Harvard Center for International Development 53d ago

The second day of GEM26: Reimagining International Development explored a defining question for the future of global development: how can the field move from reducing poverty to unlocking human potential? Hosted by the Harvard Center for International Development at Harvard Kennedy School, Day 2 of GEM26 brought together scholars, policymakers, practitioners, journalists, civil society leaders, philanthropists, and private sector actors to examine what development should become in a world shaped by aid disruption, demographic change, institutional strain, technological transformation, climate risk, and shifting global power. Across the day’s livestreamed sessions, speakers explored how development can move beyond inherited models of foreign assistance and toward a broader agenda centered on agency, capability, legitimacy, partnership, and systems change. Conversations examined the future of aid, the role of evidence, the importance of institutions, the power of narrative, the potential of artificial intelligence, and the need to place people—not projects, funding streams, or external agendas—at the center of development. The discussions also surfaced a central tension for today’s development agenda: while traditional aid systems are under pressure, the need for global cooperation, locally grounded leadership, and bold investment in human potential has never been greater. Featured Sessions: 00:00:00 - Opening Remarks from Harvard Leadership Featuring Jeremy Weinstein, and Mark Elliott Day 2 opened with reflections on the changing landscape of global development, the role of universities in moments of disruption, and CID’s mission to connect evidence, practice, and global partnerships in pursuit of a thriving world. 00:23:42 - Pathways to a Thriving World Featuring Asim I. Khwaja and Fatema Z. Sumar This session introduced the core ideas behind From Poverty to Potential, a forthcoming framework that reframes development as the work of unlocking individual and collective capability. The discussion explored demographic change, human potential, financing, systems thinking, and the need to move beyond poverty lines toward a fuller vision of thriving. 1:02:15 - International Development in Time and Space Featuring Esther Duflo, Rachel Glennerster, Michael Kremer, James Robinson, and moderator Samantha Power Panelists examined development through historical, institutional, and evidence-based perspectives. The conversation explored the future of foreign assistance, the role of USAID, aid cuts, institutional transformation, evidence and scale, technological and social innovation, AI, education, health, agriculture, climate adaptation, and the importance of country-led development pathways. 2:59:59 - From the Margins to the Pages: Storytelling, Journalism, and Narrative Infrastructure Featuring Peter Klein, Kathryn Gretsinger, Hind AbuAlia, and Fatema Z. Sumar This working lunch session focused on the role of storytelling in shaping public understanding of development. Speakers shared highlights from CID’s partnership with the Global Reporting Program at the University of British Columbia and explored how narrative infrastructure can help development actors communicate with greater ambition, clarity, dignity, and agency. 3:39:52 - Doing Development Differently Featuring Kingsley Chiedu Moghalu, Michelle Nunn, Khalil Shariff, Mostafa Terrab, Juliana Velásquez Rodríguez, and moderator Maroof Syed This panel examined how development is increasingly shaped beyond traditional aid institutions. Speakers discussed local ownership, private sector stewardship, faith-based networks, state-owned enterprises, financial inclusion, long-term institution building, women’s economic power, natural resources, regional transformation, and what it means to move from externally driven projects to locally rooted systems change. GEM26 is CID’s 17th annual Global Empowerment Meeting, convening leaders from public policy, business, academia, philanthropy, and civil society to challenge assumptions, incubate new ideas, and build pathways toward a more resilient, inclusive, and thriving world. Learn more about the Harvard Center for International Development: https://www.hks.harvard.edu/centers/cid Follow CID: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/harvardcid Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harvardcid/ X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/HarvardCID SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/harvard-cid Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/harvardcid.bsky.social Stay up to date with CID Events and jobs/opportunities by signing up for our newsletter: https://hksexeced.tfaforms.net/f/subscribe-cid?_gl=1*10lgdbh*_gcl_au*NjI3Njc5ODQwLjE3NzU0OTkyMzkuNTIyNjUwNjA1LjE3Nzc0ODk1MzIuMTc3NzQ4OTUzMQ..*_ga*MTk2MjQ4MDA3NS4xNzc1NDk5MjQw*_ga_72NC9RC7VN*czE3NzgxNjc5MTkkbzIzJGcxJHQxNzc4MTY5OTQxJGo2MCRsMCRoMTUyMjkzNzc3MA.. #GEM26 #InternationalDevelopment #ReimaginingDevelopment #HarvardCID #DevelopmentReimagined #FromPovertyToPotential