Principal Suzanne Fortier is in Davos, Switzerland to take part in the 2020 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting. The Meeting is taking place from January 21–24.
Some 3,000 participants are in attendance, including representatives from government, international organizations, business, civil society, media, culture, as well as some of the foremost experts and young people from all over the world.
“The world is facing a series of complex, interconnected challenges. The best way to address these issues is through the collaboration of people with diverse and wide-ranging expertise,” says Principal Fortier. “The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting provides a unique opportunity for such collaboration. The discussions and debates that take place in hallways and lobbies are often as fruitful as the formal sessions.”
Under the theme, Stakeholders for a Cohesive and Sustainable World, participants have been tasked to give concrete meaning to “stakeholder capitalism”; assist governments and international institutions in tracking progress towards the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals; and facilitate discussions on technology and trade governance.
Principal Fortier serves as the Chair of the Global University Leaders Forum (GULF), with Farnam Jahanian, President, Carnegie Mellon University, USA, sitting as Vice-Chair. Created in 2006, GULF is comprised of some of the top 29 universities in the world, with McGill standing as the only Canadian member. McGill has been a member of GULF since 2016.
GULF has two major roles, acting as a community to address educational, scientific and research agendas, and as an advisory body providing intellectual stewardship to the World Economic Forum. GULF also aims to foster collaboration between universities in areas of significance for global policy.
On Thursday, January 23, Principal Fortier will participate in a livestreamed session from the media village. Today in Davos asks leaders from business, government and civil society what are the key insights and major initiatives coming from the Annual Meeting 2020. The session will be livestreamed here from 11:15 to 11:45 am (EST)