The World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of Global Future Councils came to a close
in Dubai this week.
At the center of the world's largest brainstorming event was the future and the fourth industrial
revolution.
Our Moon Connyoung sent this special feature piece from Dubai.
Dubai.
If you came to Dubai a few decades ago, sand is all you would have gotten.
Then in a matter of years, amazing things happened.
"Dividing the largest city in UAE into two commercial districts, this Dubai Creek epitomizes
the city's personality.
The magnificent sophistication of the 21st century walking hand in hand with these ancient
abras.... traditional wooden boats used for centuries as a means of transport."
"In the span of just twenty years Dubai turned from desert into a jaw dropping oasis of stone,
marble, concrete, glass and roar excitement.
The bolder and wackier the idea the more likely it was to be accepted.
For instance, the Burj Khalifa Tower right behind me... is the tallest structure in the
world standing at almost 830 meters off the ground.
Bringing Burj Khalifa to life required a combination of visionary ideals and solid science...
with an eye on the future."
"So, it's really no wonder that the World Economic Forum's inaugural meeting focused
future-preparedness is taking place right here in Dubai."
The Network of Global Future Councils is a new community launched by the World Economic
Forum to provide insight and vision to tackle some of the world's most critical global challenges
and help prepare governments, businesses and communities for the arrival of the Fourth
Industrial Revolution.
"So the beauty of this meeting is the mandate, their role of the councils is in the wider
organiztion, the wider community is to help us contribute to our neighborhood to bring
about solid, systemic change."
Lee Howell, Managing Director of the World Economic Forum, is the main architect of this
unique discussions platform.
He says with a two-year mandate, the role of the councils is to contribute analysis
and generate ideas so that knowledge captured here are directly channelled into projects
to prepare for the future.
The key question?
"How do we become more prepared?
How do we actually anticipate and not be surprised about these changes?
First is to get the relevant experts from all walks of life to actually give a better
picture not just today but of the future or anticipate that so that we can go from the
diagnosis, sort of a prognosis and then to possibly prescription on how to better prepare
for this."
Lee Sang-yup is co-chairing one of the 35 councils - the Council on Future of Biotechnology.
A world-renowned chemical and biomolecular engineer and distinguished professor at the
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Lee is excited about the plethora of ideas
exchanged under his moderation.
"Our council will address this issue in multidimensional metrix mode.
So, one axis will be what.
What here means climate change we have to address, food for everybody in all 9-point-7
billion people, healthcare, chronic diseases, neurological disorders etc.
A lot of these what issues will be mapped with enabling subtechnologies of biotech.
That is how."
So, that is metabolic engineering to address climate change, gene editing for some of the
genetic diseases and food production...
to name a few.
"Then we're going to map with what, how, when, where, who, and why.
We came up with a platform to think about.
We're going to humbly suggest things to consider by the other experts, government, public and
all the other stakeholders."
And, how do you do that?
How do you share the thoughts and ideas discussed among council members here at this forum in
this magnificent resort in Dubai with the rest of the world?
Again, advanced technology.
"This is in your hub, and what you're seeing here is some of the experts being invited
to speak live on Facebook.
"So in any given moment, you're literally having thousands, tens and thousands of people
exposed to the idea real time here.
That's not possible,… was not possible a few years ago."
"The fourth industrial revolution has become to many of us a reality.
We actually feel and experience in our everyday lives.
How has your discussion evolved over the past few years?"
"We humans, we are the ones that direct the fourth industrial revolution, we've called
it that.
We have the power to call it something else.
we have the power to move it in another direction.
This is not about adapting to a new reality, it's about shaping the future reality."
And, shaping the future of reality with a sense of stewardship.
With a sense of stewardship... as more than seven hundred of the world's leading minds
here in 2016 today are committed to doing.
Making decisions, not just for the most pressing and urgent issues, but making decisions with
the future generation in mind.
A responsive and responsible leadership in practice.
Moon Conn-young, Arirang News, Dubai.