DUBAI SUMMIT LAUNCHES WIDE-RANGING DIALOGUE TO IMPROVE AND SUPPORT INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

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 Over 700 leaders from academia, business, government and civil society are in Dubai for the second Summit on the Global Agenda
It is the world’s biggest multistakeholder dialogue addressing some of the most pressing issues on the global agenda
The work of the Summit contributes to the Forum’s Global Redesign Initiative
For more information on the Summit and the Network of Global Agenda Councils, visit www.weforum.org/gac 
 
Dubai – The World Economic Forum in partnership with the Government of Dubai has opened the second Summit on the Global Agenda. Over 700 leaders from academia, business, government and civil society have gathered for the world’s biggest multistakeholder dialogue addressing some of the most pressing issues on the global agenda.
 
“Let’s seize the opportunity to rethink, redesign and rebuild to help improve the state of the world,” said André Schneider, Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer, World Economic Forum, opening the Summit.
 
 “This the most powerful brainstorming session in the world,” said Mohamed Alabbar, Co-Chair of the Summit on the Global Agenda and Chairman of Emaar Properties. He called for “good proposals … for responsible politicians and business leaders to take forward.”
 
Summit participants are part of the Forum’s Network of Global Agenda Councils, which comprises over 70 councils dedicated to issues including climate change, food security, faith, trade and systemic financial risk. Over three days, they will have the opportunity to brainstorm face-to-face on proposals to improve international cooperation.
 
The leaders present at the Summit include 3 Nobel Laureates, 240 academics, and 180 public figures drawn from civil society, including NGOs, think tanks, and international organizations.
 
Their collated proposals will form a Council Report which will be put before participants at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2010 in Davos-Klosters.
 
These multistakeholder discussions and proposals contribute to a broader Forum undertaking to support the systems of international cooperation – the Global Redesign Initiative. The process benefits from the guidance of four governments, namely Qatar, Singapore, Switzerland and Tanzania.
 
 “Now is the time to use the World Economic Forum platform to develop thinking on how we can address gaps and breakdowns in global cooperation,” said Mark Malloch Brown, Senior Adviser, Global Redesign Initiative, World Economic Forum.
 
“This moment in international relations presents an opportunity for informal networks of experts like these gathered here to put ideas out there, especially to decision-makers,” echoed Richard Samans, Managing Director, World Economic Forum.
 
“The Global Agenda Councils are at the intellectual heart of the Global Redesign Initiative,” explained Mark Malloch Brown. “Forum Industry sectors, the Forum of Young Global Leaders, and activities undertaken at Forum regional meetings” are also part of the initiative.
 
“The power of this idea is that some of these leaders will take some of the ideas and pick them up and run with them,” concluded Malloch-Brown.
 
 

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