The Hindu Business Line : Young Global Leaders plans a better tomorrow

A forum of Young Global Leaders (YGL) under the World Economic Forum met an even younger audience of school students to discuss ideas for a better future. CEOs of media houses and international businesses, poets, philanthropists and politicians sat with the children sharing experiences and ideas for a better world.

Members of the YGL forum, in the Capital to attend the India Economic Summit, found out that it wasn't just the students who were learning all the lessons. Mr Prasoon Joshi, Regional Creative Director, South-South East Asia, McCann Erickson, was explaining how individual changes amounted to larger good when it was politicians who finally dictated policies, to one batch of students, Ms Ekta Kapoor, Creative Director of Balaji Telefilms, was defending her style of television programming.

Better informed

"If you want to reach out to a large audience with a message, then you have to say it in a language that they speak," she said, adding, "Preaching doesn't work."

"They (the students) are far better informed than we were," said Mr Malvinder Mohan Singh, CEO, MD of Ranbaxy, who along with Mr Nikhil R. Meswani, Executive Director of Reliance Industries Ltd, Mr Michael Obermayer, MD of WEF, Mr Juan Jose Nieto, of Palmera Capital Services, Spain, and Mr John Bryant of Operation Hope spoke to the young students.

Ms Michelle Guthrie, Chief Executive Officer of the Star Group, and Members of Parliament from Mongolia and Singapore also addressed the children, sharing personal experiences and values of sharing and giving that they held dear. Saudi Arabian poet, Ms Nimah Nawwab, pointed out how lucky Indians were to enjoy the freedom of expression they did.

Each year the YGL forum brings together 200 young leaders and hopes to grow to an influential group of 1,111 members by 2009.