RI Set to Host Hundreds of Business and Economic Development Leaders Next Week

RI Set to Host Hundreds of Business and Economic Development Leaders Next Week

Rhode Island Commerce, in partnership with the International Trade Council, is set to welcome hundreds of business and economic development leaders from around the world at next week’s 2023 Go Global Awards.

Scheduled for Monday, November 6 – Wednesday, November 8, the Go Global Awards program is an annual conference that showcases and celebrates companies and government leaders who are driving the economy forward through innovations, technologies, and strategies. The three-day event will feature a series of panel discussions with insight from Rhode Islanders and global leaders alike, live pitch contests, organized site visits to local businesses and tourism hotspots, and after-hours networking events. 

“We are pleased to host this year’s Go Global Awards festivities, and we look forward to showcasing everything that makes the Ocean State a competitive, attractive place to launch and grow a business for our guests,” said Rhode Island Commerce Secretary Liz Tanner. “The purpose of this annual event is to encourage international partnerships that lead to creating jobs and economic opportunities. Rhode Island has a great story to tell, and we are excited to have the platform to tell it.”

GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST

Rhode Island Commerce was selected to host this year’s event after being named the Economic Development Agency of the Year at last year’s Go Global Awards, hosted in Estonia. 

"The Go Global Awards stand as a catalyst, bringing together government and enterprises with global trade, procurement, and foreign direct investment ambitions. The State of Rhode Island, our gracious host this year, offers an exceptional backdrop for this convergence," noted Ranjani Rangan, Chairperson of the International Trade Council. "Here, amidst the vibrant economic landscape ripe with opportunities, attendees seek to unearth the synergies that help to propel our global economy forward, transforming aspirations into tangible accomplishments."

The first two days of the Go Global Awards will primarily take place at the Omni Providence and feature a diverse lineup of panel discussions and guest speakers, including welcome remarks from Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee.

Guest speakers on Monday and Tuesday include WaterFire Providence Founder & Executive Artistic Director Barnaby Evans; former Estonian Ambassador to the United States H.E. Sven Jurgenson; Colombian Ambassador to the United States Luis Gilberto Murillo; Rhode Island Israel Collaborative Co-Founder & President Avi Nevel; University of Rhode Island President Marc Parlange; SelectUSA Executive Director Jasjit Singh; Providence Mayor Brett Smiley; UK Peer Viscount Lord John Desmond Waverley, Canadian Senator David Wells; and dozens of others. 

Special after-hours events include a Welcome Reception hosted at CIC Providence on Monday evening and a WaterFire Basin Lighting on Tuesday evening. The three-day event will conclude on Wednesday, November 8, with an Awards Dinner featuring remarks from former Providence Mayor and U.S. Ambassador Joseph R. Paolino, Jr. and U.S. Commerce Deputy Director General James Golsen.

A full agenda for the three-day event is available at www.GoGlobalAwards.org.