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Young Global Leaders Summit Steps Up its Initiatives

12 June 2006 - Vancouver, Canada

The second Annual Summit of the Forum of Young Global Leaders closed in Vancouver, Canada, on Sunday with a commitment to action in its different task forces. Nearly 200 participants, rising stars from business and politics, leading academics, artists, activists and journalists all under the age of 40 representing 49 countries took part in the four-day Summit, held for the first time outside of Switzerland.

“In our second Summit, we have moved from talking about getting things done to getting things done”, said Amy Butte, former Chief Financial Officer of the New York Stock Exchange, during the closing plenary session dedicated to Great Ideas for the Future.

“I was struck by the sense of community that has emerged”, said Nicole Schwab, Director of the Forum of Young Global Leaders. “I am impressed by the progress of the task forces and the strong desire to take action. This community can make a difference through its action orientation and its thought leadership”.

Selected achievements of some of the task forces include:

Environment Task Force
Participants will launch a series of actions to create awareness of climate change, engage the private sector in focusing on business opportunities and spreading best practices to change consumer behaviour.

Global Dignity Task Force
On Dignity Day, the first day of the four-day Summit, 40 Young Global Leaders discussed dignity with 600 students in nine local high schools. Similar Dignity Days will be organized at all upcoming Young Global Leader events namely in India, Iraq and Turkey. The Global Dignity Project is a larger initiative launched by a group of Young Global Leaders in 2006 that seeks to promote the five principles of global dignity. For more information see (www.globaldignity.org).

Microfinance Task Force
Participants discussed the current state of the microfinance industry and put forward strategies to scale up current efforts in the industry and address shortcomings. The members of the task force will make a series of recommendations to the key players in the microfinance industry in October.

Pakistan Reconstruction Initiative
Participants decided to launch the Kaghan Valley Development Organization (KVDO) in early fall after a follow-up trip to Pakistan in August, which will finalize details on the implementation of the programme. The KVDO will revitalize tourism through the dissemination of low-interest and concessional loans and seeks to help rebuild the areas devastated by the October 2005 earthquake.

Global Governance and Security Initiative Film Project
In order to build awareness on the root causes of genocide, the Young Global Leaders have launched an initiative and film project that will culminate in the production of a documentary on ‘Why Good People Let Bad Things Happen.’ During the Vancouver Summit, the Young Global Leaders were able to procure pledges for the first US$ 50,000 of funding toward the project.

Notes to Editors
· Information about the Forum of Young Global Leaders can be found at www.younggloballeaders.org
· Read the Programme and read the profiles of the Young Global Leaders
· For photographs of the Annual Summit of the Young Global Leaders, go to www.pbase.com/forumweb/ygl
· The World Economic Forum will offset all greenhouse gas emissions stemming from the Young Global Leaders Summit 2006 at www.davosclimatealliance.org

The Forum of Young Global Leaders is an independent, Geneva, Switzerland-based foundation whose mission is to build a unique, multistakeholder community of the world’s most extraordinary leaders under the age of 40 and give them the opportunity to work together on projects that will shape the future of the world. Each year, we identify and mobilize a new group of 200 exceptional men and women in business, politics, academia, the media and civil society from every region in the world. Together, they form a powerful international force for the global common good.

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