ITU's 2021 Global Innovation Forum took place on 25-29 October with the theme ''Building partnerships to mainstream entrepreneurship''.
At the opening of the Forum, BDT Director Doreen Bogdan-Martin said ''Innovation is the critical element we need to drive adoption and value creation in under-served markets. Old-fashioned business-as-usual approaches won't cut it: we urgently need new thinking and innovative solutions to bridge the digital divide, so that people everywhere are empowered to participate in the 'new normal'.''
She encouraged participants to be bold and creative in dreaming up how the next decade of digital development could look. ''It is those ambitious, original, 'dare-to-dream' visions that will help us connect the world,'' she said.
As the event drew to a close, the BDT Director recognized the winners of the Global South COVID-19 Digital Innovation Challenge, and spoke with young leaders from ITU's Generation Connect initiative on their reflections from the Forum.
She pointed out that over the course of the week, the message had been made clear – ''innovation, entrepreneurial thinking, and experimentation are key to bring about digital inclusion, and connect the remaining half of humanity.''
