The 2017 Social Enterprise World Forum (SEWF) will be held in Christchurch, New Zealand, from the 27th to the 29th of September. The hosts, Àkina Foundation, that supports people with ideas to drive positive social and environmental change through social enterprise, believe that bringing the event to New Zealand is a huge opportunity to grow the country’s bubbling social enterprise sector and support the growth of the sector globally.
The Social Enterprise World Forum is the annual international event for social enterprises from all over the world to come together, share wisdom, build networks and discuss how to create a more sustainable future. The event attracts social enterprise practitioners, social entrepreneurs, policy makers, community leaders, investors, activists, academics and more from across the globe.
Christchurch, New Zealand’s most resilient city, is a natural choice to welcome the event. After being crippled by a series of catastrophic earthquakes in 2011, Christchurch is a city reconstructing itself on every level and it has become an international model of community resilience and innovation – characteristics at the heart of social enterprise, as you can read on the website of socialenterprise.org.uk.
The theme for SEWF 2017 is “Ka korokì te manu – creating our tomorrow”. Derived from a traditional Màori prayer about the birdsongs of the morning chorus, the theme refers to a wake-up call and welcome to the challenges and glories of a new day. It is an invitation to create a global legacy of positive change and to take an active role in prototyping the world’s future.
The Forum will be one of the largest conferences in Christchurch since the earthquakes, with over 1200 delegates expected from over 30 countries around the world. In the spirit of inclusivity and accessibility, Akina has created a bursary fund that will assist the participation of a larger group of social enterprise practitioners. SEWF 2017 is about participation, celebrating diversity and learning from each other. In order to foster this energy, six streams of activities will give delegates a chance to personalise and share their experience.
You can read the programme of the Forum here.
