By Gina Panayiotou, ESG Manager, West.
In a setting best suited for a Hallmark Christmas movie, it is fascinating how this snowy little town in the Swiss Alps transforms into a high-level decision-making hub, attracting more than 60 heads of state, 800 CEOs and 1600 companies, to discuss the most pressing issues influencing the global economy.
A home to through leadership, diversity and inspiration, beyond the walls of the congress centre, lies an array of side-events and company, government and organization houses which cater for the “Davos buzz,” created during the course of the week. A heavy focus of most events was AI, blockchain, crypto, green climate, innovation and start-ups. There were also a great representation of event and houses which are working on SDG5: gender equality, such as the Equality Lounge, hosted by the Female Quotient, the presence of the 100 Women@Davos Community, the Women Who Lead Cocktail Hour by Bloomberg featuring H.M. Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive finance, government, advocacy and philanthropy and the stellar equality moonshot day by the World Women Foundation – amongst many others!
Personal highlight of the week was the Ocean Race high-level roundtable hosted by Dr. Dionysia-Theodora Avgerinopoulou, Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for the Ocean & Our Ocean Conference 2024 Coordinator, at Greek House Davos. The event was held in an effort to highlight the important role of the ocean for economic prosperity in the world, leading up to the Our Oceans Conference 2024* which will be hosted in Athens, Greece during April 15-17, aiming to give the ocean the “voice” it deserves.
The discussion brought together some of the top influencers in the ocean sector such as John Kerry, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, H.E. Peter William Thomson, UN Secretary General Special Envoy for the Oceans and Alfredo Giron, Head of the World Economic Forum’s Ocean Action Agenda. Speakers also included Jim Rowan, CEO & President of Volvo Cars and the Chairman of the Ocean Race, Richard Brisius, in an effort to promote positive change in ocean protection and restoration.
John Kerry’s opening remarks “If the oceans is hurt, we are hurt as an economy” sums up the key message of the roundtable and the reason and purpose of why ocean health is paramount for a sustainable future.
*The Our Ocean Conference, will be hosted for the 9th time this year and is aimed at raising awareness, fostering innovation and finding solutions for ocean health, as a key contributor to human existence. This year’s conference will take place at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation and the agenda will cover a diverse range of issues from Marine Protected Areas, Sustainable Blue Economies, Climate Change, Maritime Security, Sustainable Fisheries, Marine Pollution and Green Shipping and the overall Green Transition, will also be playing an important part in the agenda. More details can be found here: https://ourocean2024.gov.gr/
