Millennials from 160 Countries Connect in Geneva

Geneva (Switzerland) – August 20, 2015 (travelindex.com) – The World Economic Forum hosted the Annual Curators Meeting 2015 for Global Shapers at the Forum headquarters in Geneva. This gathering of more than 450 Global Shapers was designed to ensure that the voice of millennials is included in the debate on how to address a range of global challenges, including youth unemployment, climate change, the future of the internet and gender parity.

The Global Shapers, aged between 20 and 30, presented the projects run in their local communities and held a series of workshops on their impact and sustainability. The meeting offered an opportunity for feedback and advice on these projects by a global community of peers as well as Forum experts. Global Shapers also participated in a range of activities, such as maintaining the lakeshore, catering for destitute people, and working in the host city of Geneva, and with local communities, to make a positive impact.

There are currently more than 5,000 Global Shapers in over 169 countries and territories worldwide. This community presented hundreds of project, some of examples include:

– Powering Education, led by Rome (Italy) and Nairobi (Kenya) Global Shapers. The project uses the power of data to tackle energy poverty in sub-Saharan Africa. In a bid to deliver innovative solutions to local stakeholders, it has distributed more than 800 solar lamps to 60 schools, and brought lights to 5,000 people in rural and off-grid communities.
– Kabaddiwala Connect, led by Global Shapers from Chennai (India). The project uses the circuits of India’s existing informal waste economy by connecting communities with more than 500 local scrap dealers. Over 1,146 tons of paper, 418 tons of plastic, 2,205 tons of metal and 920,000 bottles of waste have been recycled so far.
– Bordofarms, led by Global Shapers from Tijuana (Mexico). The project is designed to support thousands of deportees on the Tijuana River by creating job opportunities through crop production on a sustainable urban farm.

Young people are greatly under-represented in global affairs, even though they make up 50% of the world’s population. As innovators, digital natives and those most impacted by today’s policy decisions, they deserve a seat at the table. The Global Shapers embody the “community of the future”, bringing together young people in a diverse, decentralized and digitally hyperconnected way. The Global Shapers Community is an initiative of the World Economic Forum and is independent, neutral, non-political and not for profit.

About the World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum is an international institution committed to improving the state of the world through public-private cooperation in the spirit of global citizenship. It engages with business, political, academic and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas.

Incorporated as a not-for-profit foundation in 1971 and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the Forum is independent, impartial and not tied to any interests. It cooperates closely with all leading international organizations (www.weforum.org).