FWD50 is a global digital government gathering held annually in Ottawa, Canada. Each year, technologists, executives, and industry come together for a week of content and discussion, focused on steering progress and innovation towards our better selves.

We’re covering a myriad of topics in 2020, and featuring some key speakers for each topic. 

This year, one of our focuses will be around Global Co-operation.

If we are to surmount the challenges of our lifetime—climate change, social justice, and economic inclusion to name just a few—we need to work together as a species. Yet in the last decade, several progressive governments have distanced themselves from the rest of the world. Longstanding alliances—the UN, the World Health Organization, and many other pillars of collaboration are toppling.

How do governments collaborate to build the future they want? In a digital world, how do we share data and best practices? How do we agree on a global bill of digital rights, or ethical guidelines for AI? The Digital Nations is a growing alliance of countries that collaborates on digital transformation and government innovation; FWD50 is hosting a day-long event with The Digital Nations on November 4, open to the world.

Relevant speakers

Few people have spent as much time thinking about the impact of technology on society as Tim O’Reilly. The founder of the world’s leading technology publisher, he’s coined terms and framed ideas like “Open Source”, “Makers”, “Web 2.0” and “Government as a Platform” that have entered common language. His most recent book is What’s the Future and Why It’s Up to Us.

In Canada, the Honourable Joyce Murray is the Minister of Digital Government. She’s worked on environmental portfolios, and at the regional level for the government of British Columbia. A background in both politics and business has equipped her to represent Canada’s digital transformation efforts while remaining pragmatic about inclusion, accessibility, and environmental impact.