Diplohack Stockholm 2016:
Sustainable development of a Smart Government
– a gathering of diplomats, devs and designers to make EU Open Data a citizens’ friend
Impact Hub Stockholm and The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Stockholm joins forces with the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, supported by Open Knowledge Sweden to organize Diplohack Stockholm, a diplomatic hackathon that brings sustainable change and transparency into the EU social and government sector using open data and Freedom of Information requests.
After an ideation workshop (Tuesday – May, 10th), where pressing issues are identified, developers, designers, socialpreneurs, diplomats and active members of society will spend 54 hours without interruption, building a better and more sustainable digital future. They will develop new ideas, products and services that solve imminent concerns and bottlenecks, and lead to a transparent, accessible and connected decision making.
Last year, the UN adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which includes a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and tackle climate change by 2030. These SDGs will serve as a guideline and a reference point for the creators at Diplohack Stockholm, to ensure a unified strive towards feasible solutions.
Diplohack Stockholm is part of a series of hackathons (http://www.diplohack.org/) organized all over Europe in the context of the Netherlands’ EU Presidency during the first semester of 2016, in response to a call by Dutch foreign minister Bert Koenders. He had challenged EU citizens to “shine light in the black box of Brussels”.
The winners in the local events will participate in TransparencyCamp Europe (https://transparencycamp.eu/) that takes place this year on June 1st in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. This unconference will focus on open data, new technologies and policies that make the EU work for people, stimulate open government and help grasp the workings of the various EU institutions with open data and Freedom of Information requests.
Open data leads to better value, fewer risks, and more stakeholders.
In the face of a rapidly-changing Europe, participatory and co-creative processes can unlock the potential of the citizenry on a path toward a more abundant, inclusive, and sustainable future.
May 10th, Tuesday (18.00 – 20.00) – Ideation workshop – Gathering creative minds, experts and government officials to brainstorm over the most pressing, current issues and drawing up a “hack protocol” guide.
May 13th, Friday (18.00 – 22.30) – Meet&Greet, Pitches, Team formation – Introducing the participants to each other and the concept. Hearing and evaluating viable product pitches. Forming teams around the most feasible ideas.
May 14th-15th – Sleepless and inspired product building.
May 15th (18.00 – 20.00) – Final presentations, evaluation by the jury and selection of winners and prize recipients.
May 15th (20.00-TBA) – Mingle, aftermath and reflection.
June 1st – TransparencyCamp Europe in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Core Goals
- Create new, collaborative and creative methods for diplomacy
- Familiarize the civil society and tech industry with diplomats and diplomacy through co-creation.
- Familiarize diplomats not just with social entrepreneurship, social media and open/big data, but with the tech industry and their start-up culture and practices
- Actively look for added value in technology, social media and open/big data for diplomacy/public diplomacy
- Recognize the role of networks and social media and open/big data as central to modern human interaction, including in international relations and especially in public diplomacy.
- Do all of the above in a sustainable manner.
#Diplohack
The world is changing and diplomacy has to keep up. Networks and collaborations are becoming increasingly important.
#Diplohack combines the specific know-how and skill sets of diplomats, social entrepreneurs, tech developers and designers, along with that of journalists, academics, NGOs and businesses to ‘hack’ traditional diplomatic problems in start-up style groups.
It all begins with IDEATION in a WORKSHOP:
We gather key actors in a room and listen to the challenges they face.
Through the magic of Imagineering, the most compelling (and solvable) issues are described, aligned and engraved into the “hack protocol”. This will serve as a gentle guide to hint the “hackers” of what is in dire need of resolution.
A few days down the road, the DIPLOHACK itself begins:
On a lovely Friday evening, a presentation takes place, a few key figures say a few key words and we begin with laughs and icebreakers, culminating into a warm-up, 15-minute hackathon. Once the crowd gets a feel of what is there to come, Pitch Street opens up.
To encourage all to pitch is a goal of great importance. 50 people, 60 seconds and a microphone is all you have, to convince us your idea rocks.
Once the pitchers come to end, we put their “babies” on a wall and every “hacker” gets 3 votes to cast for a “baby” they would raise. A thousand options. Only 10 get chosen.
Now recruitment starts. 10 idea owners look to build a team passionate, diverse and strong. The search is tough but often fruitful. 30 longest minutes later, teams are gathered, placed and work begins.
After 54 dense hours of ups, downs, sweat and brain ache, on the eve of Sunday, the Lion Cage cracks open.
5 short and painful minutes is what you have, to teamfully present your labor’s fruit and face 5 Lions, trained expertly to pick apart your pitch in seconds. 5 more minutes Q&A and you’ve concluded.
Lions listen with a hungry patience, take a note or two, and once all teams are good and done a council is formed – decisions made, winners chosen, feedback given and poof!
Beer, tears, chit-chat and reflection is how all ends.
ImpactHub Stockholm’s invitation is found here (http://stockholm.impacthub.net/event/diplohack-stockholm-sustainable-development-of-a-smart-government/).
