On Monday, January 31st, Ashoka Changemakers will bring together entrepreneurs, innovators and changemakers from around the world to discuss the importance of affordable, inclusive, and sustainable urban housing that respects local cultures and the environment.
Today, half of the world’s population lives in urban areas. By 2050, three out of four people in the world will live in cities, as millions continue to stream into urban areas in search of fresh opportunities. Cities, as the engines of the global economy, offer these migrants jobs and livelihoods. These new residents, in turn, offer a diverse pool of human capital, talent, entrepreneurship, and innovation on which cities can grow their economies.
The majority of cities, particularly in the developing world, are not prepared for this dramatic growth. An estimated one billion people now live in slums, largely as a result of inadequate planning, poor policies, market failures, and gaps in governmental capacity. Cities that develop strategies to meet this critical shortage in affordable, sustainable, and inclusive housing, and address the challenge of energy constraints and climate change, will raise living standards, create more livable communities, and reduce environmental impact.
Ashoka Changemakers invites you to participate in this multilingual #SocEntChat on Twitter between 2pm and 4pm (EST), to share your innovative ideas and solutions that address the global challenges around sustainable urban housing.
How does it work?
#SocEntChat is a Twitter-based real-time discussion on social entrepreneurship themed around specific issues/areas/events. It is designed for current and aspiring social entrepreneurs, funders, media and supporters to share their ideas, discuss the state of the field, identify the latest innovations, and pinpoint areas requiring more exploration. (It is also an open forum for the global public to voice concerns and hopes, and perhaps propose ideas of their own!)
How can I participate?
(You can skip this, if you're a regular Twitter user)
First you will need a Twitter account. To find out more about Twitter check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitter or just go to www.twitter.com and sign up.
During #SocEntChat use http://search.twitter.com or an application like Tweetdeck (www.tweetdeck.com) or thwirl (www.thwirl.com) to follow the #SocEntChat tag and keep up with the conversation.
Enter the discussion anytime by just tagging one of your tweets with #SocEntChat.
What are the rules?
(Important!)
- #SocEntChat will be structured around a series of questions, which all participants can respond to. Send your questions to @Changemakers without the hash tag (to keep them out of the stream) to have them considered.
- Introduce yourself in one tweet at the start or when you join.
- Stay on topic!
- Stay calm and be respectful!
- Don't forget to have fun!
For more information on participating in the Sustainable Urban Housing effort,
visit the competition page!
Image courtesy of olmovich
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