The G20 Think Tank Summit in Berlin: Global Solutions for the G20

The Think 20 (T20) Summit GLOBAL SOLUTIONS will bring together international think tank experts with policy makers and leaders from business and civil society. It will be held at the European School of Management and Technology (ESMT) on 29 and 30 May in Berlin.

The Think 20 are mandated by the 2017 German presidency of the Group of Twenty (G20). The G20 think tank network is called upon to identify and collect the most relevant insights from the world’s leading think tanks to provide research-based solution proposals. The summit addresses the key global issues such as financial resilience, sustainable development, migration, climate change and digitalisation.

The summit will be chaired by Dennis J. SNOWER, President of the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW), and Dirk MESSNER, Director of the German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE), who co-chair the T20 think tank engagement group for the German G20 presidency. The summit also draws on the excellent intellectual network of the Global Economic Symposium (GES), which comprises some of the finest thinkers on global issues, including Nobel Laureates as well as leading representatives of the Managing Global Governance Network from Brazil, India, China, Indonesia, Mexico and South Africa.

Confirmed T20 summit speakers include George AKERLOF (Georgetown University, Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences), Peter ALTMAIER (Head of Federal Chancellery, Germany), Barbara HENDRICKS (Minister for Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, Germany), Ylva JOHANSSON (Minister for Employment and Integration, Sweden), Pascal LAMY (Former President World Trade Organization), Irene NATIVIDAD (President Global Summit of Women), Günther OETTINGER (EU Commissioner for Budget & Human Resources ), Edmund Strother PHELPS (Columbia University, Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences), Viviane REDING (Member of the European Parliament and former EU Commissioner), Jeffrey SACHS (UN Special Advisor on the Millennium Development Goals) and Michael SPENCE (NYU Stern School of Business, Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences).

Dirk MESSNER, Director, German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE):

“‘Our country first’-movements are threatening stability, wealth and peace in our interdependent world. The international Think20 network of world class think tanks aims at supporting the G20 in solving global problems. Joint knowledge creation of thought leaders from all G20 countries might create good ideas and could create legitimacy for joint action.”

Dennis J. SNOWER, President, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW):

“In 2017 the Think20 aims to support the German G20 Presidency in addressing the interconnected global problems that the world currently faces. These require multilateral agreements and norms. It will be challenging, but vitally important, to pursue this course among countries that have turned more nationalistic and intent on bilateral negotiations.”

With a special scholarship programme called ‘Young Global Changers’, the summit will bring outstanding individuals with a passion for change from all around the globe to the summit: early-career researchers, entrepreneurs, technology experts, social volunteers and journalists. Scholarship recipients will get a unique opportunity to attend the conference, meet Nobel Laureates, pitch their ideas and projects to renowned experts of world-leading think tanks and get involved in the T20 process. They will take part in a number of high-level side events and become part of an exclusive network of like-minded professionals.

Important information for media:

Details for accreditation will be released soon. If you would already like to indicate your interest in the summit, you may do so via press@global-solutions.international. Further details will be sent to you as soon as possible.

You may also check the following resources:

Visit www.global-solutions-initiative.org for information on the summit and the scholarship programme, www.g20-insights.org contains policy briefs and information on the T20 process.

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