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🌍 Last month we spent an inspiring few days at the Regional Studies Association Annual Conference in Porto, where our Strategic Tech Development and Fundraising Officer @Kai-Ti Wu had the pleasure of chairing two sessions as part of our stakeholder engagement work for the @RIECS-Concept project!.

🎤 Session Highlight: “Digitalisation, AI, and its Implications: Design, Governance and Engagement”. We explored how emerging technologies—AI, blockchain, digital currencies—are reshaping public trust, democratic decision-making, and civic infrastructures.

🧠 Key insights included:

🔍 Dr. @Piotr Lis (@KT4D) on how AI affects democratic deliberation and civic engagement. 

🏙️ Prof. @Bogna Gawrońska-Nowak (@CREST) on ethics and value-sensitive design in smart cities. 

🔗 Prof. @Simona Epasto (@TRUST-RISE) on blockchain governance and the role of science diplomacy. 

💱 Prof. @Michael Grote on how digital currencies are redefining governance and monetary logic. 

💡 What this means:

💻Digital transformation must be participatory. These discussions made clear that civic engagement, ethics, and inclusive design are essential to building trustworthy digital governance systems.

✨ Let’s collaborate!

If you’re working at the intersection of tech, governance, and civic participation, let’s connect and exchange ideas. We need more bridges between innovation and inclusion ✨

📌 Stay tuned for planning, co-production, and civic engagement!

Published: 2025-06-26