Written by Kristine Pearson
The World Economic Forum (WEF) attracts its fair share of criticism, I suspect by those who’ve never attended. You get out of an event like this what you put into it. One scarce commodity is time. Days packed with meals, sessions, receptions, networking events, hallway conversations and workshops leave little time to write. On the 2nd and 3rd day of the Forum, I attended an Energy Poverty Action committee meeting which is tasked with bringing grid electricity to poor countries. I was the sole civil society voice. This reminded me a bit of the 1894 Berlin conference when the Colonial powers carved up Africa.
President Jacob Zuma at WEF
Other sessions I attended included an update on the Millennium Development Goals moderated by Lord Malloch Brown, panelists consisted of Jeffrey Sachs, Bill Gates, Morgan Tsvangirai and Helen Clark. This was a joint creative session between the Technology Pioneers and the Social Entrepreneurs. I also attended an update on Haiti led by former US President, Bill Clinton and a South African lunch hosted by President Jacob Zuma.
Bill Clinton speaking at WEF
Setting the Stage for the Girl Effect was NY Times Columnist Nic Krystof and Melinda Gates – a reception for women leaders followed by a sensational dinner for women leaders moderated by the effervescent Rosabeth Moss Kanter and the charming Ariana Huffington.
Its Friday night, my muscles ache and my feet are sore, by brain is in overdrive and there’s another day and a half to go. Great, can’t wait! Tomorrow is South Africa’s day as we host the big soiree on Saturday night .
