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| (Image Source: Games For Change) |
The Games For Change Festival, the premier event for social impact gaming and XR, announced the full schedule for its 2024 event which includes world leaders and global gaming and entertainment innovators. This year’s Festival, slated to be held on June 27-28, 2024 in New York City, U.S.A., will explore the theme "The 2030 Marker: A Catalyst for Global Change", drawing inspiration from the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG).
The Festival will host an array of participating offices from the United Nations, including the Museum for the UN/UN Live, the World Food Programme, the UN Environment Programme, the International Rescue Committee, and UNICEF. This year’s Games for Change Festival will commence with an unprecedented roundtable of UN organizations to explore how interactive media can drive progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. Additionally, The Chopra Foundation Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Poonacha Machaiah will participate in a Keynote Fireside with G4C President Susanna Pollack. The session, entitled "Gaming: The Future of Well-Being", will explore why the games industry can be fertile ground for helping address the silent global mental health crisis. The two-day Festival will bring together global voices to ignite community engagement and drive social change through games and immersive technologies that connect people across generations and global borders including the following industry and civic leaders:
• Leanne Loombe, Netflix Vice President for External Games
• Jesse Schell, Schell Games CEO
• Jessica Lindl, Unity Technologies Vice President and Global Head of Social Impact and Education
• Rebecca Kantar, Roblox Vice President of Education
• Hugo Obi, Maliyo Games Founder
• Poulomi Basu, Artist, Filmmaker, Author, and Activist at Just Another Production Company
• Tanya Thompson, Hasbro Senior Director of Inventor Relations
These industry leaders will join previously announced headliners from Minecraft, PBS KIDS, GLAAD, and more at the 21st Games for Change Festival. "As we approach the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals deadline, the 2024 Games for Change Festival will showcase the growing power of games and immersive media to drive meaningful progress on a global scale. With an increasing number of UN offices participating and a diverse global ecosystem of creators, thought leaders, and organizations united in their commitment to social impact, the Festival is at the forefront of exploring how these innovative mediums can address the world's most pressing challenges. We are excited to push the boundaries of what is possible and inspire action towards a more sustainable and equitable future," said Pollack.
The 2024 Games for Change Festival offers attendees the opportunity to participate in a variety of engaging presentations, including thought-provoking talks, hands-on workshops, Meet the Funder sessions, and a range of networking opportunities such as Matchmaking and Topic Tables. Regular tickets will be available until June 9, 2024 on the Games for Change Festival website.
