Every year the World Economic Forum, also known as Davos, selects a crop of 200 to 300 Young Global Leaders of Tomorrow. “Extraordinary” people all, they’re supposed to work together on global problems, using their knowledge and energy to make the world a better place. Drawn from the business, academic, non-profit, arts and media worlds, they meet at biannual summits, plus other Forum events, and collaborate on various initiatives. They network.
I have no idea what actual good comes of this. But I thought it would be interesting to see who from the arts made the 2009 list, which was announced last month. It has 230 names; from the arts come…
- Shen Wei, founder of Shen Wei Dance Arts, China
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Zhang Ziyi, actress, China - Huei Min Lee (right), violinist, Singapore
- Chris Martin, Lead singer/guitarist, Coldplay, UK
- Gustavo Dudamel, Music Director, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Venezuela
- Jonathan Harris, Artist/Storyteller, Number27.org, USA
- Brent Stirton, senior photographer, Getty Images, USA
- And…no one
That’s it — seven out of 230 from the arts. If you stretch the definition of arts, you could include a TV production company exec, a sportswriter, a textile/clothes designer and a documentarian focused on social change in the Mideast.
Why so few? It seems to me this is a commentary on the lip service given to the importance of the arts that somehow never makes it past that.
Read the whole list here.
Photo credit: Courtesy Min-Lee.com