Washington, D.C. – The Society for International Development – United States Chapter (SID-US) will host its 2024 Annual Conference at the Washington Hilton in Washington, DC on Friday, April 26, 2024. The SID-US Annual Conference is the premier event for international development professionals to connect over shared goals and interests, learn about emerging and relevant topics, and catalyze change through collaboration and innovation.
This year's Conference theme, World in Crisis: Sparks of Hope, turns the spotlight onto the wide-ranging challenges affecting people everywhere and focuses on the windows of opportunity to advance development and strengthen resilience and security.
“Today, the world grapples with unprecedented crises and alarming setbacks in achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals,” Gloria Steele, SID-US 2024 Annual Conference Chair, commented. “At the same time, the tremendous transformation that the world has achieved through knowledge, technology, and resources reminds us that we can reverse the current trend. Change is possible and necessary, and we all have a role to play in making this happen. Accordingly, SID-US's Annual Conference this year is themed World in Crisis: Sparks of Hope.”
Katherine Raphaelson, President of SID-US, further noted, “We are expecting our largest crowd ever at this year's Annual Conference, both in person and online, with people coming from all around the US and the world to discuss critical issues, exchange ideas and knowledge, and to connect with one another.”
In order of appearance, keynote and plenary speakers include Amb. Mark Green, former USAID Administrator and current President and CEO of the Wilson Center; Shannon Green, Assistant to the Administrator, Bureau for Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance, USAID; Claudia Escobar, Former Head of the Court of Appeals in Guatemala; Ketakandriana Rafitoson, Vice Chair, Transparency International; Kehinde Togun, Managing Director, Public Engagement, Humanity United; Alice Albright, CEO, Millennium Challenge Corporation; Dennis Vega, Chief of Staff, USAID; Matthew Nims, Deputy Assistant to the Administrator, Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, USAID; Sheryl Stumbras, Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator, Inclusive Growth, Partnerships, and Innovation Bureau, USAID; and Michele Sumilas, Assistant to the Administrator, Bureau for Planning, Learning and Resource Management, USAID. The full day’s Agenda is available here.
This is the third hybrid Annual Conference hosted by SID-US. Previously hosted in-person at the Ronald Reagan Building in downtown Washington, DC, the Conference transitioned to fully virtual during the COVID-19 pandemic and adopted the hybrid format in 2022. This year, the Conference is supported by 96 sponsoring organizations and will boast three main stage plenaries, eight in-person breakout sessions; nine virtual breakout sessions; a series of Learning Labs on mental health and self-care; the results of the 2024 Lightning Talk Contest and 2024 Innovation Competition; and countless opportunities to network with other attendees in-person and online, including an end-of-day reception for all participants.
About SID-United States
SID-US is the premier professional association for individuals and institutions interested in international development. The mission of SID-US is to connect and convene organizations and people to engage, enrich, and expand our globally-minded community to build a more equitable world. Learn more at www.sid-us.org.