Global Shapers Community March 2025 Newsletter

Here is everything you need to know this month!

  1. Community Updates
  2. World Economic Forum Events
  3. Impact Opportunities
  4. Community Spotlight

Community Updates

1. Global Shapers Annual Summit 2025

Save the date! The Global Shapers Annual Summit will take place from 9 - 11 July 2025 at the World Economic Forum headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, bringing together over 500 Curators united in their commitment to accelerate values-based leadership. In addition to our in-person event for Curators, we will offer a full virtual program for all community members.

2. Curatorship Elections

Thank you for organizing successful elections and submitting your Curator, Vice-Curator and Impact Officer teams for 2025 - 2026! HQ will validate the results over the coming weeks. New Curatorship teams will begin their mandate on 1 July 2025 and serve until 30 June 2026.

If your hub has not yet done so, submit results ASAP. Hub closures will be initiated early April.

3. Retreats

Hosting a retreat for hubs in your area is a transformative experience that builds credibility for your hub, connects you to inspiring stakeholders in your city and strengthens the bonds you have with fellow hub members and Global Shapers. If your hub wants to host a retreat in 2025, read our retreats guide and submit a request to your Community Champion by 30 April.

4. Monthly Show

Our March live show will stream on 20 March at 11:00 CET on TopLink and LinkedIn. We'll be joined by Chieh Huang, President of the Global Collaboration Village at the World Economic Forum. Chieh leads the Forum’s work to develop and innovate with immersive technology and augmented reality. We're excited for an engaging discussion on how Global Shapers can contribute to the Global Collaboration Village and explore the potential of immersive technology in community-building and impact.

5. SHAPE Highlights

SHAPE MENA brought together 200 changemakers from 50 hubs across 40 countries in February! Hosted by Khobar Hub, the event "Shaping Youth Resilience: Navigating Transformations" featured 20 sessions co-curated by community members with partners UNFPA, Google MENA, and Sync by Ithra. Attendees also embarked on immersive experiences at Al-Ahsa, the world's largest oasis, Al Qarah mountain, and Ithra, Saudi Arabia’s cultural hub.

World Economic Forum Events

6. Annual Meeting of the New Champions

The Forum's Annual Meeting of the New Champions is the foremost global summit on innovation, science and technology, promoting entrepreneurship in the global public interest. The 2025 meeting will take place from 24 - 25 June in Tianjin, People’s Republic of China. Under the theme Entrepreneurship for a New Era, the meeting will gather leaders to explore how entrepreneurship and emerging technology can unlock dynamic and resilient economies.

Each year, select Global Shapers are invited to amplify diverse youth voices and represent the Global Shapers Community. Apply to attend by Sunday 30 March at 23:59 CET.

Impact Opportunities

7. Innovation Prize: collaborate, innovate, and apply now!

Does your Hub have a game-changing idea poised to make a significant impact?

The Global Shapers Innovation Prize is your chance to turn your vision into reality! Through the Innovation Prize, your hub may apply to win prize grants of 5,000-10,000 CHF to accelerate your project, expert mentorship from industry leaders, and in-kind support. Don't miss this chance to drive real change by implementing your solution or scaling your project.

Learn more about the Innovation Prize and apply by 16 March 2025 at 23:59 CET.

8. Future 50 Initiative

Strategic foresight has a major role to play in navigating global complexity. Through the Global Foresight Network, the World Economic Forum is supporting a global community of practice to accelerate and advance the practice of foresight and future-preparedness worldwide.

The Future 50 initiative - a collaboration between the Global Foresight Network, the Global Shapers Community and a team of Global Shapers - is an opportunity for you to learn about intergenerational foresight. Through the program, you will gain the necessary skills to contribute insights on tipping points that are shaping global megatrends and map avenues for intergenerational fairness. Apply to participate by 31 March!

10. Youth & Social Innovation

Are you a young changemaker ready to lead on behalf of the youth community? The Schwab Foundation, in collaboration with the Global Shapers Community, SAP, and Hyundai Motor Group, is launching a new initiative to empower young social innovators.

Selected participants will drive the initiative forward, shaping insights on youth social innovation and leading efforts on financial access, youth representation, and upskilling. They will also attend the Schwab Foundation Summit in Seoul (June 2025) and commit to a year of engagement. Apply by 21 March to be part of this transformative opportunity!

11. McKinsey.org Forward learning program

Whether you are early in your career or navigating change, check out McKinsey.org Forward to help you advance or reskill. It is a free 10-week online learning journey which equips you with practical skills and tools for future success in the workplace and introduces you to a community of learners from around the world. Apply by 22 April!

Community Spotlight

Did you know that 88% of young people consult local stakeholders during the design phase of their projects, and 82% seek feedback after project implementation to ensure their initiatives are impactful and aligned with community needs? Find out more in the Global Shapers Impact Report.

11. The Shaping Disability Summit

The Shaping Disability Summit will take place from 25-27 July 2025 in Chicago, USA. Shaping Disability is an official Global Shapers Community cross-hub initiative. This summit aims to raise awareness and take action to create safe and accessible spaces for Shapers. Participants will leave with knowledge, resources, and an understanding of what accessibility means and looks like in their hub, workplace, school, and other community spaces. Active Shapers and alumni are invited to attend the summit either virtually or in-person.

12. Forum Stories

We believe in a world where young people are central to solution-building, policy-making and lasting change.

CREATED BY
Global Shapers