Well, I just submitted my first conference proposal ever. It’s for O’Reilly’s Emerging Technology Conference in San Diego next March. I knew I wanted to submit something, if only to get in the habit of such things, but in the past two weeks it solidified for me that I want to speak about how games can save the world. It’s something that’s been percolating for awhile, and will (hopefully) show up as a project in the near future, but I figured pitching a conference session would be a great way to actually make me think about it and work on it. Of course, if the session is chosen, I’ll have a lot of work to do between now and March, but forcing myself to do things in that way usually works out well for me.

Anyway, here’s the abstract, click through for the full description:

What if we turned our most serious problems into fun and games? We can encourage the human impulse to play while channelling that energy to effect lasting change. Yes, we can save the world, and we can have a heck of a lot of fun while we do it!

What if you could fight AIDS while fighting orcs? What if everyone in Manhattan was competing to be the friendliest? What if we turned our most serious problems into fun and games?

Games of all varieties already shape our social interactions and encourage good will and camaraderie while undermining the differences that can separate people. As we enter a time when games and social play are recognized as an important part of our culture, we can encourage the human impulse to play while channelling that energy to effect lasting change.

Whether raising money for recognized causes, educating players about foreign viewpoints, or challenging us to make simple changes to our daily lives, games can quickly and effectively bring people together with a lasting impact. Game play enables people who might otherwise feel unmotivated or powerless to make a difference in their community, their lives, and their world, while fostering relationships with other players around the world.

Whether it’s video games, board games, street games, or something completely new, we can use gaming to aid in medical research, civil rights, environmental protection, and other important causes while simultaneously tackling deeper seated issues of isolation and perceived differences between cultures.

Yes, we can save the world, and we can have a heck of a lot of fun while we do it!