Southern Innovator and the Growing Global Innovation Culture | 7 April 2016

A paper prepared for the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) in 2013.

© David South Consulting 2017

Looking Back Over the Past 6 Years | 5 April 2012

I was asked to pull together a brief summary of what has been achieved since work began on the e-newsletter in 2007. While it can be difficult to gauge some aspects of this work – and resources are limited – it is possible to sketch a journey from a very different place back in 2007. This was just the beginning of the global economic crisis, and for many people, the turbulence of the following years has come as a big shock.

What has been noticeable is how far-reaching many of the ideas featured in the e-newsletter have been. What seemed fringe and marginal, is now front-and-centre in much of the world’s media. Think of the noise now generated about Africa and technology. The e-newsletter has tried to balance catching the drift of new trends with seeking out a common element of human resilience and innovation in the face of enormous obstacles and challenges. It is this aspect that seems to cross borders so well. Human ingenuity and creativity in the face of hardship is a compelling story.

Since 2010, in collaboration with Icelandic graphic designer and illustrator Sólveig Rolfsdóttir, we have tried to express this innovation culture in a visual form. It feels like we have more started on a journey still than come to its end. Like we have only just scratched the surface and have so much more to learn and experience.

Southern Innovator's Graphic Designer and Illustrator, Solveig Rolfsdottir.

Issue 2 of Southern Innovator Getting Final Edit | 7 March 2012

Having completed its review in New York, Southern Innovator‘s second issue is undergoing final tweaks and edits before being launched. There will be two versions: one online (the first to be launched) and a second print version to follow. Issue 2 – in its design and structure – is closer to the original vision of a magazine. Readers will find clearer signposting of resources, some new features and a greater mix of story lengths. Those who loved the clear and modern graphics of the first issue will not be disappointed: there is much more eye-catching graphic design in the second issue. I feel like the full vision of what we dreamed about back in 2010 has come to be. And I look forward to hearing back from readers on what they think about Issue 2, while we carry on with Issue 3 and its agricultural theme.