How Tech Revives Peace and Democracy
Two March events will highlight how tech can bolster peace and democracy - when it's designed to do so.
In a world where technology often seems like it's pulling us apart, two upcoming events in DC offer a fresh perspective on how it can actually bring us closer together. These gatherings will demonstrate the power of tech to foster peace and rejuvenate democracy, crucial at a time when both feel increasingly fragile. Both are convened by the Council on Tech and Social Cohesion together with key partners.
First up, we have the Digital Peacebuilding Expo. This half-day event on March 13th is set to remind us of something vital: when we design technology with trust and collaboration in mind, it can significantly boost our efforts to build peace. This isn't just talk; the expo will showcase real-world applications of digital tools that are making a difference in conflict zones and beyond. We’re partnering on this with the Alliance for Peacebuilding’s Digital Peacebuilding Community of Practice.
We’ll highlight eight use cases. The first four will explore how chatbots, online dialogue platforms and LLMs can advance efforts to transform conflict online and offline. This includes the ‘Depolarizing GPT’, ‘BridgeBot’, the ‘Acquaint’ platform and latest on using automatic classifiers in tracking hate speech.
The second four use cases will explore how digital deliberation can build peace. We’ll learn lessons from the Civic Tech Field Guide, how Remesh was used last year in Sudan and how ‘Talk to the City’ harnessed AI to aggregate views on prisoner reintegration. And in case you forgot that text messages still matter, we’ll hear about the Hotline for Israel-Palestine’s role in answering questions amidst toxic polarization.
Democracy in the Digital Age: Deliberative tech to the rescue
The very next day, March 14th, shifts the focus to democracy's digital lifeline. At the day-long Defending Democracy with Deliberative Technologies Symposium, we'll explore how tech, when designed for inclusivity and participation, can breathe life back into our democratic processes. Picture this: technologies that gather citizen input on policy decisions or platforms that make public debate more accessible and informed.
This event is organized by the Council on Tech and Social Cohesion in partnership with University of Notre Dame’s Keough School of Global Affairs and its Kellogg Institute for International Studies, in partnership with the International Republican Institute, the National Democratic Institute and the National Endowment for Democracy.
The day gathers experts in democracy such as Ms. Uzra Zeya, Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights, U.S. Department of State to explore what can new technologies offer to classic political science questions about representation, participation, and party-voter linkages. The conversation will feature leading voices in the digital deliberation space: Andrew Konya, Chief Scientist, Remesh, and Elizabeth Barry, COO & Head of Partnerships, Computational Democracy and Co-founder, Pol.is.
We’ll hear about what digital deliberation looks like in Africa and Afghanistan with Caleb Gichuhi, Africa Lead, Build Up and Aref Dostyar, Advisor and Program Leader, Afghanistan Program for Peace and Development, Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, Keough School of Global Affairs.
Speakers from DC’s top organizations defending democracy will explore the opportunity of digital deliberation: Beth Kerley from the National Endowment for Democracy, Sarah Moulton of the National Democratic Institute and Jared Ford from the International Republican Institute.
The day closes with a keynote address by Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa, CEO, Rappler, Distinguished Policy Fellow, University of Notre Dame Keough School of Global Affairs.
Why These Events Matter Now
Digital spaces can be arenas of conflict and misinformation, yes, but they also hold untapped potential for participation, inclusion and social cohesion. By showcasing these innovative uses of tech, we aim to ignite a conversation about how tech can be designed to help us solve the most pressing issues of our times.
Whether you're in the trenches of tech, peacebuilding, or democracy work, or simply interested in how digital innovations can contribute to societal well-being, we hope you’ll join us! Your voice, insight, and action can drive the change we need in our digital landscapes.
Event Details and Registration
Digital Peacebuilding Expo: March 13th, 12-4pm EST, hybrid format. To attend in-person at Alliance for Peacebuilding’s offices (1800 Massachusetts Ave NW, Suite 401, Washington, DC 20036), please email Nick. To attend virtually via Zoom, please register here.
Defending Democracy Symposium: March 14th, 10:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m EST. To attend in person at the Notre Dame Keough School of Global Affairs office at 1400 16th St NW, Washington, DC, please register here.