Facundo Ibarlucía, Red Comunidades Rurales / Possible Now Stitching Fellow (Argentina)

In the face of rapid technological shifts, what is possible now in order to build directly from civil society and through genuine community participation to protect our ecosystems and empower our trust-based civic infrastructure? This is the question I will be exploring with my GFCF Stitching Fellowship in the lead up to the Summit in Kathmandu, specifically looking at:

• Accessible tech and AI literacy: Providing a clear, plain-language baseline on what these emerging technologies actually are and how they work. Demystifying it is essential so community leaders feel empowered rather than intimidated.

• The socio-environmental impact: Understanding how technological innovations are transforming individuals, communities, ecosystems and international relationships. What are our organizations going through?

• Community appropriation and innovation: Mapping existing local practices, digital rights and genuine tech sovereignty already taking place on the ground. What is possible now?

• Reframing grantmaking: Addressing the "AI arms race" (AI writing proposals vs. AI scoring them) to push the philanthropic sector back toward trust, relationships and human connections. This is also linked with what important decisions we are delegating and why.

I am looking forward to bringing these discussions to Kathmandu!