Global South-South Development Expo

Global South-South Development EXPO

Let us put Poetry aside for the moment and discuss something important that is happening in the neighborhood. Although if you look carefully and pay attention to the details you will definitely notice that at Urban Song we never divert from the poetry, not to the least at least.

So what is that so important that we have to tell or talk about here? Well read on and in-case you haven't noticed the Global South-South Development Expo 2013 is right here in Nairobi and believe it or not the air is filled with excitement, yes it is only less than 48 hrs away and for sure there is plenty going on already.

Wait a minute so whats the big deal, what is this Global South-South Expo thing? Well it is because developing countries are taking charge of their own futures, identifying problems, finding solutions and offering their homegrown solutions to the world. The Global South-South Development Expo (GSSD Expo2013) - hosted by UNEP in Nairobi, Kenya, from 28 October-1 November - will help harness this ever growing number of development solutions that address both existing and emerging development challenges head-on.

And for the first time, the Expo will be held in the global South under the overarching theme 'Building Inclusive Green Economies: South-South Cooperation for Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication'.

Bringing together high-level policymakers, solution providers, solution seekers and solution supporters, Expo2013 will be an occasion to demonstrate the global collective response to relevant provisions of the Rio+20 outcome and its capacity to facilitate South-South Cooperation and an exchange of experiences with green economies.

The five-day event includes a Leadership Round Table - which will be an interactive dialogue on critical themes of development - and a series of solutions exchange forums which cover the building of inclusive green economies, clean technology and green industry, agriculture and food security, sustainable development and decent work, environment, sustainable development and poverty eradication. Throughout the Expo, a Pavilion will host an exhibition space for a marketplace of solutions that will bring together providers, seekers, partners and sponsors.

Now this is the best part as this year Expo will allow participants from all over the world even though you cannot make it in person to Nairobi, you can still participate virtually via the Internet. Talking of the Internet, let me just recap some of the avenues one can use to get it going.

Here's how you can participate online:

By visiting this Link You can see all the sessions that will be going on at the Expo and you can do the following to maximize your experience:

• Click on a the title of a session to access all the information about it, including names of panelists, slides for download, web-streaming and later video recording (when available), and the summary after the session has ended; 
• Click on “read notes” to access a live notepad where you can read and contribute to the live notes of the session in real time, as well as ask questions to the presenters using the chat box on the right of each notepad.

Twitter: When one is on twitter they are said to be social media professionals and here is ways you can be part of the 6th South-South Development Expo:

• Wherever you post something related to the Expo, green economy or any of your post remember to use the hash-tag #GSSD13, You can check related posts to the Expo by visiting the same hash-tag and remember it is #GSSD13. 
• By visiting South Expo Link you can receive timely tweets and official updates about the Expo all round and as I write this they have tweeted something important click to see. 
• Did I forgot to mention you can follow, tag and have the chance to ask question, and anything you can do on twitter. Just try and you will see what I see and say now. 

Facebook: Well much is happening on Facebook as much as it is on twitter;

• Just like twitter use the hash-tag #GSSD13 in your posts and by visiting the tag there will be similar posts from other participants from all over the world with their messages, questions and even photos and videos related to the expo. 
• Please while on Facebook find and like the Official Facebook Page: The page has been running and is very informative with everything about the Expo you don't want to miss. 
• You can also join the Expos Facebook Group that will live even after the expo is over just to keep update and get to share with others. You can use the group to post pictures, videos and ask questions about the Expo and also to get updates from the Expo. 
• While still on Facebook you can join the Event Here here and maybe see what is trending and also invite your friends to join too. 

Flickr users are invited to use the tag "GSSD13" when uploading pictures related to the Expo. Pictures tagged accordingly will automatically show up here. UNEP also has a Flickr account [Flickr Account] which includes a set dedicated to host pictures of the Expo. In addition to the set, an Open group has also been set up in order to provide participants with an easy way to collaboratively build a pool of pictures from the Expo. To contribute pictures to the group, you need to be a Flickr user. In alternative, you can send your pictures via email to gssd13.smit@gmail.com. The SMT will upload them for you and give you credit.

Delicious: Delicious is a social bookmarking website that will be used by the SMT to save all the online resources related to the event, such as blog posts, press releases, anything that is published online about the Expo. The GSSD13 SMT monitors the web and bookmarks these resources on a dedicated Delicious Account. Participants are invited to submit the links to the resources (blog posts, publications, press releases, etc.) they publish online about the Expo gssd13.smit@gmail.com, for inclusion in the list. Additionally, Delicious users are invited to use the tag "GSSD13" when bookmarking resources related to the Expo. Resources tagged accordingly will show up Here.

Last but not least is the Official Blog On this blog, we'll keep you posted on the latest updates from the Expo, including daily schedules, sessions' summaries, interviews and other relevant information. Subscribe to our blog or to our newsletter to stay updated on what's going on at "#GSSD13".

Well now as I part I hope to see most of you in person at the Expo but if you will not be attending don't say you will not be attending I shall still see you in your posts online. Now did you see the poetry in that? the most important thing to note is the outcome we expect from the Expo and what an outcome it will be, cant stop to wonder but I know my wondering days will be over just like i quench this thirst that's been in my throat for sometime, now I am done with it and now you know.