"Summer Davos" in Asia
The World Economic Forum is bringing 1,300 new as well as established leaders together for its Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, People's Republic of China, from 10-12 September.

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Forum opens international dialogue to improve global cooperation
The World Economic Forum has launched the Global Redesign Initiative, a global dialogue to develop proposals on reshaping the structures of worldwide cooperation.

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The Network of Global Agenda Councils
The World Economic Forum's Global Agenda Councils are continuing efforts to develop proposals to address key challenges in over 70 areas of world affairs.

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WELCOM hosts online dialogue for global leaders
The World Economic Forum has developed an online community called WELCOM that is being used by business, government and civil society leaders to engage in dialogue about global issues.

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Switzerland replaces US at top of Forum's Global Competitiveness Rankings
Switzerland tops the overall ranking in the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report 2009-2010.

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Forum mobilizes effort to fight growing threat of chronic diseases
The World Economic Forum is shining a spotlight on the growing threat to public health posed by non-communicable diseases such as cancer and diabetes.

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Forum report identifies strategies to accelerate Smart Grids as key to low-carbon economy
Accelerating Smart Grid Investments sets out how smart grids can be the backbone infrastructure for tomorrow's energy solutions and green economy.

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Young Global Leaders' deworming programme reaches millions of children
The World Economic Forum's Young Global Leaders have launched a campaign to deworm 17 million children in 25 countries.

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Forum report says healthy older people need to be given jobs
Transforming Pensions and Healthcare in a Rapidly Ageing World: Opportunities and Collaborative Strategies provides leaders with a decision-making framework for alternative pension and healthcare financing strategies.

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CEOs support tougher anti-corruption drive
Business leaders who are members of the Forum's Partnering Against Corruption Initiative joined other CEOs to appeal to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to tighten implementation of the UN Convention against Corruption.

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Educating the next wave of entrepreneurs
The Forum's Educating the Next Wave of Entrepreneurs report highlights the importance of entrepreneurship education to help generate economic growth, advance human welfare and stimulate innovation to address global challenges.

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Information and communication technologies vital for economic recovery
A new study by the Forum's Telecommunications Industry Partnership community provides an analysis of how information and communication technologies can serve as an enabler for rebuilding the economy.

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World Economic Forum on Latin America
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
14-16 April 2009

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World Economic Forum on the Middle East
Dead Sea, Jordan
15-17 May 2009

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World Economic Forum on Africa
Cape Town, South Africa
10-12 June 2009

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• 8 October, Financial Development Report, New York, USA
• 27 October, Global Gender Gap Report 2009, New York, USA
• 8-10 November, India Economic Summit 2009
• 20-22 November, Summit on the Global Agenda 2009, United Arab Emirates, Dubai
• 27-31 January, World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2010, Davos-Klosters, Switzerland
• 6-8 April, World Economic Forum on Latin America, Cartagena, Colombia
• 5-7 May, World Economic Forum on Africa, East Africa
• Summer, World Economic Forum on Europe
• June, World Economic Forum on East Asia, Hanoi, Vietnam
• 22-24 October, World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa, Marrakech, Morocco

For more information, visit www.weforum.org/events

"Summer Davos" in Asia
Relaunching Growth
Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2009
Dalian, People's Republic of China 10-12 September

It will take a new generation of leaders to revive economic growth, the most important priority for policy-makers and business chiefs in 2009. These emerging leaders are spearheading innovative and disruptive technologies as well as new business models, which will drive the recovery for the long term.

The World Economic Forum is bringing 1,300 new as well as established leaders together for its Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, People's Republic of China, from 10-12 September.

The aim is to create the public-private partnerships necessary to transform and revitalize the global economy so it is sustainable over the long term. Ensuring international commerce remains open and addressing the concerns that may lead to a broad social backlash are important in this context.

The programme in Dalian will build on the G20's efforts to create growth incentives that address social and environmental needs. It will also focus on turning challenges into opportunities where efforts to address global risks such as climate change serve also to catalyse the development of new jobs and technologies in the post-carbon economy of the future.

The Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2009 is held in partnership with the People's Republic of China. "The World Economic Forum has grown into an important platform for international exchanges and dialogue and played an active role in promoting world development and progress . . . . We applaud the Forum's progress and achievements and are pleased with the deepened cooperation between China and the Forum," said Wen Jiabao, Premier of the People's Republic of China.

www.weforum.org/newchampions

Forum opens international dialogue to improve global cooperation

How can the world improve international cooperation to better meet 21st century challenges?

The World Economic Forum has launched the Global Redesign Initiative, a global dialogue to develop proposals on reshaping the structures of worldwide cooperation.

Discussions for the Global Redesign Initiative will take a big step forward at the Forum's "Summer Davos", the Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, People's Republic of China. The innovative thinking of the Meeting's 1,300 participants - leaders from government, business and civil society - will be integrated into the dialogue. They will draw on the regional perspectives presented at Forum meetings in Latin America, Middle East, Africa and East Asia earlier this year.

In parallel, proposals in as many as 50 issue areas requiring international cooperation are being developed by the Forum's Global Agenda Councils. These groups comprise 15-20 leaders from all sectors, with one council dedicated to each topic. The councils monitor issues and capture the best knowledge to address them. There are over 70 councils in total, representing over 1,000 of the world's most innovative and relevant leaders.

The proposals of the councils will be discussed in depth at the second Summit on the Global Agenda in Dubai on 20-22 November 2009. Three "hearings" hosted by the patron governments of the Global Redesign Initiative (Qatar, Singapore, Switzerland) are scheduled for later this year.

The dialogue will continue at other Forum activities on how to adapt to a changing environment and improve international cooperation. It will address challenges faced by our Members, Partners and constituents. The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2010 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, will be another milestone in the Global Redesign Initiative dialogue.

Much of the dialogue and collaboration will take place on WELCOM, which is the Forum's new online collaboration and communication space, as well as through social and global media.

Recommendations and action steps to improve the management of global interdependence and address gaps in international governance resulting from the discussions will be elaborated in a Global Redesign Initiative report due to be released in the first half of 2010.

The Network of Global Agenda Councils

The Global Agenda Councils are continuing efforts to develop proposals to address key challenges in over 70 areas of world affairs.

Each council, made up of 15-20 leaders, focuses on its particular area of expertise and works with other councils to address common and related concerns.

The Network of Global Agenda Councils also acts as an intellectual driving force for the Forum's Global Redesign Initiative. The councils ensure the Forum is the integrator, manager and disseminator of the best knowledge available in the world. They build on one of the Forum's abilities to convene the very best of the world's thought leaders. They also use the world's greatest minds to develop a better understanding of the leading issues of the day and how they will shape the future.

The Forum has initiated a second council term following the successful completion of the Global Agenda Councils' first term in June. The network will discuss issues such as employment and social protection, the role of business, energy security, climate change and ocean governance.

Council members will participate in the second Summit on the Global Agenda in Dubai, 20-22 November 2009.

www.weforum.org/gac

WELCOM hosts online dialogue for global leaders

With the increased prevalence of social networks and web 2.0 tools, it is now easier than ever to share ideas with others around the world.

In partnership with Adobe, BT and Thomson Reuters, the World Economic Forum has developed an online community called WELCOM that is being used by business, government and civil society leaders to engage in dialogue about global issues.

WELCOM is helping the world's leading thinkers to tackle some of the most pressing issues of our time. As part of the Forum's Global Redesign Initiative, members are using the platform to share knowledge, co-create content with their peers, and use the Forum's global network to locate and access expertise.

The latest iteration of WELCOM features an Adobe online collaborative tool that allows members to collectively write, edit and share documents with each other.

The WELCOM team will be present at the Annual Meeting of New Champions in Dalian, People's Republic of China, hosting tutorials, usability sessions and answering questions about WELCOM.

Switzerland replaces US at top of Forum's Global Competitiveness Rankings

Switzerland tops the overall ranking in The Global Competitiveness Report 2009-2010. The United States falls to second position, with particular weakening in its financial markets and macroeconomic stability, followed by Singapore.

European economies continue to dominate the competitiveness rankings with Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Germany and the Netherlands all featuring in the top 10.

The People's Republic of China leads the way among large developing economies, improving by one place this year and solidifying its position among the top 30.

Among the three other large BRIC economies, Brazil and India also improve, while Russia falls by 12 places.

Asian economies perform strongly with Japan, Hong Kong SAR and the Republic of Korea in the top 20. In Latin America, Chile is the highest-ranked country, followed by Costa Rica and Brazil.

A number of countries in the Middle East and North Africa are in the upper half of the rankings, led by Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and Tunisia.

In sub-Saharan Africa, Botswana, Mauritius and South Africa feature in the top half of the rankings, with a number of other countries from the region measurably improving their competitiveness.

"Amid the present crisis, it is critical that policy-makers not lose sight of long-term competitiveness fundamentals amid short-term urgencies. Competitive economies are those that have in place factors driving the productivity enhancements on which their present and future prosperity is built," said Xavier Sala-i-Martin, Professor of Economics, Columbia University, USA, and co-author of the report.

The rankings are calculated from both publicly available data and the Executive Opinion Survey, which polled over 12,500 business leaders in 133 economies.

www.weforum.org/gcr

Forum mobilizes global effort to fight growing threat of chronic diseases

Chronic diseases cause 60% of deaths worldwide. Eighty per cent of these occur in low- and middle-income countries.

The World Economic Forum is shining a spotlight on the growing threat to public health posed by non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses.

"NCDs represent a growing economic and social challenge for both developing and developed countries. At the World Economic Forum, we are committed to working with the World Health Organization, and in collaboration with other international partners, to build an effective Global Non-communicable Disease Network,– said Richard Samans, Managing Director of the World Economic Forum.

The Forum recently supported, alongside other key partners, the World Health Organization in launching a worldwide network of leading organizations and experts called NCDnet, which aims to bolster action against NCDs.

NCDnet for the first time brings together a wide range of stakeholders – private, public and civil society – in a joint venture to tackle chronic illnesses.

The Forum acts as the representative of the private sector in the International Advisory Council of NCDnet, in addition to providing a platform to engage the corporate world in the activities of the network.

Along with this development, the Forum is also partnering with the World Health Organization in the Americas, the Pan American Health Organization, which is the first regional implementer of NCDnet.

www.weforum.org/wellness

New Forum report identifies strategies to accelerate Smart Grids as key to low-carbon economy

Accelerating Smart Grid Investments, a new World Economic Forum report developed with Accenture and industry experts, sets out how smart grids can be the backbone infrastructure for tomorrow's energy solutions and green economy.

Smart grids deliver energy to consumers using digital technology. They modernize electricity grids by bringing together advancements in the information technology and telecommunications sectors – sensing, computing and communications – to deliver a more resilient, more efficient and lower carbon electricity system.

The world's electricity systems are increasingly outdated and coming under pressure in the face of rising demand, climate change and the advent of transformative technologies. Smart grids have been hailed as a key to sustainably meeting emerging energy needs in a new age where clean energy is at a premium, networks require flexibility to incorporate renewable energy and customers' demands for greater transparency and control over their consumption are growing.

Smart grids can enable:

• New energy management services and tariff structures, enhancing the way utility companies manage their assets and offer consumer-relevant products and services
• Empowerment of consumers to take greater control of their energy consumption
• Integration of more renewable energy into the electricity system
• Electric vehicle infrastructure on a large scale
• Building energy efficiency into the system, from generation to end use

Public and industry awareness of smart grids must increase, and there is an urgent need to refresh the regulatory regimes that govern the power industry. No longer is it the industry's sole purpose to provide secure energy supply to the masses at competitive prices. Regulatory regimes worldwide need to be restructured to reflect new imperatives, which centre on the provision of infrastructure to support a low-carbon economy while improving quality of service to the end-consumer.

www.weforum.org/slimcity

Young Global Leaders' deworming programme reaches millions of children

If you ask what one of the biggest contributions to helping children in developing countries is, the answer is simple, but not very fashionable: it's deworming.

Four hundred million school-age children are infected with parasitic worms that damage their health and limit their access to education.

The World Economic Forum's Young Global Leaders have launched a campaign to deworm 17 million children in 25 countries. Their Deworm the World (DtW) project includes a coalition of partners to improve children's access to education through supporting, coordinating and advocating school-based deworming programmes.

In India, DtW is currently working with SKS Microfinance, founded by Young Global Leader Vikram Akula, to use their distribution network to treat school-age children. The 2009 pilot programme will target one million children in Andhra Pradesh and deworming activities are scheduled to begin in September. Once scaled up across the state, over eight million schoolchildren will be included.

In Kenya, DtW has been supporting the government in the expansion of a national school-based deworming programme. At the DtW event at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2009, Prime Minister Odinga committed to deworm three million children in the most at-risk areas of the country. The programme has already surpassed this goal.

DtW was launched by the Young Global Leaders Education Task Force at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2007. DtW supports Education for All and the World Health Organization resolution to provide regular deworming treatment to 75% of the at-risk school-age population by 2015.

www.weforum.org/ygl

Forum report says healthy older people need to be given jobs

The percentage of people aged 60 or older is set to double between 2007 and 2050 according to the United Nations.

Responding to this trend, the World Economic Forum has come out with a report that challenges current thinking on how to deal with a rapidly ageing world.

Transforming Pensions and Healthcare in a Rapidly Ageing World: Opportunities and Collaborative Strategies provides leaders with a decision-making framework for evaluating and prioritizing alternative pension and healthcare financing strategies.

It answers the need to find new solutions at a time when recovery from the recent economic turmoil has placed pressure on already-stretched resources.

The report makes the case for an integrated response and looks at pensions and healthcare in tandem as opposed to focusing on them separately. It provides a broad set of practical solutions including promoting work for the older generation, shift delivery of healthcare to a patient-centred system, and financial education and planning advice.

www.weforum.org/scenarios

CEOs support tougher anti-corruption drive

In an unprecedented move, CEOs from some of the world's leading companies have called on governments to more effectively implement the United Nations Convention against Corruption.

Business leaders who are members of the World Economic Forum's Partnering Against Corruption Initiative (PACI) joined other CEOs to send a letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon endorsing the UN Convention against Corruption.

They stated that as the world's only universal anti-corruption instrument, it "holds the promise of curbing corruption and creates a level playing field for all participants in the global economy."

The CEOs outlined the importance of implementing a review mechanism at the next Conference of States Parties to be held in Doha in November 2009. This is especially necessary in a period of financial and economic turmoil that is placing severe strain on worldwide competition. In the letter, they outlined how such a mechanism could work.

"I deeply appreciate the leadership demonstrated by the corporate community in this critical matter," wrote Ban Ki-moon in his response. He shared the appeal letter with the State Parties and Signatories of the Convention saying, "I very much hope that this letter will be an encouragement to successfully establishing a review mechanism, thus contributing a critical element to an effective UN Convention against Corruption."

Richard Samans, Managing Director, World Economic Forum and Board Member of PACI said: "With this letter, the business community offers a pragmatic view on essential regulatory measures to fight corruption at an international level, and is sending a clear message to governments that the private and public sectors can and should work closely together to address corruption."

www.weforum.org/paci

Educating the next wave of entrepreneurs

Now more than ever there is a need for more entrepreneurial societies capable of addressing the complex and interlinked challenges of our time.

As laid out in Educating the Next Wave of Entrepreneurs, a report by the Forum's Global Education Initiative (GEI), education has an important role in developing the skills, attitudes and behaviours of future entrepreneurs, and in spurring innovation and creativity.

The report highlights the importance of entrepreneurship education to help generate economic growth, advance human welfare and stimulate innovation to address global challenges.

Sponsored by AMD, Cisco, Goldman Sachs, Intel and Microsoft, the report consolidates existing knowledge and practices in entrepreneurship education around the globe.

It covers three core areas: youth (with a focus on disadvantaged youth), higher education (focusing on high-growth entrepreneurship) and social inclusion (with a focus on marginalized communities).

It also provides specific recommendations for government, the private sector, civil society and academia to collaborate in supporting the development of entrepreneurial ecosystems, in which education is a driver.

Recommendations include transforming the educational system by embedding entrepreneurship in education, striving for more effective outcomes and measurement, and leveraging technology as an enabler.

The GEI has shared the recommendations of the report through a series of sessions organized at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos-Klosters; the Forum's regional summits in Latin America, Middle East and Africa, as well as at other events organized by Forum Partners and constituents: Global Business School Network Conference in Cape Town, Operation Hope Global Financial Literacy Summit in Washington DC, UNESCO World Conference on Higher Education in Paris, and Stanford University Technology Ventures Program Roundtable on Entrepreneurship Education in Palo Alto, California.

By holding these series of workshops, the GEI is providing an opportunity for policy-makers, education stakeholders and actors from the private sector and civil society to use the Forum's platform to further advance entrepreneurship education in their region.

www.weforum.org/gei

Information and communication technologies are vital for global economic recovery

A new study by the World Economic Forum's Telecommunications Industry Partnership community, ICT for Economic Growth: A Dynamic Ecosystem Driving the Global Recovery, provides an analysis of how information and communication technologies (ICT) can serve as an enabler for rebuilding the world's economy.

Demonstrating the importance of ICT as a catalyst for growth, the report highlights the industry's complex and interdependent relationships, new collaborative business opportunities and the need for stable policy frameworks to ensure sustained investment, innovation and fair competition.

"In the search for pathways out of the current economic crisis, one of the recurring themes that has emerged from the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, and through its regional meetings, is the world's need for a robust information infrastructure," said Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum.

"A ubiquitous communications fabric which is adaptive, distributed and interoperable is fundamental for enabling transformational and inclusive economic growth."

Written in collaboration with experts from the Telecommunications Industry Partner community of the World Economic Forum, this work is the first in a series highlighting the potential for ICT to serve as a vital platform for addressing the world's toughest economic, social and environmental challenges.

www.weforum.org/ip/ict

World Economic Forum on Latin America
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 14-16 April 2009

The 2009 World Economic Forum on Latin America allowed over 550 government, business and civil society leaders to consider the approach to the global economic crisis.

Participants offered their assessment of how the Latin America and the Caribbean region is addressing the multiple challenges posed by the turmoil. At the end of the meeting, participants conveyed a declaration to political leaders taking part in the Summit of the Americas that called for "a new dawn in international cooperation, based on enlightened values and mutual trust."

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil, told participants: "We need to go further than emergency measures, transforming the paradigms that took the world economy to the edge of the precipice. We cannot postpone profound and structural solutions."

www.weforum.org/latinamerica

World Economic Forum on the Middle East
Dead Sea, Jordan, 15-17 May 2009

Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, challenged the 1,400 participants from 85 countries present to implement the action points that emerged from the Meeting's discussions.

They included:

• Energy – increase conservation; develop alternative energies; use smart grids.
• Youth – with 65% of the Arab world's population under the age of 25, the region must develop this bulge by "providing them with education and developing, retaining and attracting talent," said Samir Brikho, Chief Executive Officer, Amec, United Kingdom, and Co-Chair of the meeting.

Klaus Schwab praised King Abdullah and Queen Rania of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, meeting hosts, for "their commitment, engagement and dedication" to development in the region.

www.weforum.org/middleeast

World Economic Forum on Africa
Cape Town, South Africa, 10-12 June 2009

Despite the difficult financial climate, the 2009 World Economic Forum on Africa brought together more than 900 leaders from over 50 countries highlighting the importance of diverse, multistakeholder dialogue during this time of transition and change.

Participants were generally optimistic about the continent's prospects going forward in the face of the global economic turmoil. Among this year's highlights was the opportunity to meet the South African government a few weeks into its new administration with the active involvement of President Zuma and key members of the cabinet.

With one year to the start of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the Meeting explored the importance of this event for Africa including legacy programmes and infrastructure investment. Participants also had the opportunity to tour Cape Town's Greenpoint Stadium.

www.weforum.org/africa

World Economic Forum on East Asia
Seoul, Republic of Korea, 18-19 June 2009

An extraordinary crisis warrants an equally extraordinary recovery plan.

This meeting of 350 leaders was a prime opportunity for Forum Members and communities to contribute directly to shaping the post-crisis agenda that South Korea will have to push forward when it takes the chair of the G20 in 2010.

The aim is to set efforts to redesign the global economy and the institutions and mechanisms of global governance on the best possible path. –If the economic crisis has told us anything, it is that we need a new framework for collaboration, supervision and crisis management,– Han Seung-Soo, Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea, told participants.

www.weforum.org/eastasia