Like any community that recognizes isolated change agents who join forces, this is how the Global Shapers Community was born, a network of young volunteer leaders of the World Economic Forum (WEF) that brings together more than 14,000 people from 150 countries. Created in 2011 by WEF founder and executive chairman Professor Klaus Schwab, this initiative sought to empower young people to tackle local challenges with the support of experts, peers and allies who help make their voices heard and take their place. corresponds to solving issues of the greatest social interest.

Important questions

This year 2023, a new meeting of curators or heads of their centers in 500 cities around the world was held at the WEF headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, an event that also brought together the social innovators of the “Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship” to share perspectives and experienced insight into how local action affects the global level. The theme of the meeting was “Leading with Purpose” and aimed to strengthen values-based leadership to promote genuine social change with a global mission to combat economic insecurity, social inequality and the climate crisis.

Thanks to the WEF, the voice of young leaders as “global shapers” is already being heard and is part of official reports to get political leaders to take action on issues that matter to us, but mainly to give us all the tools we need and lead. In the words exclusively addressed to us by Professor Schwab (who founded the WEF in 1971 at the age of 33), in the changing world we live in, we need direction, to have a mission that adjusts its goal from time to time, to have a multidisciplinary profile which connects several branches, to have the passion to achieve success even if it happens by chance and, above all, to be able to put an idea into action.

female leadership

“Global shapers” are leaders in different fields, we develop social projects and work together among member countries in the following areas of influence: creating inclusive communities, retraining for the future, improving health and well-being, meeting basic needs, protecting the planet and strengthening civic commitment. In 2020, Guayaquil achieved global visibility by developing a project that countered disinformation at the beginning of the pandemic (InfoConfiable EC) and another for free professional training that was televised to the most remote places in Ecuador (Inecem Masterclass). With the support of Épico – the city’s public company for the management of innovation and competitiveness, the College of Physicians of Guayas, the research and development subsystem of the Catholic University of Santiago de Guayaquil and several allies, we have been able to position Guayaquil among the cities that are the most active members of the global community, showing that innovation, collaboration and digital transformation are part of us. Intersectoral cooperation in areas of global interest invites us to see ourselves as protagonists of local, national and regional well-being. It is possible to be competitive. (OR)