YGLs Shaping the Agenda
Over 150 YGLs and alumni from 40 countries participated in this year's World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos. In the lead up to the event, they shaped the programme, specifically supporting a nuanced and inclusive approach to key topics. During the meeting, they shared their insights on the theme of Globalization 4.0 and spurred new action across business, government and civil society. They also advanced the vision and progress towards the community's 2020 commitments around food security, migration, political entrepreneurship, sanitation, and the environment.
Influencing ideas, governance and action
YGLs held over 100 speaking roles as panelists and moderators in the official programme, providing their expertise on a diversity of topics.
- Gloria Fluxa Thienemann told the personal story behind her company's decision to go plastic-free
- Marietje Schaake called the leaders of Europe to address people's concerns and frustrations in order to keep building a prosperous union
- Belinda Parmar reminded us of the importance of empathy in a compelling conversation on loneliness and it's effects on modern society in the 4th Industrial Revolution
- Sebastian Kurz shared his vision for his country in the new European landscape
- Jacinda Ardern challenged leaders to urgently address climate change
- Explore many more televised sessions by YGLs on the World Economic Forum website.
Raising awareness on key issues
How do we design clothes, cities and events that don't ostracize the 1.3 billion people living with disabilities? Susannah Rodgers shared her experience and ideas with Caroline Baumann and Sinéad Burke in a call for action for all of us, on how we should innovate in urbanism, fashion, retail and beyond. Beyond the sessions in which she took part, Susie also supported the campaign and exhibition, ACCESS+ABILITY, the first focused on bolstering inclusion for people with disabilities.
Gina Badanoch organized Dinners in the Dark at BaseCamp to raise awareness about blindness and launched the "Valuable" campaign with YGL Caroline Casey, aimed at getting 500 firms globally to put tackling disability on their board agenda within the next year. Read more about this initiative.
2019 marked the fifth year of the Circular Economy Awards, an initiative of the World Economic Forum and the Forum of Young Global Leaders, run in collaboration with Accenture Strategy. The award offers recognition to individuals and organizations across the globe that are making notable contributions to the circular economy in the private sector, public sector and society. Over the five years, over 1500 companies, organizations and governments have improved the circularity of their business models through this initiative. This year Ecoware, a company founded and led by YGL Rhea Mazumdar Singhal, was a finalist.
Hear the thoughts of YGLs on Globalization 4.0
See interviews of Mauricio Rodas, Jacinda Aardern, Mina Al- Oraibi, Mariame Jamme and more.
Highlights from the YGL Programme
The YGLs joined the Global Shapers and Schwab Social Entrepreneurs for two inspiring interactions with leaders: first an exciting off-the record exchange with Professor Schwab, where he shared and tested elements of the Forum’s strategy, as well as presented his vision for the strengths and challenges of Globalization 4.0, as well as a conversation with Henrietta Fore, Executive director of UNICEF, in which she shared her vision for the future of education.
Leo Varadkar, Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland, met with his fellow YGLs to discuss his own leaderhsip journey and his vision for Ireland and Europe.
The YGL Community is working towards five collective goals to achieve by 2020. These include leading efforts to conserve land and water, connect refugees to the global economy, and address health issues experienced by billions around the world. Before the start of the official Annual Meeting programme, the YGLs got together for a session focused on strategic action-planning around these five commitments:
- Social Gastronomy, led by YGLs David Hertz and Devry Boughner Vorwerk
- #After the Flush, led by YGL Kate Roberts, TP Chopra, Roshni Nadar Malhotra and Thor Bjorgolfsson
- A New Deal for Nature, led by Enric Sala and Kirstin Rechberger
- Kakuma, led by Solveigh Hieronimus, Ada Osakwe, Alexander Betts, Heba Aly, and Jaime de Bourbon de Parme
- Political Entrepreneurship, led by Lisa Witter, Daniel Sachs and Daniella Ballou-Aares
By the end of the Davos week, the community was happy to report:
- A partnership with Oxford University and UNHCR to invest in the leadership and entrepreneurship capacity of refugee and host communities in Kakuma, Kenya.
- Complementing the YGL Commitment to increase the number of social gastronomy hubs around the world, Gastromotiva, led by YGL David Hertz, announced a partnership to support the expansion of efforts at the intersection of food security and economic opportunity with the World Food Program.
- YGL Olivia Leland and Co-Impact launched an $80 million to improve livelihoods of 9M people in emerging markets
Check out the pictures of the YGL programme here.
YGLs in the media
Read from and about YGLs on the Agenda blog
Over 30 YGLs contributed to the theme Globalization 4.0. and shared their insights on the World Economic Forum’s Agenda which is visited by almost 5 million people every month. Find a full list of articles submitted by YGLs and consider contributing your own piece.
- Richard Socher - AI isn't dangerous, but human bias is
- Rain Newton Smith - The hidden toll that Brexit is already taking on Britain
- Enric Sala & Kristin Rechberger - We need to save our wild places. We can’t survive without them
- Marietje Schaake & Lisa Witter - How leaders can use 'agile governance' to drive tech and win trust
- Mohit Joshi - These 3 technologies will permanently change the banking sector
- Susie Rodgers - My disability, My identity
- Tom Szaky - We need to bin disposible items for good, here's how
- Meet the Community Leaders coming to Davos and more
Social media
- A selection of highlights are featured on our social media channels. If there’s anything you think should be highlighted that isn’t, please reach out to amy.kirby@weforum.org
- Follow @YGLvoices and @Davos on Twitter. Use #YGL and #wef19 to find out more
- Follow and like our Facebook page
- Follow and publish your articles and thought leadership pieces to our LinkedIn page
- Subscribe to our Youtube channel for inspiring videos of fellow members. Watch this playlist to find YGLs speaking on topics at the Annual Meeting