The growth of virtual meeting technology has dovetailed with another growing meeting trend: corporate social responsibility. In mid-August, the International Rescue Committee (IRC), a humanitarian organization, launched a four-day “Think In” aimed at raising awareness about the issue of domestic violence.
Bringing together 450 students from more than 30 countries, to program planners Hyper Island, in Sweden, the attendees were given the challenge of devising ideas that could engage the public and raise funds for programs that are working to raise awareness of domestic violence in the developing world. But in addition to the live gathering, which took place at two locations in Stockholm, the students asked the public to offer their input via IRCThinkin.com as well as through Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #ircthinkin, and the video-sharing application, Viddy.com.
“We felt it was important to include as much outside input and support as possible. And social media was the perfect — and only — way to make this happen,” says Keith Loell, executive creative director, gyro New York, the IRC’s creative agency that worked in developing the program. “Rather than having the Domestic Violence Think-In happen in isolation at the HyperIsland facilities in Sweden, we were able to invite the world to participate.”
Attendees were connected with the outside constantly throughout the event, through the Twitter feed projected on the wall at all times and conversations via Skype.
“Adding this live element helped provide a constant stream of inspiration and information and also drew in the rest of the world while it was happening,” says Loell. “We never felt alone.