HM Queen Rania of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, with Young Global Leaders in a school during a visit to celebrate Dignity Day

Our Young Global Leaders (YGL) continue to make a significant contribution to the Forum's communities, programmes and initiatives. With the new class of 2007 joining in January, the community now has over 660 members from 90 different countries. They are drawn from the fields of business, government, civil society, academia and the arts, and are all under the age of 40.

The YGL community has developed several exciting new dimensions, particularly in the areas of leadership, policy insight and regional development. For example, in partnership with Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government, it is launching 'Global Leadership for the 21st Century'. The initiative aims to help YGLs better understand issues of global concern, create a vision for a better future and put forward innovative solutions to translate their vision into immediate action. Supported by David Rubenstein, Managing Director of the Carlyle Group, and William George, author of Authentic Leadership and member of the board of the World Economic Forum USA, the partnership will create one of the world's foremost executive education leadership programmes.

Over 100 YGLs met in Washington DC in April 2007 for the US Policy Roundtable, hosted by Dina Habib Powell, Assistant US Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, and former Jordanian Ambassador to the US, Karim Kawar, President of the Kawar Group of Companies. Key topics included climate change as a priority for the US Government, the increasing importance of public-private partnerships to support foreign diplomacy, and the need for reform of international organizations.

The Young Global Leaders also played active roles at the Forum's regional meetings. YGL Linda Rottenberg, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Endeavor Global, USA, co-chaired the World Economic Forum on the Middle East 2007; and YGL Malvinder M. Singh, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Ranbaxy Laboratories, India, co-chaired the Forum's Africa meeting in Cape Town in June 2007.

Moreover, at the meeting in Santiago de Chile, YGLs worked side by side with beneficiaries and other volunteers to construct two homes in one of Santiago's poorest areas. And at the World Economic Forum on the Middle East in Jordan, YGLs accompanied HM Queen Rania of Jordan on a 'Dignity Day' visit to Al-Jubaiha Secondary School for Girls in Amman.

As well as the above, throughout the year, the Young Global Leaders continued to build the momentum behind task forces in the fields of health, education, global governance and security, and the environment.
 

4m In 2006 the India Business Alliance to Stop TB reached a total of 4 million people with a combination of workplace and community programmes.

The Forum works closely with the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship to showcase successful social innovators who have combined business principles with a public purpose. Together we have created a unique platform upon which these visionary pragmatists can come together with business, public, media and cultural leaders. The aim is to establish concrete initiatives that transform social and environmental challenges and create sustainable livelihoods for the poor and excluded.

Both social entrepreneurs and Forum members have seen significant benefits from this close working relationship. Entrepreneurs have been able to mobilize millions of dollars of investment for their operations, and companies have gained market intelligence, enhanced their brand value and increased their ability to attract and retain talent.

The Foundation searches and selects members of its community in collaboration with media and business partners all over the world. As well as identifying candidates at a global level, the Foundation runs 30 national competitions for the 'Social Entrepreneur of the Year' award. In 2006 the Foundation screened 2,500 candidates and conducted in-depth due diligence site visits on approximately 150 individuals. The winners were selected by national juries drawn from the country's business and thought leaders and went on to join the growing community of Schwab Foundation social entrepreneurs.

The World Economic Forum has the ability to convene the very best leaders and share the best ideas to overcome the hurdles that currently restrict the impact that entrepreneurs have on their communities. Linda Rottenberg Co-Founder and CEO, Endeavor Global, USA

Civil society organizations continue to occupy a central position within the Forum's multistakeholder platform. The unique expertise and far-reaching influence of these groups, which include NGOs, labour unions, religious communities and philanthropic foundations, make them valuable collaborators in many of our initiatives and programmes.

At both the Annual Meeting and our regional meetings, leaders of major civil society organizations played significant roles in helping to define the global and regional agendas.

NGOs remain particularly active in Forum work-streams and multistakeholder partnership projects. They bring their specialist knowledge and experience to bear on a number of key topics, including education, the environment and humanitarian relief.
 

Faculty members contribute to the identification of issues and development of content for regional events and the Annual Meeting; participate in discussions at our events; and assist in workshops, Governors Meetings and Industry Partners activities.

The activities of the Global Competitiveness Network, the Global Risk Network and Business Insight/Strategic Planning also benefit greatly from the support of the Forum Faculty.