Thought leadership through art, culture and sport
Introduction
The Forum is at a crossroads of a unique network of thinkers, innovators and entrepreneurs whose activities provide a catalyst to Forum members' thinking.
The incorporation of Artists and Cultural Leaders serves two purposes. Firstly, it provides a platform for cultural leaders to advance their social agenda at the highest level. Secondly, given the high profile of the cultural personalities that we target, it helps to raise awareness and draw attention of other decision makers to the issue. It raises the profile of the issue and it provides an opportunity for action.
The aim is to integrate top level cultural leaders, with a proven track record of social activity and impact. This social engagement should be in areas in which the Forum can make a contribution. Sports are a universal language, are increasingly popular and are a very useful tool for economic and social development. The objective is to target sports personalities who are socially committed or politically aware; that have a foundation or a project to bring sports to everyone and contribute to society; are inspirational or motivational to other participants; and have experience in leadership.
World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2011
Browse the ReportSession VideosHighlights from Saturday 29 JanuaryHighlights from Friday 28 JanuaryHighlights from Thursday 27 JanuaryHighlights from Wednesday 26 JanuaryQuotes from Meeting ParticipantsThe Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos-Klosters is perhaps best known to the world at large simply as "Davos". It is much more than a simple get-together of global leaders from many fields in a Swiss ski resort, however.The Annual Meeting provides a rethinking of our systems and exploration of strategies and solutions that have positive transformational implications. For...
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January 26, 2011
Music in Asian Culture
"Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without." -- Confucius
In the family of arts, what role does music play in Asian culture and education today?
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November 23, 2010
The Future of the Global Financial System - Navigating the Challenges Ahead
This report explores the forces that shape the financial services landscape in the near term and provides stakeholders with tools to approach two of the most pressing challenges of the post-crisis world: managing and resolving governments’ newly acquired equity interests in financial institutions and restoring trust in financial institutions.
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November 4, 2010
China and the World: Scenarios to 2025
China's impact on global growth, resource allocation, trade and investment, as well as geopolitical balance, has direct consequences for every part of the planet. The report traces three different scenarios to 2025.Read the Executive Summary of this report.
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November 3, 2010
Global Gender Gap
The Global Gender Gap Report 2012 benchmarks national gender gaps of 135 countries on economic, political, education- and health-based criteria. The Global Gender Gap Index was developed in 2006, partially to address the need for a consistent and comprehensive measure of gender equality that can track a country’s progress over time. The index points to potential role models by revealing those countries that – within their region or income group – are leaders in dividing resources more equitably between women and men than other countries, regardless of the overall level of resources available....
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October 19, 2010
Global Redesign Initiative
The World Economic Forum was founded on the idea of bringing business together with its stakeholders in the belief that common challenges could only be solved together.In the 40 years of the Forum’s history, those challenges – like the Forum itself – have become global.In the aftermath of the economic crisis it’s clear that a return to “business as usual” is not enough.Increased global cooperation is vital for economic recovery and renewal, and in removing barriers the Forum to live up to its commitment to “improve the state of the world”. The only way issues will be positively addressed and...
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October 19, 2010
Sustainability from an Artist's View: Xu Bing
Sustainability from an Artist'S View: Xu BingJoin world-renowned artist Xu Bing in a conversation about his work, philosophy and approach to sustainability.Key Points• The development and sustainability of art is connected to that of society.• The artist’s job is to transform their understanding of society into a visual form.SynopsisXu believes the development of art is closely related to social development. If the latter is rapid, art will also develop rapidly because society makes demands on art. Art must find new spaces in society and bring in new blood. In modern times, the ...
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September 15, 2010
The Role of Art in Modern Society: Asian Perspective
"Being an artist means not having to avert one's eyes."
-- Akira Kurosawa
Join this conversation on the role and meaning of art across Asia from China to India.
Simultaneous interpretation in English, Mandarin Chinese and Japanese
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September 14, 2010
The Co-evolution of Arts and Technology
The Co-evolution of Arts and TechnologyThe arts and technology have shared a symbiotic relationship throughout human history.How are the arts and technology influencing each other in Asia?Key Points• The interplay between art and technology can significantly shape the way people consume, and address the “material obesity” from which many countries now suffer.• With new design, manufacture, logistics and distribution technologies, consumption can actually precede production, with more consumer goods custom-made to order.• On-demand production better serves individual consumer ...
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September 14, 2010
Music for Social Change
Music for Social ChangeExperience some of the best examples of how music can transform societies, unite people and reduce violence.Colombia has been a violent country throughout history and there are deep divisions among different groups of society. However, the country is a musical mine, with different genres sprouting across its geography. Throughout history, music has been one of the few things that unite Colombians of all social classes, races and political ideologies.Music has a therapeutic and transformational power that can help people make bad times better and help some overcome ...
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April 7, 2010
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Lessons on Reconnecting with Children
Diary of a Wimpy Kid, a "book series in cartoons", captured the imagination of a generation of children weaned on television and the Internet.
Join Jeff Kinney to learn how to capture the attention and imagination of children and adolescents in the "online" age
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January 29, 2010
The Art and Science of Imagination
The Art and Science of ImaginationHow do we stimulate, sustain and nurture that most critical of human cognitive capabilities – the ability to imagine?There are as many techniques to summon the muse as there are creative individuals in need of her good graces. For some, insight that arises from intense observation in the context of problem solving is imagination’s wellspring. Others pursue an almost Zen-like trance state, where imagination arrives only when the mind is clear and technique forgotten. Still others find that imagination visits when one transcends the limitations of the human ...
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January 27, 2010
Arts, Culture and the Digital Age
Arts, Culture and the Digital AgeDigital technology, online platforms and mobile devices expand across the world at an incredible pace.How will they impact the production and experience of arts and culture?Key Points• Technology can enhance the experience of art consumers and art conservators alike• Quality content is even more important in the presence of technology, which has merely changed the format but maintained the narrative of the work of art as the essence• Technology has also allowed the content provider to eliminate the gatekeeper and has shrunk the distance ...
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January 27, 2010
World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2010
The theme of the Annual Meeting was Improve the State of the World: Rethink, Redesign, Rebuild. In his opening address, President Nicolas Sarkozy of France said that it would not be possible to emerge from the global economic crisis and protect against future crises if the economic imbalances that are at the root of the problem are not addressed.
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January 27, 2010
Meet the Cultural Leader: Viswanathan Anand, Chess Grand Master
Come and join this session to discover what complexity means for Vishwanathan Anand, Chess Grand Master.
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January 30, 2009
Journeys of Change: The Film-maker
Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, whose movie The Life of Others won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film in 2007, talks about what it took to complete the project that led him to win an Oscar for his first film.
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January 24, 2008
Journeys of Change: The Author
Chris Abani, Nigerian writer, poet and jazz musician, shares his experiences as a young novelist critical of his country's government.
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January 24, 2008
