WEF’s Global Shapers Community Invites Youth to Address Kochi’s Issues

KOCHI:
Kochi gets a unique chance to present to the world its pressing problems and seek their solutions, as a pioneering trans-continental network of youth working to address regional as well as global challenges has included Kerala’s most cosmopolitan city in its map.

The Global Shapers Community (GSC) has called for applications from people below 30 years of age, asking them to specify the “most important issue Kochi is facing today” and suggest ways they can contribute to the mission that has taken shape from the World Economic Forum (WEF).

The applications in English can be filled online in a form by clicking bit.ly/GlobalShapersKochi, according to Arun Nair of GSC, which has 8,900 members spanning across 414 city-based hubs in 153 countries. “One can send us the CV and a video message of no more than two minutes. The last date is March 10,” he reveals.

The short list will be announced on March 22, and those making it will be called for a personal interview at Kochi before April 21. The final result will be out on April 30.

WEF, as a 1971-founded NGO headquartered in Geneva with membership made up of the world’s largest corporations, works to improve the state of the world by engaging business, political, academic and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas.

Noting that the world today has its largest population of youth ever, Nair notes there is an “unprecedented opportunity” for young people to take an active role in shaping the future of their surroundings. “This generation has inherited enormous global challenges, but has the ability to confront the status quo and offer youth-led solutions for change,” he adds.

As for the applications, content matters more than the technical and artistic quality of the video, points out Nair. “You can shoot a quick video with your phone or webcam.”

Covering urban subjects such as civic sense, basic infrastructure development, waste management, safe drinking water, global warming and climate change, brain drain and creating opportunities for human resource besides helping governments of public policy and strategy, the GSC has teams of shapers in cities creating projects that address the needs of their community.

The projects are wide-ranging: from responding to disasters and combating poverty, to fighting climate change and building inclusive communities. “The shapers are diverse in expertise, education, income and race, but are united by their desire to bring about change,” points out Nair.

Overall, the shapers look for opportunities to have impact on a global scale by joining forces with other hubs. They represent a network of peers connected through technology, events and joint projects. Each year, hundreds of hub leaders (known as curators) come together to showcase the work of their hub and strengthen relationships across communities.

On the regional level, the events are designed and led by shapers to encourage collaboration, share expertise and explore community solutions.