Conference News: A PAX is Axed; Aspen’s New Ideas; IWCE CFP
New Media Partner for Ideas Fest: Aspen Ideas Festival will return to in-person programming next year from 25 June– 1 July 2022, on their campus in Aspen, Colorado. They announced last week that NBCUniversal News Group is the festival’s new media partner, taking the place of The Atlantic. The organizations hope to bring the festival events to NBC News, MSNBC, CNBC and the streaming service Peacock, as well as other news brands such as Noticias Telemundo. NBCU News Group and the Aspen Institute will be jointly creating content for the event. Kitty Boone Executive Director of the Aspen Ideas Festival also revealed the program tracks for 2022: Heat, Power, Human Connection, Trust, Money, and Beauty. These themes “will guide conversations among thinkers, writers, artists, policymakers, business leaders, educators, and other visionaries from around the globe.”
A PAX gets the Axe: PAX South, the annual gaming convention held in Texas as part of the PAX event series, has been cancelled. The official statement cited the fact that while the other PAX events have expanded their attendance over the years, PAX South hadn’t changed much since its first gathering in 2015. That, combined with the challenges of the pandemic, have forced the conference group to make the decision. In 2022 the organization does plan to return to live events at their other locations.
Speaking Opportunity: The International Wireless Communications Expo (IWCE) connects the critical communications ecosystem to create a safer and more interconnected world through education, networking and trainings. Their Annual Conference will return to Las Vegas from 21 – 23 March. Attendees come from all levels of state, local and federal government; public safety organizations such as law enforcement, fire, EMS, 911/PSAPs; critical infrastructure such as transportation, utilities and healthcare and various types of enterprises. If you have a session idea that offers insights on current and evolving technological solutions, shares a real-world use case, or covers trends that are driving the communications technology industry today, submit it here before the 19 November deadline. You may also suggest an expert speaker to participate in an IWCE curated panel discussion.
Lunchtime Learning: Identiverse was created in 2010 (back then, it was known as Cloud Identity Summit) to “synthesize new ideas and advance the state of modern digital identity and security.” The next edition won’t happen until 20 – 23 June 2022 and will be held in-person in Denver. In the meantime, CSOs, CXOs, CIOs, government leaders, and security professionals looking to sharpen their tools and brush up on the latest identity security trends can check out the online library for on-demand videos from past events. Keynotes, panels, and master classes from the past three years of Identiverse can be perused here, covering a range of technology and leadership topics.
Coming Up Next Week: Fortune Brainstorm AI will run live at the Boston Ritz Carlton on 8-9 November, offering insights into how A.I. is changing the ways we do business. Attendees must provide both digital proof of full vaccination and negative COVID test. Held 8-10 November, the International Economic Forum of the Americas (IEFA) Toronto Global Forum will be held as a truly hybrid event, with options to attend online or in-person in Toronto, and with live sessions streamed from Paris. Fostering dialogue on national and global issues, IEFA Toronto’s 2021 theme is “Redefining a New Prosperity.” At the virtual GamesBeat Next (9-10 November), attendees will learn about emerging trends in gaming, including esports, the creator economy, upheavals in marketing, and nonfungible tokens & cryptocurrency. Kicking off 9 November online, RE-WIRED is touted as a meeting place for technologists evaluating the consequences for recent innovations on society, economics, sustainability, and our collective future. InfoSec World gets underway 9 November, and this fully-digital program will feature such speakers as the chief security executives for the NFL and TikTok. Finally, Forbes Next 1000 will be held virtually on 12 November, celebrating a group of intrepid entrepreneurs and creatives who have been able to pivot, grow, or launch their businesses during the pandemic.