Bridging the US Digital Divide--Fairly

Bhaskar Chakravorti revisits Igor Guryanov, Chief Technology Officer of VIMAS Technologies. The pair discuss how the ongoing war in Ukraine has changed digital business one year later, from data storage and product development to government assistance and employee mobilization. Igor reports that VIMAS has seen modest growth since the invasion, to which he credits the adaptability and resiliency of Ukrainian electricity and internet service providers. With employees in Ukraine and the United States, VIMAS continues to fulfill its business obligations while integrating the latest technological developments, like ChatGPT, into its products.

The International is Personal: The Struggle for Women’s Rights, Human Dignity, and Social Justice, featured Fletcher visiting scholar, Dr. Sima Samar for a lecture of women’s rights and social justice on an international scale. The event was moderated by Kimberly Theidon, Henry J. Leir Professor in International Humanitarian Studies, and Rohini Roy, MALD 2023.Dr. Samar previously served as the Minister of Women’s Affairs of Afghanistan from December 2001 to July 2002. In 2012, she was awarded the Right Livelihood Award for "her longstanding and courageous dedication to human rights, especially the rights of women, in one of the most complex and dangerous regions in the world.

This talk spotlighted India’s emerging leadership on sustainable development at scale. As the world’s fastest growing major economy, India is taking several actions to be the voice of the Global South in the governance of energy, emerging technologies and finance. Dr Ghosh highlighted the role of evidence in public policy to solve critical challenges of climate risks, investment flows and industrial pathways for an ambitious and promising future. As India holds the G20 presidency in 2023, he presented key ideas on reforming multilateralism, energy security architectures, technology co-development and bringing sustainability from the margins to the mainstream. This event was presented by the Fletcher South Asia Society (FSAS).

The Munich Security Conference is the world’s leading forum for debate on international security.On Saturday, February 18, Dean Rachel Kyte moderated a “Conversation on Climate, Debt, and Security." The panel discussed possible ways out of the debt crisis while at the same time addressing investment needs to fight the climate crisis in accordance with the SDGs.The discussion comprised of an esteemed panel of speakers including Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados, Annalena Baerbock, Minister for Foreign Affairs Federal Republic of Germany, Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund and Joachim Nagel, President of the Deutsche Bundesbank.Video credit: Munich Security Conference (https://securityconference.org)

One year after Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Bhaskar Chakravorti is rejoined by Sergiy Fitsak, Kate Ryzha, and Lyubomyr Nykyforuk of Softjourn to discuss the current state of Ukrainian business and digital infrastructure. The global technology services provider is headquartered in Ivano-Frankivsk, where many of its employees remain. Sergiy and Kate reflect on the importance of building redundancies to increase digital resiliency against power outages and continuously monitoring their team’s equipment needs and circumstances. Over the last year, Lyubomyr has noticed increased demand for Softjourn’s consultancy and technical expertise, adding, “If [Russian forces] planned to make us weaker, they actually get the opposite.” As the conflict continues, Sergiy reminds viewers that “Ukrainian people are not fighting to survive. They are fighting because we understand what freedom is, and we are fighting for freedom.”

Large countries like China, the United States and India dominate the climate change conversation and carbon dioxide emission levels, but small state countries are disproportionately vulnerable to climate changes' effects. What's the role of small states in climate change mitigation efforts, and how do we prioritize the unique challenges they face and learn from their innovative solutions using Costa Rica's leadership as an example?On February 15, 2023, The Fletcher School and Tufts University's Tisch College hosted an intimate conversation with former President of Costa Rica Carlos Alvarado Quesada and Tufts Professor Alnoor Ebrahim. The event was cosponsored by the Environmental Studies Program and the Office of Sustainability at Tufts.