Web Summit kicks-off this Monday

  • ECO News
  • 5 November 2018

This is the third time the tech event takes place in Lisbon and expectations are quite high. António Guterres (UN), Tim Berners-Lee (WWW), and Lisa Jackson (Apple) are opening the event.

The Web Summit 2018 edition kicks-off this Monday, in Lisbon. The event starts with an intervention from Tim Berners, the British physicist who invented the world wide web, commonly known as “www”, giving us all access to the internet, followed by a speech from the secretary general of the United Nations, Guterres, who will share his thoughts on the digital future, “harnessing the promise of new technologies while safeguarding against their perils”.

The event only starts officially at 18:30, with a welcoming note by the executive director of the Web Summit, Paddy Cosgrave, who will introduce the speakers, Tim Berners-Lee, Lisa Jackson, and António Guterres.

This is the first time Tim Burners-Lee is speaking at the event, and he shall talk about his vision for the network, back in 1989: he intended that everyone could access it, and that it would serve humanity.

Following his intervention, Apple’s Vice President for the Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives bureau, Lisa Jackson, will talk about innovation connected with protecting the planet, showing, for instance, how Apple reached its goal of powering its global operations with 100% of renewable energy.

After these two interventions, a talk about the “technology of storytelling” by Darren Aronofsky and Lauren Goode will be focusing on the improvements technology has had in terms of connecting with audiences.

The final intervention is planned for will be a speech from the UN’s Secretary-General, António Guterres, who will share his thoughts on harnessing the promise of new technologies while safeguarding against their perils, talking about a digital future which is safe and beneficial for all.

The Portuguese Prime Minister, António Costa, will give a final note, and together with Paddy Cosgrave and Lisbon’s city Mayor, Fernando Medina, the event will be officially opened.

One of the most awaited speakers is Brad Smith, Microsoft’s President, who will talk about artificial intelligence and cyberwar in the digital era.