Our CEO Forest Whitaker is on his way to Durban where he is scheduled to contribute to the World Economic Forum (Africa) on Africa on 4-5 May 2017. The invitation to the WEF Africa echoes Forest Whitaker’s participation in the WEF held in Davos last January, when he was awarded the 2017 Crystal Awards in recognition of the leadership in peacebuilding and conflict-resolution he has demonstrated throughout the years, notably by empowering youth as leaders and entrepreneurs in communities touched by violence and poverty.
The WEF Africa 2017 is the latest edition of this regional rendezvous, which espouses the same philosophy as the global forum organized yearly in Davos, namely the belief that progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive and the influence to make positive change. In that spirit, the meeting will convene regional and global leaders from business, government and civil society to agree on priorities that will help Africa achieve inclusive growth. Indeed, events in Africa and across the world have demonstrated a need for leaders to be responsive to the demands of the people who have entrusted them to lead, and to also provide a vision and a way forward.
Based on his roles as CEO of the Whitaker Peace & Development initiative (WPDI), UNESCO Special Envoy for Peace and Reconciliation and UN Advocate for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Mr. Whitaker will take part in a number of sessions and events to present his work and share his views. He will notably participate in a panel discussion on fragile States and vulnerable communities on May 4 at 8am and a roundtable on “How can new technologies expand access to education?” on May 5 at 10am.
More information and live webcast are available on the web page of the WEF Africa 2017:https://www.weforum.org/events/world-economic-forum-on-africa-2017.
A blog post by Mr. Whitaker on “How young people can break the cycle of violence” is also available on the WEF website at https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/05/peace-starts-with-a-sense-of-purpose.