right, ensuring that everyone can access and use it freely.
Rakesh Rajani, founder of Twaweza (Swahili for ‘we can make it happen’), a 10-year initiative to enhance access to information, citizen agency and public accountability in East Africa.
David Rowan, editor of WIRED magazine, will moderate the day, facilitating discussions with inspirational speakers from government, civil society and the private sector.
For more information, please visit www.openup12.org, follow #OpenUp12 on Twitter or check out our Storify aggregator below, where key tweets, content and links will be curated.
Due to limited space, Open Up! is an invitation-only event, but the main sessions will be live streamed online via the Open Up! website.