Global Digital Compact and Living Labs: Providing Real Experimental Communities for Co-creating Open and Inclusive Digital Societies
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The Global Digital Compact (GDC) aims to create an inclusive, open, sustainable, fair, secure, and safe digital future for all. It focuses on reducing digital divides, promoting digital inclusion in economic activities, ensuring safe digital environments, managing data fairly, and overseeing the development of AI for humanity’s benefit. The GDC is built on principles of inclusivity, sustainable development, human rights, gender equality, and environmental sustainability, emphasizing accessible digital benefits, responsible innovation, and a flexible, multi-stakeholder approach. Living Labs (LLs) are crucial in validating and advancing GDC goals by offering real-world settings for collaborative innovation. LLs address digital divides, tailor solutions to local needs, and enhance digital skills. By promoting open-source tools and public digital infrastructure, LLs foster adoption, investment, and inclusive digital economies, supporting small business growth and economic development. LLs also play a vital role in upholding human rights online by developing and analyzing policies and technologies that align with international human rights laws. They focus on protecting children’s rights and exploring data governance models that balance privacy, security, and freedom of expression.
Key Themes:
1. Living Labs as Open Social Technology: LLs serve as a bridge between digital advancements and human-centric societies by fostering interdisciplinary collaboration.
2. Policy Innovation and Digital Societies: Case studies will highlight:
– Brainport Eindhoven (Netherlands): Demonstrates regional innovation in smart mobility, healthcare technology, and sustainable energy.
– Catalonia Collaboratory (Spain): Focuses on digital inclusion and systemic transformation in health, education, and gender equality.
– South Africa: Addresses rural digital transformation, digital inclusion, and local economic development.
3. Regional Transformation: LLs drive regional innovation by facilitating collaboration among academia, industry, government, and civil society, creating innovation ecosystems.
4. Aligning with UN 2.0 and SDGs:
LLs contribute to SDGs by serving as platforms for cross-disciplinary innovation, addressing global challenges like climate change and digitalization.
Draft Agenda:
9:30 – 9:45 | Welcome Remarks
Speakers: Andreas Fransson, Policy Officer Digitalization, Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the UN; Evdokimos Kostantinidis, Chair at ENoLL; Martina Desole, Director at ENoLL
Welcome by Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the United Nations
Defining Living Labs and Increasing their efficiency to Sustainable development by networking them
9:45 – 10:00 | Keynote
Speaker: Kersten Jauer, Deputy Director, Strategic Planning, UN Secretary-General’s Office
10:00 – 10:15 | Keynote
Speaker: Oscar Romero, Chief Information Officer (CIO), The NYC Civic Engagement Commission
10:15 – 10:30 | Living Labs as Open Social Technology: Bridging Digital Progress and Human-Centered Societies by Fostering Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Speaker: Artur Serra, Deputy Director, i2Cat
10:30 – 10:45 | Leveraging Living Labs to Advance UN SDGs and Support the Green and Digital Transition
Speaker: Valentino Piana, Chair of the WG Energy & Environment
10:45 – 11:00 | Regional Transformation through Living Labs
Speaker: Georgia Ayfantoupoulou, Chair of the WG Transitions
11:00 – 11:15 | Policy Innovation, Digital Societies, and the Living Lab Approach
Speakers: Madeleine Lyes, Head of the UL/LCCC Citizen Innovation Lab; Kieran Reeves, Climate Action Coordinator for Limerick City and County Council
11:15 – 11:30 | Coffee Break
11:30 – 11:45 | Case Study: Presentation of the