Summit on the global agenda opens in Dubai

The Summit is a unique and timely gathering of the world's 700 most innovative and relevant minds - leaders from academia, business, government and society from around the world. Organized in the Forum's Network of Global Agenda Councils participants will 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.

Over the next three days more than sixty separate Councils will address issues of global importance with the aim of becoming a 'brains trust' for solving major international problems. More than forty councils will address global challenges ranging from Climate Change and Financial Instability and from Failing States to Religious Extremism. Other councils will deal with industry issues including the future of the internet and the media industry. Other councils will tackle regional and specific country issues whilst "expertise" councils will deal with issues such as "design", "sport in society" and "philanthropy". Each will address issues in their particular filed of expertise but will also come together over the three days to create a formidable problem solving network.

Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, Klaus Schwab will officially open the meeting this evening with H H Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai.

"This is an exciting and an historic venture, made more timely by recent events," said Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum.

"The challenges faced by the world today are more complex; more interrelated, more intractable than ever before. Confronting these global challenges requires collaborative thinking, creative solutions and, most importantly, a systematic approach to implementation. These Global Ggenda Councils and their deliberations will provide a 21st century approach to dealing with the issues that face us all from systematic financial risk to climate change. What we need now is entirely new global-cooperation system, and I firmly believe that these Global Agenda Councils and the Meeting on the Global Agenda here in Dubai can begin to build the foundations for such a system,"

he added.

At the opening press conference Professor Schwab was joined by Mohamed Alabbar, Member of the Dubai Executive Council and Chairman of Emaar Properties - who outlined the cooperation between Dubai and the World Economic Forum to bring about this inaugural meeting.

"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," said Mr Alabbar.

The meeting will see participants from more than 60 nationalities integrated from around the world - with thought leaders from the Arab world well represented among the Councils. The outcomes of this meeting will also be presented at the World Economic Forum Annual meeting 2009 in Davos-Klosters for further discussion and action and will help to mould the programme. The theme of the Annual Meeting was recently released along with the program - participants there will come together under the theme 'Shaping the Post-Crisis World." Much of the program of that Meeting, and particularly the first day will be taken up with addressing the outcomes of the Dubai meeting.