With so many forums and events, what’s unique about this one?

While most conferences and policy forums set forth critical information and goals, The Global Summit addresses the how to achieve the goals, and facilitates a results-based strategy for collective action. Find out how else we are different than your everyday forums and events.

Why “The” Global Summit? It sounds very ambitious of you…

1) After assessing the massive, round the world, multi-sector, diverse program vision, nothing else seemed to fit. 2) We thought, since the point is not to wait for someone else to create change, what a way to go for it! Like our friends in Evolver say, “It’s your world to change”. 3) Yes, we know we are not star-studded. (Not yet any way, Psst… Madonna? Bono? Bill?) However, why not have “THE Global Summit” be led by a few thoughtful people– dedicated to celebrating and elevating all of us?

Who are the key people involved?

Please see People Page for a list of team leaders, organizers and advisers. Also see speaker/ presenters 2008 and 2010, all of which contributed their time as Volunteers & Program Partners.

I understand it is a collaboration of many groups, but who runs it, and how?

A volunteer-based, sustainable community development organization Empowerment WORKS (EW) is the official producer and holds the trademark. Smaller than most of the Partners in Empowerment (PIE) involved, EW facilitates and advances a collaborative structure and process, harnessing the unique strengths of each Partner to co-create something none can do alone.

Exactly what are you trying to do?

The Global Summit has three mutually-reinforcing objectives: 1) Empower all voices to be heard in addressing humanity’s most pressing issues; 2) Advance a universal framework for sustainable community development; and 3) Find and spread the world’s most sustainable technologies & social innovations. The Global Summit does not do all this, but brings together the best of those who can and will.

Are you trying to replace the United Nations?

(Who, us?) Consider The Global Summit a think-tank in action. With its small, decentralized and flexible structure, The Global Summit serves to crowd source what’s working, innovate, experiment and re-design a few out-dated policy, philanthropy and technology systems. Through concrete, evidence based outcomes from each Summit that can inform the development of new approaches and policy systems, and by sourcing input from communities who do not have direct input into global policy making systems (other than through their governments), The Global Summit Initiative is dedicated to provide relevant information to support the UN mission and improve its structures, but not to replace or be any kind of alternative.

Is this affiliated with the Olympics?

What’s the connection? The Global Summit is not endorsed by or officially affiliated with the International Olympic Games. The Olympics is to harness its discipline and clarity of action and sportsmanship which humanity needs to win to assure a sustainable future for 100% of humanity.

Is this part of the 99% Movement?

The Global Summit was inspired at the World Social Forum in Kenya, seeing the travesty of not having the 1% at the table. Now, using the best tools for communication, collaboration and transformation on the planet, we need to unite 100% of humanity to save the planet. Whatever your %, Welcome!

More questions? We’d love to hear from you! Email us directly.

Glossary of Terms

Sustainable Development

Sustainable development is defined as balancing the fulfillment of human needs with the protection of the natural environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but in the indefinite future. The term was used by the Brundtland Commission which coined what has become the most often-quoted definition of sustainable development as development that “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” From Wikipedia more…

Sociocracy

The Global Summit’s model of policy making is defined by consent based agreements, mutually supportive collaboration process of consensus and draws from best practices in negotiations, and socially transformative family mediation.

Global perspective

Considering the world, including its human inhabitants, from OUTSIDE or BEYOND the limits defined by national borders, language constructs, cultural training or “realities”.

Global context

Accounts for and allows for all human perspectives, and relates to every human being from the same place. Relates to language, culture, politics, customs, (also age, gender, physicality, economic status, etc.). as circumstances, similar to clothing — sometimes useful, sometimes limiting, and always changeable and ever expandable.

Experience

“We’re all in this together,” shifting, expanding, and transforming-in the natural flow of life. There is no “them”.