Department of State's 2012 Global Diaspora Forum Set to be an Exciting Day for U.S. Diaspora Communities

On Wednesday, July 25th and Thursday, July 26th, the U.S. Department of State's annual Global Diaspora Forum will take place to celebrate America's diaspora communities. By hosting such an event, the Department of State hopes to challenge diaspora communities to create new partnerships with public institutions, civil society, and the private sector in order to make their involvement with their countries of origin or ancestry effective and maintainable for years to come.

This year's theme for the Forum is "Moving Foward by Giving Back," and so the Forum will focus on new technology's role in empowering and increasing volunteerism, social entrepreneurship, social innovation, and diaspora philanthropy. Consequently, the two-day Forum will host interactive panels, inspirational keynotes, workshops, networking opportunities, and announcements of public and private sector commitments. Forum speakers will include various members of and involved with diaspora communities, including Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Ashoka's Bill Drayton, the American Refugee Committee's Daniel Wordsworth, Microsoft's Claire Lee, USAID's Dr. Rajiv Shah, and the Department of Commerce's Steve Gardner. Even Africa Rural Connect's very own Molly Mattessich will be speaking at day two's "Innovations to Affect Change" panel.

To view Secretary Clinton's remarks, watch the Department of State's live broadcast at www.state.gov starting at 10:30am EDT on July 25th or follow their live tweets on Twitter @DiasporaatState. To keep up-to-date on the remainder of the two-day Forum, follow Africa Rural Connect's live tweets on Twitter @IdeasforAfrica and respond with your comments by using #2012GDF or by commenting below this post.

Unavailable on July 25th and 26th? Find out everything you missed in Africa Rural Connect's post-Forum blog U.S. Department of State Engages Diaspora Communities at 2012 Global Diaspora Forum.

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