DR PEKKA PUSKA TO CHAIR THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM’S GLOBAL AGENDA COUNCIL ON CHRONIC DISEASE AND MALNUTRITION

Dr Pekka Puska, incoming World Heart Federation President 2009, has been invited to Chair the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Chronic Disease and Malnutrition. This council will convene 15–30 of the most innovative and relevant minds to capture the best knowledge and integrate it into global collaboration and decision-making processes.

Network of Global Agenda Councils

The Council on Chronic Disease and Malnutrition is among a network of Global Agenda Councils that are being set up by the World Economic Forum. They are intended to serve the global community as interdisciplinary and multistakeholder bodies of leading experts that monitor key global challenges, explore possible solutions and act as a quick response force to provide insights in the event of a crisis or an opportunity. Interactions among the various Global Agenda Councils will take place to ensure that interlinkages between global issues are fully explored. The network will also act as an advisory board to the World Economic Forum and its decision makers and opinion leaders, and will help shape the agenda of future initiatives and events.   

Challenges to be addressed by the Council on Chronic Disease and Malnutrition

The aim of this council, under the leadership of Dr Puska, is to define priorities, monitor trends, map interrelationships and address knowledge gaps. As well as to propose solutions, devise strategies and evaluate the effectiveness of actions using measurable benchmarks. The Council will help to shape the global agenda by bringing together the foremost minds and networks on key issues. The World Economic Forum stated: “Our members recognise that the dual burden of chronic disease and malnutrition is a critical social and economic challenge which requires collaborative innovation. We are delighted that Pekka Puska will be leading this important endeavour and look forward to working with him”.

Interacting with Council members

The activities of the Global Agenda Councils will be structured around four quarterly meetings, three of which will be carried out virtually, with the fourth being a physical meeting during the Summit on the Global Agenda, being held in Dubai from 7-9 November 2009. This summit is designed to bring together members of the Global Agenda Councils for the shared purpose of confronting the most important and urgent global challenges.

Network of Global Agenda Councils set up by the World Economic Forum

Global Challenges

1.      Demographic Shifts
2.      Migration
3.      Urban Management
4.      Gender Gap
5.      Skills Gap
6.      Climate Change
7.      Alternative Energies
8.      Water Security
9.      Biodiversity and Ecosystem Degradation
10.    Mitigation of Natural Disasters
11.    Food Security
12.    Economic Imbalances
13.    Systemic Financial Risk
14.    Global Trade Regime
15.    Global Capital Flows
16.    Financial Empowerment
17.    Economic Growth and Development
18.    Trade Facilitation
19.    Global Governance
20.    Energy Security
21.    Corruption
22.    Illicit Trade
23.    Terrorism, Proliferation and Weapons of Mass Destruction
24.    Corporate Governance
25.    Humanitarian Assistance
26.    Fragile States
27.    International Legal System
28.    Welfare of Children
29.    Technology and Education
30.    Healthcare System
31.    HIV/AIDS
32.    Challenges of Gerontology
33.    Pandemics
34.    Chronic Diseases and Malnutrition
35.    Challenges of Nanotechnology
36.    Human Equality and Respect
37.    Islam-West dialogue
38.    Negotiation and Conflict Resolution
39.    Empowering Youth*

Note: * indicates that nominations for the Council are in process