In_Pact Asia Asks What Can We Do to Leave No One Behind

When laws were made to fight discrimination, equality championed creating a harmonious society and brighter futures for next generations. Inclusion played a vital role in creating a healthy and stable environment for all. The challenge now is how to innovate and keep the society inclusive.

The In_Pact Asia Forum 2018 held in Manila last April 13 hosted luminaries of social innovation to propel change-making and inclusive innovation through digital enablement and creative thinking.

Naina Batra CEO of Asian Venture Philanthropy Network agrees that the task of inclusion is much more important that we can discuss. Absolute poverty has gone down but inequality has gone up.

Inclusion is defined as the act of including; however, it is a debatable definition as is raises the questions ‘who is being included’ and ‘who is doing the including’, as author Shafik Asante points out. In his essay, he says defines that inclusion is recognizing that we are one and accepting that we are born “in”. No one is supposed to be excluded and no one has more authority to be doing the including.

Event sponsor Hub of Innovation For Inclusion (HiFi) recognize equality and looked at the In_Pact Asia Forum to be a space to start working the wheels in order to create technology, businesses, organizations, and government agencies to better equip individuals to build a just and humane society.

“Less for self; more for all” Anna Meloto-Wilk knows that taking care of each employee down to their smallest needs even personal needs increases enthusiasm and motivation for work.

The event kicked off last Friday with a plenary session about operationalizing inclusion. Titled ‘Leave No One Behind’, the session set the momentum of the event with Anna Meloto-Wilk, co-founder of Human Nature. She presented how they provided their company employees with their needs using profit optimization under the belief that there is a need to have ‘enough for everyone’. Chris Morris, head of NGO and Civil Society Center (NGOC), pointed out that there is also the problem of connectivity and asked how to include those without the means to connect and access the technology supposed to be designed for inclusion.

HiFi Director Abigail Mapua-Cabanilla opens the program on thought-provoking questions answered through the different sessions of the day.

This communication between social innovators and youth groups are the conversations that In_Pact Manila want to create: traction towards innovations that support and sustain communities and individuals, increased economic growth, and development.

Br. Dennis Magbanua FSC, President of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, beautifully pointed out the event’s title, In_Pact Asia, contains ‘In’ that pertains to Innovation and Inclusion. These words also start with an I, which meant one must start to look within themselves and learn to accept. ‘Pact’, on the other hand, is the event’s goal to pursue innovations and start with ‘P’ that he feels stand for People who are all equal and deserving of inclusivity.