Sustainable Resources 2004 Conference Report

Over 3000 people living or working in almost every country of the world participated in Sustainable Resources 2004 events. Over 250 presenters discussed issues in almost every field of development: shelter, energy, education, health, water, ecotourism, food, biomimicry, digital bridges; policy, youth, indigenous and peace keeping issues.

Overview – Mission and Methods

Our primary goal was to facilitate real-world progress toward accomplishing the UN's Millennium goals of eradicating extreme poverty, achieving universal primary education, promoting gender equality, reducing child mortality, improving maternal health, combating HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases, ensuring environmental sustainability and developing a global partnership for development – to explore practical, hands-on solutions to world poverty. See Mission.

One of our primary methods was to go beyond the almost universal approach that conferences take of only including people within specific sectors. Our view was that the world’s problems have become too challenging and urgent, that to solve them we need to collaborate and partner more. From engineering to the arts, from medicine to spirituality, from academia to grass roots NGO's in developing countries, we brought together the world's foremost experts. We wanted to help create gestalts and connections that strengthen and empower the work of local non-profits and international NGO's, large and small businesses, religious and educational organizations, USA and worldwide governments.

Results

We’re compiling results and already have a list of new collaborations, projects and partnerships started. Feedback on this approach from participants was overwhelmingly positive and will also be posted on the website. We've just begun to create this list, please email us if you know about more new projects or partnerships like these. See Results.

Feedback

We’re also including online a summary of participants’ comments. Follow up suggestions include more conferences organized around the above goals, a web-based networking utility, and a full-time staff dedicated to furthering the collaboration opportunities, matching projects with resources, and providing technical support. See Feedback.  

What's Next?

There are a multiplicity of ways Sustainable Resources could grow into the future. Which directions and projects become real depend almost completely on the inspirations, resources, funding and efforts people like you who are reading this decide to support. Please join us in whatever ways you can: by offering suggestions, time, and donations. Latest Plans

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