Summit on the Global Agenda
Dubai, United Arab Emirates 7-9 November 2008

Arabic (PDF)

The Summit on the Global Agenda is a new, unique gathering of the world’s most influential thinkers – leaders from academia, business, government and society. Its purpose is to advance solutions to the most critical challenges facing humanity. This inaugural Summit of the members of the Forum’s Global Agenda Councils, the world's foremost intelligence and knowledge network, was held in partnership with the Government of Dubai on 7-9 November.

Sunday 9 November

 Watch the Closing Plenary webcast I Watch the highlights video

“Biggest ever brainstorming on the global agenda” ends with call for “fundamental reboot’
The world needs to examine the basic operating systems that drive its economies, markets and societies and aim for a “fundamental reboot” to establish a fresh platform based on renewed confidence and trust, and on sustainability, responsibility and ethical principles. That was the over-arching message that 700 of the world’s top thought leaders from business, government, academia and civil society delivered at the end of the inaugural Summit on the Global Agenda, convened by the World Economic Forum in partnership with the Government of Dubai.
Press release I Discussion Highlights I Discussion Overview

Read the Discussion Highlights of the Global Agenda Councils
The World Economic Forum has conducted the biggest brainstorming on the global agenda which has ever taken place, assembling in Dubai the 700 most knowledgeable people related to 68 global challenges. The Discussion Highlights capture the most important insights from Council discussions at the Summit on the Global Agenda.
Discussion Highlights

Saturday 8 November

G20 and new US administration critical for leadership on finance reform
Finance experts at the World Economic Forum’s inaugural Summit on the Global Agenda said that next week’s G20 summit in Washington DC on the global financial crisis and the coming into office in January of a new US president will provide fresh impetus for reshaping the international financial architecture. “One clear message from our discussions here for the G20 is that governments must in no sense drop their guard at this point,” said Howard Davies, Director, London School of Economics and Political Science, United Kingdom, and a former Chairman of the UK’s Financial Services Authority.
Press release I Press release (Arabic)

H.H. Sheikh Mohammed addresses Summit on the Global Agenda   
H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, Ruler of Dubai, told participants at the World Economic Forum’s Summit on the Global Agenda that the economic crisis highlights a need for global governmental involvement to protect the interests of the economy and the public. H.H. Sheikh Mohammed was speaking on the opening day of a unique and timely gathering of the world’s 700 most innovative and relevant minds from academia, business, government and civil society from around the world - the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Councils.
Press release I Global Agenda Councils I Plenary webcast I H.H. Sheikh Mohammed's speech: English I Arabic I Photos

 
Friday 7 November

Summit on the global agenda opens in Dubai – aims to shape the ‘post-crisis world’
The World Economic Forum opened the inaugural Summit on the Global Agenda in Dubai today. The Summit is a unique and timely gathering of the world’s 700 most innovative and relevant minds – leaders from academia, business, government and civil society from around the world. Organized by the Forum’s Network of Global Agenda Councils, the Summit provides a platform to share ideas and collaboratively address some of the key issues on the global agenda – with the aim of laying out solutions to some of the most pressing issues.
Press release I Global Agenda Councils I Plenary webcast

Co-Chair

Mohamed Alabbar, Chairman, Emaar Properties, United Arab Emirates

Global Agenda Councils
To further its mission and strategic vision, the World Economic Forum has created the Global Agenda Councils, which are multistakeholder groups of the most innovative and relevant minds, for the purpose of advancing knowledge and collaboratively exploring solutions to the most important issues in the global arena.

Quotes

“You cannot turn off the fuel of this crisis easily…the big hope is that the G20 meeting will give us a destination of where this journey will lead to.”
Mohamed A. El-Erian, CEO, PIMCO

"This crisis has proved that the economy is truly global – and whatever happens in the USA or China will ultimately affect all global markets. It has also proven the importance of interference and assistance of governments in some cases – such as in this case, where a bad situation was prevented from becoming a disaster, and governments proved they looked after the interests of their citizens."
H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, Ruler of Dubai

“Dubai is the perfect place for such a historic meeting, which comes at a time when the world is facing challenges that have no parallel. As a city, we are global in character and have always been forward looking. The topics under deliberation at this Summit have a far-reaching impact on the way governments function, businesses are conducted and people meet everyday challenges. The Dubai Summit can thus pave the way for a new era of global socio-economic progress.”
Mohamed Alabbar, Chairman, Emaar Properties, United Arab Emirates

"The way in which we manage this crisis will have a lasting effect on the global economy. We could have very bad ideas and those bad ideas to confront the crisis could have lasting and costly consequences for years to come. We could have good ideas that are implemented well and when we overcome the short-term crisis, we would then be in a better position to confront the future than we were in before the crisis."
Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de Leon, Director, Yale Center for the Study of Globalization, Yale University, USA

Contact
gac@weforum.org