Washington, DC - The U.S. Department of State is proud to announce the launch of Global Partnerships Week 2016 (GPW) which runs from March 7–13, and celebrates the critical role public-private partnerships (P3s) play in promoting diplomacy and development around the world. The week is an effort led by the Secretary's Office of Global Partnerships, in collaboration with the U.S. Global Development Lab at the U.S. Agency for International Development, Concordia, and the PeaceTech Lab at the U.S. Institute of Peace.
GPW kicks off on Monday, March 7, with the full-day Global Partnership Practitioners Forum, held at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C. Practitioners from the government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the private sector will convene to discuss best practices in building P3s to address global challenges.
This year, the forum focuses on engaging with the tech sector, exploring innovative tools for partnership financing, and will include a networking marketplace where partner organizations can engage with attendees. Notable speakers at the forum include John Brennan, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency; Andrew O’Brien, Special Representative for Global Partnerships at the U.S. Department of State; Abigail Disney, CEO and President of Fork Films; and Ross LaJeunesse, Global Head of International Relations at Google.
Other partner organizations and individuals around the world have organized events and activities throughout the week to foster, support, and highlight the impact of cross-sector collaboration, as well as showcase potential partnership opportunities locally. GPW events range from small networking gatherings to large scale events and workshops. The 30+ registered 2016 events include a seminar by the Asian Development Bank discussing progress on the Bank’s partnership operations, an Endeva workshop in Munich on partnering with inclusive businesses, a webinar discussing the success of the 2015 WiSci Girls STEAM Camp, a Brookings Institution panel on business engagement in USAID P3s, and more. A full list of events can be found here.
