Generations Global - World Economic Forum Looks to Add New Voices to Shape 2019 Annual Meeting

The World Economic Forum announced today the Co-Chairs of its Annual Meeting, which will take place on 22-25 January 2019 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland.

Over 3,000 global leaders from politics, government, civil society, academia, the arts and media will convene under the theme Globalization 4.0: Shaping a Global Architecture in the Age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, where participants will focus on defining new models for building sustainable and inclusive societies in a plurilateral world.

“Globalization as we know it may have peaked, but global integration will continue. It is fueled by the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the urgent need to address challenges such as climate change and biodiversity, job loss through automation and a threatening breakdown in global collaboration. All those changes will particularly affect the next generation. For this reason, it is essential to integrate their voice prominently in building a new sustainable and inclusive global architecture,” said Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum.

Every year, Annual Meeting Co-Chairs take a principal role in help shape the discussion. This year’s Co-Chairs are:

- Basima Abdulrahman, Founder, KESK Green Building Consulting, Iraq, and World Economic Forum Global Shaper (Ebril Hub), is a structural engineer by training who has built a business constructing sustainable buildings. Through the Forum’s Global Shapers network in her country, she also works to promote social cohesion in fragile communities.

- Juan David Aristizábal, Co-Founder, Todos por la Educación, Colombia, and World Economic Forum Global Shaper (Bogota Hub), is an author, broadcaster and social entrepreneur. He leads a grassroots movement through Los Zúper, a platform that prepares youth and educators with leadership skills for the 21st century.

- Noura Berrouba, Member of the Governing Body, European Youth Parliament, Sweden, and World Economic Forum Global Shaper (Stockholm Hub), is a member of the Governing Body of the European Youth Parliament and National Council of Swedish Youth Organizations. She has dedicated her life to advocating open-minded, tolerant and active citizenship.

- Jim Yong Kim, President, World Bank Group, Washington DC, has been a leading force for change in driving inclusive growth and developing human capital with the goal of ending extreme poverty by 2030.

- Julia Luscombe, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Feeding America, USA, and World Economic Forum Global Shaper (Chicago Hub), is helping to end hunger in the US through her work building a charitable food system for the future.

- Mohammed Hassan Mohamud, Zonal Chairman, Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya, and World Economic Forum Global Shaper (Kakuma Hub), who spent the last 20 years living in displacement, is dedicated to championing the rights of refugees and conflict prevention.

- Satya Nadella, Chief Executive Officer, Microsoft Corp: CEO of Microsoft since 2014, Nadella defines his mission and that of the company he leads as empowering every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.

- Akira Sakano, Co-Founder and Communication Director, RDND, Japan, and World Economic Forum Global Shaper (Osaka Hub), is helping create the world’s first zero-waste city in Japan.

Extending the discussion about the new global architecture, the Forum is inviting the public to share their thoughts and perspectives via the Globalization 4.0 video campaign, which will feature short videos (60-90 seconds long) that answer one or more of the following questions:

1) How do we save the planet without killing economic growth?

2) Can you be a patriot and a global citizen?

3) What should work look like in the future?

4) How do we make sure technology makes life better not worse?

5) How do we create a fairer economy?

6) How do we get countries working together better?

The best responses will be featured on www.weforum.org/globalization4 starting January 2019, in the lead-up to the Annual Meeting 2019. During the meeting, the Forum will also record selected constituents in Davos addressing the same key questions. Best submitted videos will be featured on the Forum’s Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn channels. The hashtag for the project is #globalization4.

The World Economic Forum will work with UNICEF and Generation Unlimited to address the critical challenges young people face in education, skills and empowerment. The collaboration aims to accelerate progress at global, regional and local levels, through Global Shaper hubs in 162 countries, more than 190 UNICEF offices and the growing partner network of Generation Unlimited.

The World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Community is a network of more than 7,000 young people in 370 cities working together to address the world’s biggest challenges. The community provides a platform to amplify the voices of young people and equips them with the tools to self-organize and create lasting local impact (read some of their blogs here)..