Ash Institute to Host Frontiers of Innovation Conference March 31-April 2

The Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard Kennedy School today announced the “Frontiers of Innovation: 20 Years of Innovation in Government” conference to be held March 31 through April 2, 2008. This bi-annual conference is a premier event of the Institute’s Global Network and convenes a worldwide community of leaders dedicated to effective government and public service. Senior government managers, elected officials, and non-profit leaders from more than 50 countries will share best practices in e-governance, anti-corruption reforms, citizen engagement initiatives, and social justice in the areas of global health and disaster management. This year’s conference also marks the culmination of the Institute’s celebration of the twentieth anniversary of the Innovations in American Government Awards Program.

On March 31, 2008 former President of Mexico Vicente Fox will deliver the conference commencement address “Democracy, Good Government, and Development: Mexico, An Experience in Latin America” to an audience of HKS students, faculty, and conference participants. President Fox will highlight the accomplishments of Mexico’s Democratic Consolidation project which includes benchmarking reform initiatives, an award-winning e-government program, and the Citizen Charter Initiative. The event will take place at 7 p.m. ET at the JFK Jr. Forum; outside attendees can watch the event live at http://ksgaccman.harvard.edu/iop/events_forum_listview.asp

During the conference, Thomas J. Vilsack, former governor of Iowa; Fazle Abed, founder and chairperson of BRAC; and Nabil Alyousuf, Director General from the Executive Office of the Dubai Government will deliver keynote addresses on innovations in governance. In addition, panels on pressing governance issues, made up of practitioners from around the world and Harvard faculty, will foster stimulating dialogue and debate. Panel topics include: 

• Innovations in Governance: Ethics and Accountability in the Public Sector
• Innovations in Participation: Citizen Engagement in a Deliberative Democracy
• Innovations in Global Health: New Approaches to Neglected Diseases
• Innovations in Emergency Management: Making Governments Flexible and Responsive
• The Future of Innovation: 21st Century Models of Governance

In addition to the formal conference, the Ash Institute will host several associated events during the week. The first “Latin American Mayors’ Conference,” taking place March 30 through April 1, will bring together mayors from all over Latin America to share innovations and best practices in local governance. Mayor Curtatone of Somerville, former Mayor Stephen Goldsmith of Indianapolis, and former City Manager Erik Gerritsen of Amsterdam, along with HKS faculty will lead panels on a host of issues ranging from urban development, green cities, financial management, and public safety. The event is organized by the HKS Latin American Student Caucuses and is supported by the Ash Institute, the Center for International Development, and the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies.

“The Challenge from China,” policy conference will conclude the Institute’s week-long convening of the Global Network. Jointly sponsored by the Ash Institute and the HKS Asia Programs, the event will include thought-provoking panel discussions and a forum event. At the April 9th forum event, Professor Lan Xue, Tsinghua University; Ash Carter, HKS Faculty; and Daniel O’Connell, Massachusetts Secretary of Housing and Economic Affairs will address the challenges and opportunities that China poses on future US presidential administrations. Sessions on Chinese policy processes, sectoral challenges, and foreign affairs are scheduled for April 10th.

“We are privileged to welcome so many distinguished government innovators from around the world to this premier meeting of the Global Network,” said Gowher Rizvi, director of the Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation. “They bring a huge wealth of experience from diverse societies from the global North and South. This conference offers an unrivalled opportunity to learn from each others’ experiences.”

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