Message from The Secretary General 2019

Dear Delegates,

Welcome to the 2019 World Youth Economic Forum! This conference presents an opportunity like no other, assembling a team of hundreds of young leaders from across the globe to address the most pressing economic issues of the modern day. This will be my fourth year to attend the conference, but each year I continue to be amazed at the level of intellect, passion, and insight shown by all participants. I am beyond excited to see what 2019’s conference will bring and hope that you are looking forward to this coming summer as much as I am.

The theme of this year’s conference is “The Puzzle of Global Economic Transformation: Uncovering the Missing Pieces,” which happens to closely echo the theme of the 2019 World Economic Forum. To me, the fact that the most prominent figures in economics and business chose this particular lens through which to review the current economic landscape confirms just how important and relevant this theme is to the modern economic dialogue. The propagation of globalization, the constant churn of technological innovation, and the rise of new age politics are the epicenters of economic change that has been felt in all corners of the globe. However, such rapid and intense changes have left world leaders, economists, and civilians alike grappling for solutions that are far from self-evident. Problems are now so nuanced that courses of action that seem to be solutions when viewed from one particular perspective can mutate into serious detriments when considered holistically. The struggle to identify solutions that are universally and immutably beneficial, assuming that those even exist, is highly similar to that of attempting a jigsaw puzzle while key pieces are missing. I hope that as you prepare for the conference, you keep this larger context in mind and evaluate how your ideas and proposals will impact the solutions to, not only the problems of today or the problems of a particular country or region but also the problems of tomorrow and the problems of the world as a whole.

It is my hope that during the conference, you will be stretched intellectually to consider perspectives that directly challenge your own and that you will be enriched personally by engaging in lively conversations with peers, whom on a surface level, seem entirely different from you. We have much to learn from and share with each other, I look forward to meeting you all in Shanghai and embarking upon what will surely be an unforgettable experience together!

Warmly,

Elizabeth Liu

Secretary-General, World Youth Economic Forum 2019