The Intelligent Community

In his new book, Me and Telecommunications, Mr. Sangin, who before 9/11 had been living outside of Afghanistan (courtesy of the Taliban) and is once again in 2021 living outside it, has chronicled his life and the struggles of his nation. He played a key role in that nation's advances, having returned in 2002 to build a telecommunications infrastructure that connected the nation, enabled rare democratic elections and made it so that women and kids could surf the Web and learn about the world around them. He also made it possible for every Afghanistan resident to have a cell phone (there are multiple carriers today in Afghanistan) and ended forever the embarrassing situation which found Afghans having to go to Pakistan to make a phone call!

He has much to say about the Taliban and the current situation. Some positive and some negative; all of it fascinating and honest. He is a genuine patriot who loves his country and is insistent that someday, if the new government allows it, he will go back. He says without hesitation that, right now, the telecommunications system, which had continued to grow and digitize when he was there, has become stagnant. "No new fiber is planned or being run." It is stagnant and the $1.5B in investment revenue his ministry brought to the nation is a memory. Investment has stopped. "But the war is over," he says. And that is good for Afghans.

Mr. Sangin sat for an exclusive interview with ICF in late 2020, and you can hear it now.

In his new book, Me and Telecommunications, Mr. Sangin, who before 9/11 had been living outside of Afghanistan (courtesy of the Taliban) and is once again in 2021 living outside it, has chronicled his life and the struggles of his nation. He played a key role in that nation's advances, having returned in 2002 to build a telecommunications infrastructure that connected the nation, enabled rare democratic elections and made it so that women and kids could surf the Web and learn about the world around them. He also made it possible for every Afghanistan resident to have a cell phone (there are multiple carriers today in Afghanistan) and ended forever the embarrassing situation which found Afghans having to go to Pakistan to make a phone call!

He has much to say about the Taliban and the current situation. Some positive and some negative; all of it fascinating and honest. He is a genuine patriot who loves his country and is insistent that someday, if the new government allows it, he will go back. He says without hesitation that, right now, the telecommunications system, which had continued to grow and digitize when he was there, has become stagnant. "No new fiber is planned or being run." It is stagnant and the $1.5B in investment revenue his ministry brought to the nation is a memory. Investment has stopped. "But the war is over," he says. And that is good for Afghans.

Mr. Sangin sat for an exclusive interview with ICF in late 2020, and you can hear it now.

Economic developers from municipalities and counties discuss the changing nature of investment attraction, business stimulation and support, and the collaboration with other agencies and sectors needed to develop the economy of an Intelligent Community in a world being restructured by digital technologies.

Speakers include:

• Jason Bechtold, Assistant City Manager, City of Westerville, Ohio, USA
• Joost Helms, Co-Director, Binh Doung Smart City Office; Director, Eindhoven International Projects Office
• Dayna Spiring, President and CEO, Economic Development Winnipeg
• Jim Stifler, Chief Economic Officer, Hudson, Ohio, USA
• John Jung, Co-Founder, Intelligent Community Forum (Moderator)

In this freewheeling conversation, municipal CIOs and IT experts discuss the challenges of deploying reliable and secure information technology systems to support operations, deliver services and improve decision-making – within the limits of municipal budgets. They explore the opportunities to expand capabilities and reduce costs provided by the latest technology developments.

Speakers include:

• Paul Leedham, CIO, City of Hudson, Ohio, USA
• Doug McCollough, CEO, Color Coded Labs and CIO, City of Dublin, Ohio, USA
• Moez Chaabouni, Managing Partner and Chief Revenue Officer, Summit Technologies LLC (Moderator)

Winnipeg is the capital of the Canadian province of Manitoba, located in the center of the North American continent. Winnipeg's economy is dominated by agriculture, energy, manufacturing and a growing tech scene. Over the past decade, the city has built a new economic foundation by connecting industry, education and a rising technology sector. Winnipeg's digital transformation began when local business leaders, frustrated by poor broadband service, established the Manitoba Internet Exchange to attract internet service providers and reduce their operating costs. Today, it has seen major investments in greater connectivity by private sector companies including a $400 million investment by Bell MTS for all-fiber connections across Winnipeg. Strong collaborations with universities, community colleges and major employers have created everything from large fabrication labs to digital equipment upgrades and micro-credential workshops that generate new products, new companies, and new jobs. Innovation centers conduct joint research and development projects with global impact across major industries from agriculture and life sciences to transportation and distribution. Digital inclusion begins with the public library system and continues through valuable community programs that use digital technology to provide economic opportunities for Indigenous communities and foster greater understanding. Balancing tradition and ambition, Winnipeg keeps building a high-potential future for its people.

Peter Torrellas is the vice president and partner for Digital Cities and Infrastructure at Siemens Advanta, the digital transformation consultancy and professional services arm of the global technology powerhouse. In this role, he leads a team of diverse innovators and visionaries in consulting, professional services, solutions, and software development to enable the vision of our public and private sector clients on their digital journeys.

In this episode of The Intelligent Community, ICF Co-Founder Lou Zacharilla speaks with Dublin, Ohio CIO Doug McCollough about how social media can be used not only to communicate with citizens, but to measure sentiment and learn about current demeanor in your communities.

Lisa Wolf MSW, LCSW is a practicing psychotherapist with offices in Bridgehampton, NY & Manhattan, additionally she sees patients from all over the world via Zoom. She has worked extensively with anxiety and depressive disorders, couples' issues, addiction and recovery. Her experience includes work on hospital inpatient psychiatry units as well as inpatient and outpatient addiction rehab centers. Lisa is the author of a monthly column Thoughts From a Therapist that appears in The Southampton Press, East Hampton Press, Sag Harbor Express and online at 27east.com. Her website is lisawolftherapy.com