Every year heralds a season of new voyages and loads of discoveries. These journeys bear fresh knowledge, impressions, and experiences, some of which we unpack immediately upon returning, while others unfold gradually, perhaps over a lifetime.
In the concluding 2023 issue of Positive Changes, we invite our readers on a truly global tour through cities that have been epicenters of pivotal and intriguing events in impact investing and evaluation this autumn – the traditional season for harvesting and processing the year’s bounty. Our odyssey begins at the World Social Entrepreneurship Forum in Amsterdam, followed by a visit to the annual event of the Global Impact Investing Network in Copenhagen. We then venture to Seoul for the International Social Enterprise Leaders Forum, experience Impact Week in Turin, and even pay a short visit to the G20 Forum in New Delhi. Along the way, we’ll delve into the art of storytelling in evaluation – the centerpiece of the American Evaluation Association’s annual conference in Indianapolis. We’ll explore the nuances of measuring happiness with the participants of the Association of Program and Policy Evaluators’ yearly gathering in Moscow and engage in discussions on knowledge within the donor community at the Donors Forum’s annual event. Furthermore, we examine the factors of quality in corporate social reporting through a case study of banks in Nigeria and South Africa. The journey culminates in Norilsk – the world’s northernmost city with a population exceeding 150,000 – where a groundbreaking model for grant project evaluation has recently been developed. We hope this voyage will offer you a captivating adventure and a chance to reflect on 2023, appreciating the experiences and insights that will stay with you. And may there be even more enriching journeys bringing forth positive changes in the coming year!