The virtual world we inhabit is an incredibly powerful tool for building connections and forming communities. Not only can we connect with people from across the planet, but we can also come together in a virtual space to solve challenges and discuss issues.

Virtual spaces have a surprisingly long and rich history. The first working virtual reality prototype, the Sensorama, was built nearly 60 years ago. Decades later, the term “metaverse” was coined to describe virtual worlds of any format, though typically in the context of SciFi and gaming.

More recently, Facebook announced that it was becoming a “metaverse company,” with the likes of Apple and Netflix involved in the space as well.

The metaverse today

Virtual worlds can have very real, very meaningful use-cases in enabling authentic social interactions that transcend location or obstacles between people.

This is where virtual worlds become such an important part of human life. They allow us to create a safe place on the Internet where we can meet other like-minded individuals.

Moreover, they help us form new communities without requiring us to be physically together. This opens up the doors for solutions to be found anywhere at any time when it comes to solving global challenges facing humanity — especially those involving sustainability and development issues around the world like poverty eradication, child education, and women’s empowerment.

Events like Connect Con aim to take advantage of this trend, and use the virtual world to solve global challenges collectively. On August 27th to the 29th, top business leaders like James Priest, startup founders, scientists, artists, and more will join virtual sessions on the theme: "The people building a better, sustainable future" to create global solutions for a better world.

We’re also seeing the impact of virtual worlds on social change when it comes to the refugee crisis. “Brothers Across Borders” is a web-based interactive game and movie developed by the Danish Red Cross, where players learn about the tough choices that refugees make, through a virtual world.

Various VR experiences pull users into the situations refugees find themselves in, creating empathy for situations that privileged people would otherwise never experience.

By putting us in others’ shoes, and enabling us to connect with anyone, anywhere, virtual worlds are rocket fuel for creating collaborative solutions.

The future of the metaverse

As soon as our species became capable of living in groups larger than immediate family circles, we started to create communities and organize ourselves into complex organizations based on shared economic activities or ideological beliefs.

The metaverse empowers us to replicate this process, allowing us to connect with one another and organize ourselves anywhere in the world.

For example, a group of economists can meet online in a virtual space and conduct research on economic development issues. Or entrepreneurs from around the world can connect and share their stories and difficulties while also exploring ways to scale up across borders without losing control or diluting the vision.

Ultimately, with firms like Facebook, Apple, and Netflix entering the metaverse space, the virtual world is evolving into a medium that can be used to more effectively engage our humanity. Virtual worlds allow us to transcend geographic proximity and virtually meet people from across the world, achieving solutions without borders.

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