Convening intentional conversations on crisis implications

Convening intentional conversations on crisis implications

The crisis of this year has required governments at all levels around the world to respond and adapt. The COVID-19 crisis is unique in the sense that, while many individuals, communities and countries have suffered disproportionate impacts, there has also been a global, collective impact that has spared no one. There has been a terrible shock, one whose aftereffects will continue to be felt for some time. It is important for us to take stock of what this shock means.

That’s why we have been working on the Government After Shock event. It is structured to reflect the need for two types of conversation: a global dialogue [18 November – High Level Forum] and specific discussions about local and policy implications [17 November – Local and Thematic Conversations]. These conversations are an opportunity for the world to reflect on the implications of crisis, and what we can learn and do differently as we prepare for, (in some cases prevent), and respond to future crises.

We cannot pretend that everybody has suffered in the same way through this crisis, in many cases, COVID-19 has exacerbated inequality, widened the gap of digital literacy and created additional barriers of access to the labour market. On the other hand, it has also highlighted the need and possibility for better social policy, better-prepared healthcare systems, streamlined processes in government and more. The structure of this event is aimed at diving into both bottom-up, frank conversations specific to regional and policy contexts, and top-down global conversations about how we, as a global community of governments, policy makers and citizens, need to learn, do better, and be ready for what comes next.

Local and thematic conversations around the world – 17 November 2020

We at OPSI have been really excited to see the range of events being put forward. While each are different and tackling different issues and themes, all are united by their focus on the three core Government After Shock questions (what do we need to leave behind, what do we want to keep, and what should we do differently?).

This blog will walk through the local and thematic conversations happening around the world on 17 November, to help link policy makers and stakeholders to structured conversations about crisis implications and the future of government in their particular interest areas. We invite you to register individually for the sessions of interest to you by following the event links. We also encourage you to share the details within your own networks and to register for the High Level Forum.

Note: This map is without prejudice to the status of or sovereignty over any territory, to the delimitation of international frontiers and boundaries and to the name of any territory, city or area.

Digital Government, Data Governance and Artificial Intelligence

Policy making after shock is digital-ready – Are you ready? [ENGLISH, 9:30-11:00am UTC+1, Brussels] This discussion will explore a variety of pressing questions relating to law, regulatory and policy development, including: Can issuing law as code lead to more coherent and crisis-proof implementation? Could linked data contribute to better policymaking? This exchange will begin with a showcasing of best practice cases and tools, followed by an open conversation on what the future of policymaking could look like.

Think Fast – Act Faster: Innovative Responses of the Western Balkans Governments in the context of the COVID-19 crisis [SERBO-CROATIAN, NORTH MACEDONIAN, ALBANIAN, 10:00-12:00 UTC+1, Paris] This event will present and discuss some of the most successful innovative approaches from the Western Balkans public administrations, notably in the area of e-government.

Using data to inform policy making in times of crisis [ENGLISH, 4:00-5:00 UTC+1, Paris] The COVID-19 crisis has demonstrated the importance of data in making decisions which affect the lives of people and communities around the world. This session will explore perspectives on how data can be used to drive informed decision making, particularly in times of crisis, and will bring perspectives from Government, the private sector and NGOs – all of whom have vital roles in ensuring government can operate at pace to meet the needs of citizens.

Embracing the Digital Age: Digital Transformation for Citizen Engagement and Service Delivery [ENGLISH, 9:00am-11:00am GMT+3, Nairobi] This event, hosted by the African Association for Public Administration and Management, will examine how digital transformation is an inherent factor to transforming and modernizing public administration through the lens of the three key Govenrment After Shock questions: what do we need to keep, what do we need to leave behind, and what can we do differently beyond this crisis.

Bridging the Digital Divide in the COVID-19 era: Shaping Central Eastern European Perspectives [ENGLISH, 10:00-11:45, UTC+1, Vienna/Bratislava] This event aims at providing a unique reflection from the Central European region on the digital divide; including exploring crisis implications related to policies, government strategies and approaches, and key barriers of access to the digital economy in an era of transformation.
Transformation and Modernization of Public Administration Services for the Business and Development of Contactless Services” [SERBIAN/ENGLISH, 13:00-13:35 UTC+1, Belgrade] Due to a pandemic, new initiatives within and outside of Government have cropped up striving to create new solutions to previously unseen challenges. Certain administrative services used by businesses and citizens had very good results in the crisis. For others, development is adapted to the new challenges imposed by the crisis.
How to transform public services in 2020? Are contactless procedures our near future?

Datos e Inteligencia Artificial durante y después de la pandemia: usos, aprendizajes y perspectivas para el sector público [SPANISH, 8:30am-12:00 UTC-5, Bogota] Con el propósito de profundizar en estas experiencias y extraer lecciones que permitan gestionar de manera más adecuada el desarrollo y futuro uso de esa tecnología, este evento ofrece un espacio para reflexionar sobre lo que las entidades públicas deben dejar atrás, lo que quieren conservar y lo que deben hacer de manera diferente, a la luz del papel que jugarán los datos y la IA en la recuperación de los países de América Latina. This event will be held in Spanish, with English translation provided.

Smart Nations After Shock: how innovation-led societies dealt with the crisis and insights from future tech leadership [ENGLISH, 3:00-5:00pm UTC+1, Madrid] In this virtual panel discussion, world-class AI & Internet companies, academics and young talents in the fields of data governance and technology from Spain, Singapore and China will analyze tech solutions and tech policy successes, ideas and weak points. It will explore a common set of post-COVID19 tech and policy tools to achieve more resilient, literate and smarter societies.

Trust across borders for our digital future [ENGISH – this event will be held exceptionally from 5:00-7:00pm UTC+8, Hong Kong, or 10:00-12:00 UTC+1, Bern on November 11] This event will dive into the topic of the digital future and reflect on how citizens’ views on digital governance and data governance are developing. This conversation is specifically directed at young people, students, professionals and academics who are not usually to policy-making discussions and want to contribute their perspectives and ideas on how to create or co-create trust across borders for our digital future, and make their voices heard by governments.

How can innovation in government lead to sustainable growth? [ENGLISH,12:00-1:15 UTC, London] This webcast on Innovation and digital transformation in government will discuss the challenges facing policymakers and public executives. By learning from this crisis, we can find answers to short term needs whilst taking the opportunity to build more resilient and performant organizations and policies.

Importance of E-Tools in Ensuring Continuity of Effective Government Decision-Making [ENGLISH, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm UTC+1, Paris] The webinar will discuss the pre-conditions for successful implementation of new IT systems and functionalities that can help Governments to be more effective and efficient, meanwhile providing a short overview of the SIGMA analysis of IT systems in select countries.

Sustainable Development, Growth & the Welfare State

Gobernar después del shock [SPANISH, 9:00am-12:00 UTC-6, Nuevo Leon] This event seeks to motivate a conversation between government officials, non-profit leaders, business leaders, academia, and the general public on the main upcoming challenges for the sustainable development of the state of Nuevo León due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This event is structured with three key components: identify (learn from experts), learn (share key learnings), practice (build skills and expertise).

Feeding the survivors: Food Security in a Post-Covid World [ENGLISH, 6:00-8:00pm UTC+2, Johannesburg] This event will bring together a panel of food activists from different sectors and respondents from the government to discuss food security in the context of covid-19 and beyond.

How can a global recession turn into sustainable growth? [ENGLISH, 9:00-10:15 UTC, London] This webcast will explore challenges facing policymakers and, importantly, identify some of the emerging solutions as governments innovate to address these once-in-a-generation challenges.

Measuring What Matters: Engage Nova Scotia [ENGLISH, 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm UTC-4, Nova Scotia] This workshop, co-hosted by Engage NS and the Outpost for Public Sector Innovation (OPIN), will introduce the Quality of Life Initiative and equip public servants to address issues exacerbated by Covid-19. We will explore newly available wellbeing data. This marks a tectonic shift in the possibilities for decision-making by going beyond GDP and empowering us to better support vulnerable communities.

Trust and Inclusion in Economies, Government and Policy

Reimagining with Sankofa: the past, present and future of trust and governance [ENGLISH, 9:00-10:15 UTC-5, Washington D.C.] This session, hosted by the International Development Innovation Alliance (IDIA), will explore emerging approaches to designing new governance models. Join this sharing and provocation forum to learn from the experiences of innovators from Guatemala, Zambia, and other countries and inspire discussions on envisioning and advancing new paradigms.

Wake up with CPI: Reimagining government over breakfast in America [ENGLISH, 9:00-10:15, UTC-5, New York] This workshop will focus on building inclusive economies and reflecting on how the COVID-19 pandemic has further exposed the vast differences in economic stability and access to resources between people, both across countries and within cities. This event will explore and discuss a framework for building inclusive economies. Participants will see the framework applied in action to an audience member’s work and will work together to define what we will keep, leave behind, and do differently given the context of the pandemic and recent US election results.

Wake up with CPI: Reimagining government over breakfast in the UK [ ENGLISH, 9:00-11:00am UTC, London] In the UK as elsewhere, the pandemic has hit vulnerable groups the hardest and highlighted the acute challenges they face – this has required deep listening to access those groups and communities worst affected so they have a voice in shaping what comes next. This session will engage in a live sensemaking exercise to help turn the key insights from frontline leaders into tangible guidance for government on what we need to keep doing, what we need to leave behind, and what we need to start doing differently to make sure we are building the recovery together.

Linking the SDGs with Covid-19 recovery: How can policy coherence be applied to ensure a sustainable recovery? [ENGLISH, 2:00 – 4:00 UTC+1, Paris] This session will discuss lessons learned from the crisis on the need for enhancing policy coherence to effectively balance economic, social and environmental policy objectives, and explore options for linking SDGs with recovery plans.

Art of Change [ENGLISH, 5:00-6:30pm UTC, London] This webinar will explore how short-term upheaval can be converted to long-term progress, how social movements can play a unique role in challenging the status quo, and how nuts-and-bolts pragmatism can be combined with visionary idealism to build bridges towards a better future.

Returning the trust and resilience for sport participation through an integrated governance approach for post-COVID [BENGALI, 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm UTC+5, Parbatipur Upazila] In this panel discussion, three stakeholders (a neighborhood cooperative representative for organizational & inter-institutional arrangements, public servant & public space designer) will share some international examples of “after shock” recovery and innovative cooperative models in Bangladesh.

Methods & governance for uncertain futures

Regierungen im Wandel: Government after Shock – Collaborative Event: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark [GERMAN/ENGLISH, 9:00am-8:00pm UTC+1, Berlin] In dieser Veranstaltung, organisiert mit Deutschland, Österreich, der Schweiz und Dänemark, reflektieren wir in unterschiedlichen Formaten, was im Umgang mit der Pandemie gelernt wurde, um Wegweiser für zeitgemäße und zukunftsweisende Interaktionen zwischen Politik und der Gesellschaft herauszuarbeiten. Das Ziel dieser gemeinsamen Veranstaltung ist, notwendige Fähigkeiten auszubauen, um in diesen komplexen und sich schnell verändernden Umständen entsprechend zu handeln und die internationale Zusammenarbeit für Innovationen im öffentlichen Sektor zu fördern.

New Orders [ENGLISH, 12:30-2:00, UTC+0, LONDON] Could the pandemic serve as a catalyst to redressing the longstanding imbalance of power in the UK? And what role does transparency, accountability and the participation of citizens have in any change that takes place? Join the Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, former Deputy Prime Minister Lord Michael Heseltine, the Open Government Network and others, to contribute to a global conversation about change post pandemic as part of the OECD’s Government After Shock.

Abnormalise – skills and traits the public sector needs now [ENGLISH, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm UTC+11, Sydney] How does the public sector match capabilities and behaviours to a new normal that is anything but? A panel of experts will explore what the pandemic revealed about the skills and attributes needed in the public sector.

Wake up with CPI: Reimagining government over breakfast in Australia and New Zealand [ENGLISH, 9:00-10:15am UTC+11, Sydney] This workshop will focus on what needs to happen to move from ideas to action in the context of government. To build on the momentum that COVID has generated around thinking in systems, what do we need to keep doing, what do we need to leave behind, and what do we need to start doing differently?

Integrated Social Service Governance Model After the Shock: [TURKISH with ENGLISH translation, 2:00-3:30, UTC+3, Istanbul] Bu etkinlikte, afet/salgın dönemlerinde sosyal hizmet sunumu için geliştirilen bütüncül yönetişim modeli sunulacak. Model sağlık afetlerinde sosyal hizmetlere en çok erişime ihtiyacı olan en kırılgan haneler ve kişileri belirlenmesine imkan sunuyor. This event will present an integrated governance model for social service provision during the disaster/pandemic. This model identifies the most vulnerable households and individuals for that need access to services during and after any health disaster.

Silver linings: beyond the silos [ENGLISH, 9:30-11:00, UTC+9.5, Darwin] Reaching out and collaborating beyond the traditional silos of government service delivery and doing things differently has been key to responding to complex challenges including food security, wellbeing, labour market access, health, migration and more in Indigenous and rural communities. This event will bring a wide range of perspectives to explore how we can work together to meet future challenges.

Anticipatory Innovation Starter Kit: [10:30 – 12:00, UTC+1, Paris] In an era of crisis and complexity, public sector organisations need a way to engage with uncertainty and experiment and innovate their public services with a better future in mind. One of these methods is through anticipatory innovation. In this session, LabX Portugal, together with OPSI will share an initial prototype of an Anticipatory Innovation Starter Kit and invite public sector participants to test the tool.

AfterShock: build back better in the days after, a learning community [ENGLISH – 2:00-5:00 UTC, London] This event will explore the three key Government After Shock questions with a learning community to develop connections, collaborate, discuss challenges, and explore key themes to improve citizen and community outcomes moving forward.

Government After Shock – From Ideation to Implementation [HEBREW with ENGLISH translation, 9:00-1:30 UTC+2, Jerusalem] This event aims to showcase breakthrough innovations in Israel: both locally and nationally; examining what has helped them materialize and build up the momentum for successful scalability and implementation of similar initiatives going forward. כנס חדשנות ציבורית “ממשלה אחרי משבר – מרעיונאות להטמעה”, בהובלת שותפות ממשלה ואלכא-ג’וינט. במסגרת האירוע נציג את המיזמים החדשניים שפותחו בזמן קורונה כדי ללמוד מהצלחות בארץ ובעולם. הדגש הוא במעבר משלב רעיונות יצירתיים, להטמעה וסקיילביליות של מיזמים. באירוע יושק גם קול קורא לתמיכה במאמצעי הטמעה.

Gestionar la incertidumbre, la innovación como herramienta para abordar problemas complejos [SPANISH, 5:00-6:30 UTC-3, Santiago] En el evento se presentará un documento elaborado por el Laboratorio de Innovación Pública sobre la gestión de la incertidumbre en tiempos de crisis. Asistirán tres panelistas expertos sobre el tema, para discutir en torno a la innovación como una herramienta para abordar problemas complejos.

Startups showcase: Meeting high-impact solutions to change public services [PORTUGUESE, 2:00-3:50 UTC-3, Brasilia] This event will showcase start-ups that have worked on topics such as education, health and digitalization of public services. The objective of the activity is to enable the most prominent start-ups and SMEs that participated in the last acceleration cycles of BrazilLAB, mainly in the Covid-19 Task Force, to pitch their solutions, in order to increase their impact in different municipalities or even levels of government in the world.

Innovation management system: now is the time! [ENGLISH, 3:00-4:30 UTC+1, the Hague] This time of crisis has highlighted a need for new innovation management approaches. This session will showcase a new innovation maturity model supported by innovators in the Dutch government.

Agile Resilience – Special Meeting of the Agile Government Network [ENGLISH, 1:00-3:00 UTC-5, Washington, D.C.] This Special Meeting of the Agile Government Network of the National Academy of Public Administration will discuss how governments can use both Agile Principles and Resilience Characteristics to rebound from the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Innovation Portfolio Exploration  [English, 2:30-4:00pm UTC+1, Paris] The Observatory of Public Sector Innovation invites public sector organisations around the world to analyse their innovation portfolio using the Portfolio Exploration Tool. This analysis exercise can be completed as a workshop: OPSI will provide you with all the workshop materials: access to the Portfolio Exploration Tool, facilitators guide, posters and more to help you facilitate the session. On 17 November, the OPSI will lead a collaborative sharing and learning session with organisations who undertook the portfolio exploration exercise prior to this Government After Shock event. Join us for this opportunity to share the learnings from your own session with an international community of peers.

Oikeusmuotoilu: MIKSI, MITÄ ja MITEN? /Legal Design – WHY, WHAT and HOW? [FINNISH, 12:00-4:00, UTC+2, Helsinki] Työ 2.0 Lab – yhteisö järjestää yhdessä Itlan kanssa virtuaalisen oikeusmuotoilu –iltapäivän 17.11. klo 12-16. Iltapäivän aikana avataan oikeusmuotoilua sekä teorian että käytännön esimerkkien ja yhdessä tekemisen kautta. Tule kuulemaan mistä oikeusmuotoilussa oikein on kyse ja miten Sinä voisit sitä omassa työssäsi hyödyntää!

How is COVID-19 transforming the public sector workplace? [ENGLISH, 2:00-2:15 UTC, London] This webcast will explore what the crisis has revealed, and where it provides opportunities for both experimentation and change in the public sector workplace.

Life Disrupted – How the Disruption of COVID-19 Unlocked Innovation [ENGLISH, 9:00-5:00 UTC+8, Perth] The Kaartdijin Innovation Centre is hosting Life Disrupted; a series of activities across the South Metropolitan Health Service (SMHS) in Perth, Western Australia, designed to get employees and the community talking about how the COVID-19 pandemic has been a catalyst for innovative thinking!

Agile government responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Arab region: what are we learning for a better future [ARABIC/FRENCH/ENGLISH, 2:00-4:30, UTC+1, Paris] This event will present and discuss government responses to the crisis from the Arab region. It will seek answers from what we have learned and are still learning, in particular in which areas more government investment is needed and how governments can do better for the future.

Building Back Better, Together: The Role of Government and Start-ups in the Covid-19 Recovery [ENGLISH, 10:30-11:30, UTC-4, Halifax] The Nova Scotia Outpost for Public Sector Innovation (OPIN) and Volta are co-hosting a virtual panel discussion on government leveraging startups in the COVID-19 recovery effort. The discussion will focus on procurement processes and procedures, experiences from both the business community and public sector, and discuss potential for a new path forward. This is an opportunity to learn how and why startups and government work the way they do, and what a more productive relationship might look like in the future.

Beyond the pandemic: Visions of the future [ENGLISH, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm, UTC+0, London] This event will explore the lessons and possible futures thrown up by the pandemic. What are we learning about innovating during a crisis? What could new models of mission-driven innovation look like? And how can we harness the energy and the creativity of the public to build a coalition for change?

Driving innovation to the core of government [ENGLISH, 4:00 pm – 5:45 pm UTC+4, Dubai] In this working session the Global Innovation Council takes participants on a journey to build the Core of Government taxonomy collaboratively. Session has two aims. Firstly, it will seek to build conceptual clarity to what and which domains should change in governments. Second, it will aim to identify in which areas of governments we are lacking innovative initiatives. The outcomes of the workshop will contribute to the work of the Global Innovation Council and nurture a future publication, expected in 2021.

Innovation Management for Administrative Capacity Development in the Public Sector: What we have learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis [GREEK, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm UTC+2, Athens] This event aims to promote innovation as a proactive policy to support government in managing crisis. It includes a roundtable discussion, where top level managers from key organisations, which managed the first stages of COVID-19 crisis, will discuss about lessons learned from their practices. The discussion will be focused on the steps government should follow, in the next stages of the crisis from innovation perspective.

Anticipatory governance – state steering in the 2020s in Finland [ENGLISH, 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm UTC+2, Finland] The workshop is part of the Steering2020 -project, undertaken as part of the government’s research and assessment activities. It will explore how Covid-19 impacted the anticipatory governance and systems thinking approaches in respect of state steering? What are the elements of success and which areas need further attention? 

Climate Action

Lokalni odgovori na krizu Covid-19: izvlačenje pouka za klimatsku akciju [BOSNIAN/ CROATIAN/ MONTENEGRIN/ SERBIAN, with ENGLISH debrief to follow, 12:00-14:00 UTC+1, Brussels] Ova radionica će spojiti praktičare iz različitih regija da bi razmijenili iskustva oko krize izazvane virusom Covid-19 i istražili koje ključne aktivnosti, mjere i lekcije naučene po pitanju građanskog učešća mogu biti prenesene da bi obilikovale bolju budućnost, posebno u odgovoru na klimatsku krizu.

La crise covid vue des territoires : quelles leçons pour l’action climat ? [FRENCH with ENGLISH debrief to follow, 12:00-14:00 UTC+1, Brussels] Cet atelier réunira des analystes et intervenant.e.s de terrain aux profils divers, qui partageront leurs retours d’expérience sur la crise sanitaire en France, et exploreront quels enseignements celle-ci peut apporter en matière de réponses participatives et citoyennes à l’urgence climatique.

Climate change and its consequences and best practices [ENGLISH, 5:00-6:00pm UTC+1, Reutlingen] This webinar will feature policymakers, politicians, and thought leaders who will recommend specific actions that need to be taken and discuss how public and private sector and civil society can prepare for the challenges the world will face regarding climate change. The aim is to gather several perspectives within five continents on the theme of climate change in order to give visibility the good practices around the world.

Governance beyond crisis

The New Reality and Innovative Responses [SERBIAN/ENGLISH, 12:00 -1:00 pm UTC+1, Belgrade] In Serbia, new initiatives within and outside of government have cropped up striving to create new solutions to previously unseen challenges. What have they learned about experimentation in times of crisis? What does it mean for governments in the Western Balkans and beyond? What does the pandemic teach us about the future direction of government services and operations in the region? This panel will attempt to answer these and other questions in conversation with people and organizations that have stood at the forefront of public sector innovation efforts throughout the ongoing crisis.

Local Government in post-crisis Australia: Will our response to drought, bushfires and Covid-19 lead to a new era for local government in Australia? [ENGLISH – 12:30 – 1:30pm UTC+11, Sydney] This panel aims to explore three key aspects of the changing role of local governments following both natural disasters and COVID19: new roles and functions for local government, changing community perceptions of local councils, and funding and capacity to deliver for communities.

Governance after shock [ENGLISH, 11:00-12:00, UTC+1, Ljubljana] This event, organized in collaboration between the Ministry of Public Administration in the Republic of Slovenia, the American Chamber of Commerce and other partners is aimed at creating an opportunity for open dialogue about the experience of governance and operational functioning of both government and business systems in the COVID-19 crisis period.

Gov after Shock: Innovation as the driving force for a future-oriented government [DUTCH/FRENCH, 9:30-4:00 UTC+1, Brussels] Various government services in Belgium will join forces to share about their path to innovation, particularly how innovation has become ever more urgent in the face of the pandemic.

Shock 2020 – Emotions, Innovations, Decisions [LATVIAN, 9:00-11:00 UTC+2, Riga] This event, intended for those within the Latvian public service is focused on crisis reflections, public service structure, and how to adapt to new conditions based on an examination of case studies from different public sector fields. Īskonferencē atskatīsimies uz Latvijas publiskā sektora pieredzi un rīcību dažādās kritiskās situācijās, kā arī dalīsimies atziņās un gūtajās mācībās no joprojām aktuālās Covid-19 krīzes: kā valsts un cilvēki mainās krīzes laikā, kā mēs katrs no krīzes vienlaikus kaut ko iegūstam un kaut ko zaudējam, kā vecā vietā nāk kaut kas jauns, un cik svarīga ir sadarbība neierastos apstākļos, palīdzīga roka un atbalsts.

Reconfiguration through innovation: Lessons Learned [ROMANIAN – 12:00 – 3:00 UTC+2, Bucharest] This event focuses on innovative measures and common experiences that emerged from the Covid-19 crisis. It will bring together representatives of public authorities, institutions and NGO representatives in Romania that reported activities in the form of initiatives and responses to the Covid-19 Crisis.

Strength of Places: Subtle Revolutions – Rotterdam Cases [ENGLISH – 12:30 – 1:30 UTC+1, Rotterdam] This event will showcase several successful stories about resilience and civic cooperation from Rotterdam neighbourhoods, with insights from those on the ground on how they cooperate, develop, maintain and innovate many features of public space. It will explore lessons learned from managing neighbourhoods and build on those lessons to explore strategies for future success.

Governing through transformation – The case of Finland’s governance reforms [ENGLISH, 3:45-5:00pm UTC+2, Helsinki] This webinar will together high-level government officials and decision-makers to deliberate, ideate and challenge a pivotal question: In the light of the COVID-19 crisis, what should governments do differently and how?

Let’s talk about CULTURE! How do we create organizational culture conducive to innovation? [ENGLISH, 2:30-5:30 UTC+1, Brussels] Organizational culture is a key element in any successful transformation. Yet, we talk very little about it in the absence of readily available recipes on what actually works in public administrations. The session intends to connect like-minded professionals from various administrations around the world sharing their insights and harvesting lessons learnt. The event will be facilitated by a team of change agents working in the European public service.

Innovation Week 2020 [PORTUGUESE & ENGLISH, 8:00am-9:00pm UTC-3, Brasilia] The Innovation Week 2020 invites you to this collaborative and questioning moment of reimagining futures! How to boost this transition? What post-pandemic world do we want? How to act creatively solving public problems?

Impulses for public administration using the example of the Bundeswehr [GERMAN, 1:00-2:45 UTC+1, Berlin] This event will explore concrete ideas and opportunities for change for the Germany Armed Forces based on the lessons learned from this time of crisis.

Innovaatioverkoston marraskuun tapaaminen [FINNISH, 8:30 am – 10:00 am UTC+1]. Tapaamisen teemaan virittävinä kysymyksinä ovat kaikille yhteiset: 1) Mitä jätämme taakse? 2) Mitä säilytämme? 3) Mitä voisimme tehdä toisin?

COVID-19 crisis meetings: Assessment and lessons learned [SPANISH, 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm UTC+1, Madrid] “Encuentros sobre la crisis COVID-19. Balance y lecciones a partir de los encuentros organizador por la UIMP el verano de 2020: una perspectiva multidisciplinar”. Se hará una selección de tres de los cursos organizados por la UIMP que tuvieron lugar a lo largo del verano de 2020 y que, bajo la denominación “Encuentros sobre la crisis COVID-19”, abordaron la respuesta a la crisis desde diferentes perspectivas: gestión pública, economía, ciencia, salud, etc.

Journey to the Future of Public Health/ Voyage vers l’avenir de la santé publique [ENGLISH/FRENCH,  10:00am, UTC-5 Toronto] Journey to the Future of Public Health – Public Health Agency of Canada needs your imagination and unique perspective on the ways the Future could be different for Public Health in Canada. No public health expertise required! Voyage vers l’avenir de la santé publique – L’Agence de la santé publique du Canada a besoin de votre imagination et de votre point de vue unique sur les façons dont l’avenir pourrait être différent pour la santé publique au Canada. Aucune expertise en santé publique n’est requise !

Communications and Citizen Relations

GovComms Festival [ENGLISH, 8:00am-8:00pm UTC+11, Canberra] This is a 24 hour, around the globe gathering of public sector professionals to connect, engage and learn about new methods of communicating. Watch the video overview today.

2nd Meeting of the OECD Network of Public Communicators in Latin America and the Caribbean [SPANISH, 5:00-7:00pm UTC+1, Paris] Dando seguimiento a la 1ra reunión en Cali, Colombia en 2019, la 2da reunión de la red OCDE de comunicación pública en América Latina y el Caribe (ALC) se llevará cabo en línea el 17 de Noviembre de 2020 como parte del evento OCDE “Government after shock”.

Government After Shock: Connection lost? Managing the relationship between policymakers and citizens in times of crisis and beyond [ENGLISH, 5:00-7:00, UTC+1, Brussels]  A group of the Mercator European Dialogue network members will meet to discuss the implications of Covid-19 for the connection between citizens and their elected representatives. How has social distancing changed constituency work? How has the health and economic crisis affected public trust in members of parliament? And how can members of parliament adapt to these changes in the future?

Open and innovative governments for the recovery of COVID19 in Latin America and the Caribbean [ENGLISH/SPANISH/PORTUGUESE, 3:30-4:30 UTC+1, Paris] This panel will look at the lessons learned from the emergency phase, share best practices across the region and explore how the implementation of open and innovative government reforms can ensure an effective and inclusive recovery for a more citizen-centered and sustainable future in the region.

This is an extensive list of events, only made possible through the commitment and dedication of organizers and hosts around the world. We will continue to add events to this blog as they are added to the event programme. We’d like to recognise and thank each of the event organiser’s for being willing to be a part of Government After Shock and helping us all learn about what the crisis means for the role and expectations of government.

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 870913.