The St. Gallen Symposium was conceived in 1969 as a neutral platform for the exchange of ideas on social issues. It is an annual event in which 600 business leaders, politicians and scientists, 100 members of the media, and 200 students from across the world convene to discuss issues of global concern.
Of the 600 business, political and other leaders who will be attending the 2006 Symposium, some of the speakers will include: Keiichiro Asao – Member of the House of Councillors, Tokyo; Paul S. Atkins – Commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission (pictured to the left); Daniel Borel – Chairman of Logitech International SA, Romanel-sur-Morges; James Carter – Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy, U.S. Department of the Treasury; Thomas Hoehn – Partner, Head of Economics Europe, PricewaterhouseCoopers, London; James Carter – Deputy Asst Secretary for Economic Policy, U.S. Dept of the Treasury; Prof. Dr. Danuta Hubner – Commissioner for Regional Policy, European Commission; Jiang Yao – District Mayor, Shanghai Qingpu District People’s Government; and Kamal Nath – Minister of Commerce and Industry of India, New Delhi.
Each year’s Symposium is planned and organized by the International Students’ Committee (ISC). The ISC comprises approximately 25 students from the University of St. Gallen and Harvard University, and is overseen and advised by the St. Gallen Foundation for International Studies. The annual Symposium centers on a topic which is chosen by the ISC.
Themes for the Symposium have included such topics as: “ Liberty, Trust, and Responsibility,” “The Challenges to Growth and Prosperity,” and “Seeking Responses in Times of Uncertainty.” This year’s topic is “Inspiring Europe” which explores the duality between Europe being a role model and a case for reconstruction. The dialogue of the Symposium will essentially discuss this duality and Europe’s ability to compete in the global economy.
The ISC invites students from all over the world to submit essays and multi-media presentations on the topic, and is “established today as the world’s largest student contest of its kind.” In 2005, the St. Gallen Symposium received over 1000 entries from more than 50 countries. An independent jury of professors, corporate executives, and journalists evaluate the submissions and select the best 200 entries to nominate for the St. Gallen Wings of Excellence Award. The authors of the best 200 entries are then invited to participate in the Symposium at the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland. The authors of the three most outstanding pieces will be awarded the St. Gallen Wings of Excellence Award. This award includes a prize totaling €20,000; and the authors will present their pieces to the full assembly.
Babson College has the privilege to announce that a first-year MBA student, Monica Gonzalez, has been invited to attend the 36 th St. Gallen Symposium in May. With reference to the theme of “Inspiring Europe,” Monica’s chosen subtopic is “Competing Regions, Competing Mentalities.” Within this framework, she sought to answer the following questions:
- Will domestic political issues hinder global free trade from developing further?
- What can Europe learn from America regarding the demands of globalization?
- How can members of a global economy inspire one another?
- In predicting global development, which processes are important?
- What significance has different mentalities in international capitalism?
Monica’s work will be published AT THIS PLACE. Please congratulate her on this outstanding achievement.
