Hello Futurist Family!
In March and April, we launched our new member-driven initiatives and are organizing the different working groups. If you are interested in supporting any of the member-driven initiatives you can learn more about them below!
We are also rekindling partnerships and fortifying organizational memberships, amplifying the value we offer to our esteemed members. Through renewed alliances and budding global and regional partnerships, we're poised to catalyze transformative change on a global scale.
As we delve into the March & April Chair's Report, let's revisit our achievements, and look forward to the next steps in executing our Strategic Plan!
Content
REVIEW
REPORT ON OUR INITIATIVES
OUTLOOK
🗣️Organizational Members Meet-up
Last March 18th, we held an Organizational Members' Meet-up. We discussed an overview of the Strategic Plan introduced during the town Hall Gathering, the benefits for organizational members, and ways to engage with the APF through our premium add-on service, which allows the promotion of events to the APF's communication channels and collaborations and partnerships.
You can learn more about the membership and partnership types in the graphics below, and you can reach out to membercare@apf.org for more information.
🌐Regional Gatherings
On March 20, our Regional Director for Oceania Steve Tighe organized an open hub for futurists in Oceania. Read Steve’s message here.
Our Regional Directors are hard at work to organize the different regions, and we invite you to connect with them and also chat through our regional groups on Discord!
🤝 Our Dynamic Collaborations & Partnerships
Future Days Festival in Lisbon
During the Future Days Festival in Lisbon, the APF participated in an informal gathering hosted by the School of International Futures (SoIF), where invited guests were brought together to talk about weaving a coalition to support action in Portugal and beyond for the UN Summit of the Future.
Photo Source: Cat Tully, SOIF
Houston Spring Gathering
The APF was present during the recent Houston Spring Gathering, and it was a wonderful opportunity to meet with our members who are graduates from the program. Members of our Board were present at the gathering to introduce students of the program to the APF, and we look forward to the new members who will be joining us! If you would like to read more about the Spring Gathering, Andy Hines has written a recap of the weekend on the University of Houston Foresight Blog.
Photo Source: Tanja Schindler, Andy Hines
SCIP IntelliCon Nashville
The Strategic Consortium of Intelligence Professionals (SCIP) held its IntelliCon Nashville 2024 Conference which explored all aspects of AI and CI within the Intelligence Ecosystem and how these can be applied by organizations to achieve there objectives. I was invited to give a keynote speech on Harnessing AI and Collective Intelligence for a Competitive Edge, and the APF and SCIP signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will foster cooperation between our organizations in the fields of Competitive, Strategic and Economic Intelligence Ecosystems.
Photo Source: Tanja Schindler
Futures4Europe becomes the Eye of Europe
The Eye of Europe project is currently identifying the current and emerging links between R&I Foresight activities and policy making, as well as institutionalization approaches within organizations and governments on behalf of the European Commission. They therefore launched a survey, which seeks to:
Understand current R&I Foresight practices within your organization, including any emerging trends or approaches.
·Assess the interest of organizations in participating in peer learning activities and joining our R&I Foresight Community & Network for knowledge sharing and collaboration.
Identify other relevant actors or stakeholders in the field of R&I Foresight
They also invite you to join the growing Futures4Europe community, where experts like you share their knowledge, ongoing projects, good practices and lessons learned from their R&I Foresight initiatives.
To participate in the survey, please follow this link. The colleagues would kindly ask you to submit the survey by 17 May. Your responses will be kept confidential and will only be used in the context of this project. Your expertise is highly valued and we look forward to your contribution.
If you have any questions or require further information, please do not hesitate to contact Simon Schmitz from the DLR Project Management Agency (S.Schmitz@dlr.de).
🌟 Member-DRIVEN Initiatives
We have started to organize meetings around our member-driven initiatives, and if you haven’t signed up to participate or lead one, you can still do so through this form!
These initiatives are:
Code of Ethics led by Terry Grim
The initiative is putting together a list of candidates to review the pilot Code of Ethics, around 16 to 20 people from diverse backgrounds. An initial draft of guidelines for the Ethics Advisory Committee has also been developed.
Foresight Evaluation led by Annette Gardner
The team is reviewing the draft Foresight Evaluation Guidelines, and has implemented monthly virtual steering committee meetups. The team anticipates having two useful resources being available to APF members by June 2024.
Futurist-in-Residence led by Elatia Abate
How can organizations work with Futurists? The Futurist in Residence concept is an innovative way to collaborate with Futurists. This initiative is about to kick-off. Join our LinkedIn group to not miss any further steps: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12893608/
Other initiatives waiting to be kicked off:
Online Learning & Webinars - organizing learning events and webinars for APF members and the public
Regional & City Gatherings - organizing regional in-person gatherings
Futures-X - launching a new speaking platform for Futurists
Regional ProDevs - organizing regional Professional Development seminars
Manifesto - composing a futures manifesto for the APF
Book Club - organizing a futures book club
Diversity & Inclusion - creating processes to ensure that the APF has diversity and inclusion at the core of its operations
Advanced Fellowship - organizing an Advanced Fellowship Programme for members, and establishing a mentoring network
Government Relations - advocating for the recognition of futurists and their potential contributions to government and policymaking
💬WhatsApp Group and Discord Server
Join the Community Hubs on WhatsApp and Discord to:
🔹 Network with fellow members
🔹 Participate in discussions
🔹 Share valuable resources
🔹 Stay updated on APF news and events
While these channels are open to non-members, there are special channels in the Discord server for members-only, so don’t forget to verify your account through this form.
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🎬 Past APF Events: Access Recordings
🔈APF First Friday for March featured Richard Yonck, where he presented material based on the book he is currently writing about the many challenges society faces with the ongoing development of technology.
🎥 The recording of the session is available for members here.
🔈APF First Friday for April featured Samista Jugwanth, where she presented a case study in applying foresight methodologies to tangible infrastructure planning.
🎥 The recording of the session is available for members here.
🔈APF First Friday for May featured Karla Paniagua and Paulina Cornejo, where they shared Tenkuä, a game of participatory futures and social imagination that uses discontent and friction as an engine for change.
🎥 The recording of the session is available for members here.
If there are people you are interested in hearing from, or topics you are interested in hearing about for an APF First Friday please fill out this Suggestion Form! 💭💭💭
If you would like to be featured during a First Friday session to share something you are working on with other members, you can also fill out this interest form and we will get in touch with you! 🗣️🗣️🗣️
Did you miss any other First Friday Recording? Watch them in the Members Area:
Visit the APF YouTube Channel for more Videos
📅 Upcoming APF Events: Mark your Calendar
To keep updated with all the upcoming events, join our Discord channel and subscribe to the Member Calendar.
 | First Friday: On June 7, we are grateful to have Randy Lubin present on a topic chosen by the APF Community! Make sure to vote by Wednesday next week on which topic below you would like to hear about, on the APF LinkedIn page.
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 | Member Roulette: Get ready to rekindle connections with our unique Member Roulette event! This 1:1 speed networking experience is designed to rapidly connect members in a series of brief, focused conversations. It's the perfect way to meet new colleagues, exchange quick insights, and spark potential collaborations within the APF community. Member Roulette offers a dynamic and efficient way to expand your professional network and engage with diverse perspectives from the world of foresight. Register here for the May 16th Member Roulette. |
🗞️ Sign Up for our Newsletter
Our newsletter informs us regularly about upcoming events and discounts our members can get for events of our various collaborations. Here is a sneak peek of the upcoming newsletter:
Members can save 50% on the 23rd Annual Foresight Summit of 2b AHEAD on June 12th and 13th in Leipzig, Germany
Applications for the Next Generation Foresight Practitioners 2024 Fellowship are open until May 31!
Sign up for our newsletter on the APF home page by entering your email address!
🌍 What's Next: May & june at APF
As the Association of Professional Futurists (APF) advances towards shaping diverse and adaptable futures, the months of May and June mark pivotal periods in our strategic journey.
Strategic Board Meeting at the end of May: Finalize the roadmap for 2024-2025 to turn our strategic plan into actionable steps.
Membership Overhaul: Reorganize APF membership levels and streamline the application, payment, and renewal process for better alignment with member needs.
Branding and Website Update: Enhance digital interactions and user experience on our website to better engage members and visitors.
Enhanced Member Value: Introduce innovative content delivery structures to maximize value and engagement within the APF community.
Growing Community Engagement: Transitioning to use Discord as a key channel for communication and collaboration among members.
Student Awards Judging: We started the student awards process. Best of luck to all who submitted Futures Work!
Strengthen Organizational Connections: Renew efforts to connect with organizational members, offering new benefits and stronger collaboration opportunities.
Regional Governance Model: Implement a regional-focused collaborative and adaptive governance structure to strengthen local networks for broader regional engagement and impact, think globally, and act locally.
📣 Join the Foresight Revolution
Futures Thinkers Wanted: If you're not yet a member, there's no better time to join our community of visionary change-makers. Join Us
Member's Location, Pin Your Location: Pin your location let other members know where you're making a difference. Member Area
✨ Closing Thoughts
As we conclude this edition of the Chair's report, let's reaffirm our commitment to shaping the alternative futures that await us. Our collective journey in foresight is active and participatory, not just a path we observe but one we dynamically construct together.
Through every interaction, collaboration, and insight, we harness the potential to sculpt the futures that align with our shared aspirations. Let us continue to be the pioneers of tomorrow, not merely imagining what could be, but actively molding it with intention and innovation.
Here's to moving forward with unwavering purpose and infinite possibilities. Together, we are not just forecasting futures; we are creating them. Thanks for being part of this community and sharing your energy to craft inspiring futures together.
CHEERS, TANJA
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