North A Positive Digital Example

The north’s digital infrastructure has been hailed a “global exemplar” at the United Nations (UN).

The head of Digital Northern Ireland 2020 Dr Sinclair Stockman, made the remarks during a conference on the Cities of Tomorrow. It looked at using technology and the arts to enhance community inclusion.

Speaking after the event, Dr Stockman said: “We are now seen as an exemplar of how to effectively embrace the opportunity of the digital world. A positive example for others to follow.

“As a region we should be proud of this, because when we take the time to look at the positive changes we have made in education, online learning, development of our digital businesses, the media businesses, the finance sector, advanced technology, retailers who are trading with the rest of the world, and the proactive approach we are taking to embracing the opportunities offered by Connected Health, we really are up there with the rest of the world.”

Dr Stockman has over 30 years of technology and operational experience on the global stage including time as CIO of the BT Group, has been working to raise awareness of the benefits of exploiting the world-class digital platform in the north.

“The digital world has the potential to deliver significant improvements in the quality of life not only to the younger generation and our economic sector, but also to older members of our community,” he added.

Digital Northern Ireland 2020 (DNI2020) works to exploit the benefits of a digital platform for the Northern Ireland economy to maximise economic growth, improved quality of life and achieve social uplift and the consequent improvement in quality of life for all of its citizens. By the end of this decade, the north will be the world’s preferred destination for knowledge economy investment.

“A key theme at the United Nations seminar was how to use technology to create caring communities and cities, where by encouraging all generations to interact together and to create communities which embrace the opportunity to build on the experience of the older generations, we can create cities where everyone can continue to contribute, where people no longer feel isolated and lonely in their own homes, and where communities are stronger because they now have the tools to interaction and engage easily with each other,” said Dr Stock-man.

“Again in Northern Ireland we are working to build this world, but to fully deliver the promise of the connected world we must push through strongly in all sectors of the Northern Ireland economy and society.”

Source: irishnews.com