The Arab Council for Social Responsibility organized an online conference on digital transformation and its economic and social impact in light of the outbreak of the new Corona virus, and how to define the path of the future, from a global perspective, with the participation of many public figures and senior experts in the field of digital transformation from around the world.
Dr Sofi Linden, the former Minister of Communications in Finland, said that investing in the communications and technology sector is the future, explaining during her participation in the conference that there are 5 billion people using the Internet, but only a billion people can use electronic applications in their daily lives. This requires unifying global efforts to spread technology and use it, especially in less developed countries. For his part, Dr. Othman Ahmed, an international technological expert and president of the International Society for Technology Management in the United States of America, indicated that the great technological revolutions changed the shape of the world from the end of the eighteenth century until now, which began with the first industrial revolution and the discovery of steam power, and then the second industrial revolution in the early twentieth century and the use of The concept of assembly lines, then the third industrial revolution in the middle of the twentieth century by employing computers in automating business, then the fourth industrial revolution in the early third millennium using the Internet of things, robots and artificial intelligence, but with the unprecedented acceleration of technology, there has become a new world "world x" where there will be no One technology that drives human development, but rather a bundle of technologies that are highly intrusive and have a great impact. Dr. Walid Abu Shakra, an expert in international education, said that he emphasized the importance of digital transformation in the educational process and the extent of its impact on students, indicating that this process needs integration and work as a team because it resembles a band. During the conference, he pointed out that education worldwide is on the way to digital transformation, and that countries should have flexibility and prior foundations that help it develop rapidly. Dr. Tariq Khalil, President of Nile University and founder of the International Society for Technology Management, added that young people are better in the digital transformation process than the elderly, as they use technology in all aspects of life. And that the governments, together with the private sector and civil society, must push the use of technology in all sectors, because this will help advance the economy and create new jobs. Dr. Mohamed Azzam, Assistant Secretary of the Arab Council for Social Responsibility and a member of the Board of Directors of the International Society for Technology Management, explained that we used to live on isolated islands but now we are re-discovering life through digital transformation and the uses of technology. He explained during the symposium that the world has become connected forever with new shapes and models. And that the matter goes beyond the existence of a technological infrastructure to the existence of an integrated system in which all parties work as partners, and that we have to lay new foundations for the new world as the pre-Corona era changed the post-Corona era. Dr. Eric Dunand, Senior Digital Transformation Specialist at the World Bank, stressed that countries should have a vision for digital transformation and an integrated plan, and most importantly, implement that vision and plan quickly, as the Corona pandemic showed that without infrastructure it was difficult to sustain life, business and education, and that there is Countries that still need to exert more efforts to catch up with the digital transformation train. The World Bank, with its international partners, is working hard to provide technical advice to many countries of the world to develop the digital transformation system. Dr. Randa Rizk, Secretary General of the Arab Council for Social Responsibility, Dr. Nizar Sami, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Arab Council for Social Responsibility, and Dr. Khaled Sedrak, a member of the Trustees of the Arab Council for Social Responsibility, and the Future University in Egypt also participated in the symposium.
The webinar will discuss the outlook of the digital transformation on a global prescriptive, as well as the impact of digital transformation from on the social and economic levels (CSR angle), and how to establish a path for the future, while dealing with uncertainty. This is for having a thriving prosperous future for the mankind.
Meet our Speakers
H.E. Suvi Linden, Former Minister of Communications, Finland
Dr. Osman Ahmed, President of IAMOT, USA
Mr. Eric Dunand, Senior Digital Transformation Specialist, The World Bank Group
Dr. Randa Rizk, Secretary General, ACSR
Dr. Mohamed Azzam, Board Member, ACSR & IAMOT
Dr. Nezar Sami, Board Member, ACSR & IAMOT
Dr. Khaled Sedrak, Board Member, ACSR