Agenda

Malcolm Johnson is a seasoned information and communication technology (ICT) executive who has served in senior management positions at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) since 2007. Prior to his election as Deputy Secretary-General, he was Director of ITU’s Telecommunication Standardization Bureau. 

Earlier, he served as International Coordinator at the United Kingdom’s Office of Communications (Ofcom), with chief responsibility for UK engagement with ITU and international regulators. As Director of the UK Radiocommunications Agency until 2003, he also acted as the European Coordinator for several World Radiocommunication Conferences.

Ms. Roxana Widmer-Iliescu has been working for over 24 years in the Development Sector of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) contributing through her work in achieving the overarching goal of Digital Inclusion, by promoting all people empowerment through ICTs, regardless of age, gender, ability or location. In her capacity as ITU-D Focal Point for ICT accessibility, she advises the ITU members on developing ICT accessibility policies and on implementing related strategies and lead development of several ITU-D key resources in ICT accessibility aiming at supporting the global efforts in building a digitally inclusive society and ensuring that no one is left behind in the digital age.

Ms. Daniela Bas, of Italian nationality, is the Director of the Division for Inclusive Social Development at the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs since May 2011. Political scientist with a major in International Politics, she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a dissertation on “The elimination of architectural barriers and the employment of people with physical disabilities”. She is also a certified journalist and worked for the major press, Radio, and Television networks and is also a certified multicultural/life coach. Ms. Bas’s interest has always been people-centred in the various activities, associations, and professional roles she has held. In addition to her work at the United Nations from 1986 to 1995, she held managerial roles until 2000 in the private sector in Italy.

Michael W. Hodin, Ph.D. is CEO of the Global Coalition on Aging, Managing Partner at High Lantern Group, and a Fellow at Oxford University’s Harris Manchester College. He has spoken internationally on the topic of aging, including at G20, APEC, Davos, and the World Knowledge Forum (WKF). He is also a blogger on Medium.

From 1976-80, Mike was Legislative Assistant to Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan. During this period he was also a Visiting Scholar at Brookings Institution, on U.S. Foreign Economic Policy. He was a senior executive at Pfizer, Inc. for 30 years, where he created and then led its International Public Affairs and Public Policy operations and served on Management Boards for a number of its businesses.

Mike is a Member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and from 2010-2013, was Adjunct Senior Fellow with a focus on population aging. Mike was also the recipient of the 2012 Fred D. Thompson Award from the American Federation for Aging Research. He sits on the Boards of the Foreign Policy Association, Business Council for International Understanding, American Skin Association, American Federation for Aging Research and Emigrant Savings Bank. Mike was a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Ageing. And he sits on the Advisory Board for the Milken Institute Center for the Future of Aging.

Mike holds a BA, cum laude, Cornell University, M.Sc.in International Relations from The London School of Economics and Political Science, and M.Phil and Ph.D. in Political Science from Columbia University.

Degree in Government and International Relations, with gold medal obtained for high academic performance at Argentine University of Enterprise. 

Currently working as Age-Friendly General Director in Buenos Aires City Government inside the Health Ministry, whose main challenge is to design and implement policies for general accessibility, socio-urban integration and digital inclusion of the elderly persons. 

Started in the public sector in 2014, obtaining an extensive experience in the methodology of planning, coordination and monitoring of strategic projects that allow a better quality`s citizens life.

During the last 2 years, served in the overall coordination of the COVID-19 strategy of the City of Buenos Aires, accompanying high-impact results of operation in a timely manner even in a context of uncertainty.

She considers team-based, evidence-based and coordinated work as an essential for great results in public policies.

Architect specialized in urban planning, with a Master's degree in City Planning and Management from the University of Buenos Aires, with relevant experience in managing public sector projects related to Sustainable Urban Development.

Currently working as Age-Friendly City Manager in Buenos Aires City Government inside the Health Ministry to reposition the elderly person as a protagonist in society and combat loneliness through the adaptation of the physical, social, productive and digital environment. in coordination with all government areas.

From 2018 to 2020 as Director of Urban Planning at the Social and Urban Integration Agency (OPISU) from Buenos Aires Province Government, lead an urban planning team in the community design of slum upgrading projects and infrastructure works. 

Between 2016 and 2018, worked as Urban Planning Advisor to the Minister of Urban Development and Transportation from Buenos Aires City Government in the development of new urban public policies that contributes to urban equity. 

Throughout his professional career, continued involved with the academy as a professor of urban planning at the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Buenos Aires and as a researcher at the Higher Institute of Urban Planning. 

Silvia is the chair of the NGO Committee on Ageing in Geneva and representative to the UN of the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA) and the International Longevity Centre Global Alliance (ILC GA). An advocate for the rights of older persons, she has been working in the fields of human rights, ageing and health for over 20 years. Before that, she was a TV, film and theatre producer using the arts as tools for social change. She was born in Argentina and has lived, studied and worked in England, Israel, Hungary and Switzerland. She has a B.A. in social and educational theatre from Tel Aviv University and an MSc in Inter-Professional Practice (society and violence) from the Institute of Health Sciences of City University of London.

Anthony’s work focuses on technology policy and practice. He is an internationally recognized expert in universal design of information and communication technology (ICT). He leads several large-scale research and innovation projects based in over 27 countries.

Anthony is an Associate Professor of Universal Design of ICT at the Department of Computer Science at Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet). He maintains several international appointments including at the Harvard Law School Project on Disability at Harvard Law School, the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University, the Department of Science and Informatics at the University of Eduardo Mondlane, and the Department of Education at Roma Tre University.

He works with the United Nations (UN) International Telecommunications Union (ITU) as the Vice Rapporteur for the subcommittee on ICT Accessibility and Research Coalition lead for the EQUALS Global Network. He is founder and Chair of the Board for the Global Universal Design Commission Europe AS, and Ser Innovation AS. He is a member of the board for Mfano Design Lab, the Global Universal Design Commission, Inclusive-IT, and Humans for Humans. He has been a member of the Association for Computing Machinery's (ACM) Task Force on Diversity and Inclusion and was awarded a Marie Curie Fellowship as part of the DREAM research network.

Since 2014, Anthony has acted as a principal investigator for research and innovation projects with budgets totaling over 11 million EUR. He has authored over 47 peer-reviewed academic publications in leading international journals. Anthony has taught over 3,000 students. He has mentored over 23 startups, half of which have been led by women.