My first Davos: Am I missing something?

It feels great to be a social entrepreneur of the Schwab Foundation. Among many other benefits, Schwab Foundation offers an opportunity to a limited number of its members to attend the most dynamic forum in the world – the Davos Forum. As I was one of the “lucky” ones I can say that the Davos Forum has profoundly influenced the way I see the world around me.
 
Forum is hosting over 2500 participants from all over the world. They are all here to make their contribution to “improving the state of the world”. And my impression after four days here is that they really are trying to do their best, despite all difficulties and complexities they are facing at home and globally. What truly is amazing for someone like me is that you see that these committed world leaders have a more human side than one would conclude from earlier media reports. Just as an illustration, the “tough guy” like president Medvedev actually smiled for a moment while trying to anticipate what will be the next leak on Russia on WikyLeaks. And leaders like Sarkozy and Merkel sounded like a brother and sister, even though they spoke from different panels. During the first day I was surprised to run into people like Kofi Annan or Richard Quest just while having a coffee or taking the elevator. Days later it was no longer a surprise as I ran into Bono, Gates, presidents and royalties. Davos is about that mixture of different people in a set up that enables exchange among people like myself and policy makers around the whole world.
 
The Forum offers an amazing variety of different topics: global markets, development, health, environment, risks, innovation, children, and education. As I am interested in many different topics, I tried to attend those that hosted most prominent and influential global leaders. And I was not wrong: I just a few days I learned about the status of the world and got a much better impression on where the world is moving towards and where Bosnia stands in regards to that. I really enjoyed the discussions but I constantly had a feeling that I am missing something: maybe there is a session that I should attend or a person that I should meet, but I am not aware of that? There are so many things going on at the same time…. Am I missing something important?
 
Now, just before the end of the Forum, as I write these lines, I feel a growing frustration and discontent about how politics and business are conducted in my country. Obviously, from many discussions here, these can be done much, much better. As I was the only participant from the Balkans I wish there was someone else from my region to discuss this with, to seek for solutions that can be done within the realities of my region. Still, I will take my impressions and share them with a number of colleagues and media in Bosnia who expressed interest in learning more about the Forum. And, as a social entrepreneur, I will think of innovative ways and will work towards “improving the state” of Bosnia and the Balkans.
 
Let me finish this blog with many thanks to our host, the Schwab Foundation, its dedicated and kind members, who gave their best to make us social entrepreneurs feel well at the Forum. I understand now why they insisted so much in preparing ourselves for the meeting, in setting individual objectives and expectations of the Forum. I can say that I did reach most of my pre-Davos set objectives, however,  these kept growing with each new panel or contact established during informal times. I will need a lot o time to process my impression of Davos.
 
Thank you Davos, thank you Schwab Foundation, and thank you colleagues social entrepreneurs who made this an amazing and enriching experience.

Zoran Puljic 

 

Editors Note
Zoran Puljic, Director, Mozaik Foundation, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Regional Social Entrepreneur of the Year, Central and Eastern Europe, 2009

Mozaik Social Enterprise helps citizens in Bosnia and Herzegovina organize and advance their communities by providing financial and advisory assistance.