As the host of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, North America is on the cusp of a new era in soccer. This session will explore how the region—comprising the U.S., Canada, and Mexico—is building on the rich World Cup history and shaping the future of the sport. From infrastructure developments, sustainable architecture, and safe cities, we’ll dive into the efforts and innovations driving the sport forward. Panelists will discuss how North America is preparing for the biggest sporting event on the planet, ensuring a lasting legacy for future generations of soccer fans.
The workplace is evolving faster than ever, influenced by advancements in technology, shifting societal expectations, and a growing focus on flexibility, inclusion, and purpose-driven work. This session will explore the key trends shaping the future of work, focusing on emerging technology and AI. We will also examine the human side of these changes—how we can foster a work culture that values collaboration, well-being, and lifelong learning.
This session will explore the evolving trade dynamics between the United States, Mexico, and Canada, focusing on the impacts of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and the broader economic, political, and social implications of trilateral trade. Experts will discuss key sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, technology, and energy, examining how each country is adapting to shifting global trade policies and supply chain challenges.
LGBTQIA+ people around the world face widespread inequality, violence, sometimes torture and execution. Homosexual activity remains illegal in 58 regions. There has been undoubted progress in the recent decades, with strides to equalise the age of consent for all people and sexual orientations in Namibia, and the banning of conversion therapy in Mexico in 2024. However, there is a long way to go, particularly for trans rights and the future of gender-affirming care, which is under threat of new and devastating discriminatory policies around the world, backsliding on years of progress. These bills have given rise to a hotly contested debate over transgender rights, leading to widespread dis- and misinformation across the media. This discussion delves into some of that misinformation on trans people, how to tackle rampant media bias, as well as looking in to how anti-LGBTQIA+ rights policy equates to violence and discrimination in the community.
There is an escalating water crisis throughout the world. This crisis is an effect of a combination of factors, including population growth, unsustainable consumption, pollution, outdated infrastructure, and the exacerbating effects of climate change, which disrupt water cycles and intensify scarcity in vulnerable regions. Within this landscape, community leadership stands as a cornerstone of sustainable water management. This session will explore how grassroots solutions, youth advocacy, and ancestral knowledge can drive impactful change in water conservation efforts.
Addressing mental health is a critical yet often overlooked aspect of fostering societal well-being. Many individuals face significant barriers to seeking help, including societal stigma, cultural expectations, and a reluctance to express vulnerability, which can lead to silent struggles. As an example, men account for about 75% of all suicides worldwide, according to the World Health Organization, and they are also less likely to seek help for mental health struggles. Open conversations about mental health can break these barriers, normalize seeking support, and create a culture of acceptance. Investing in comprehensive mental health programs not only provides essential resources for those in need but also helps reduce long-term societal costs, such as unemployment, substance abuse, and suicide. This session will focus on the need to prioritize mental health to build stronger and healthier communities where everyone can thrive.
In Latin America & the Caribbean, a critical challenge to long-term development is to strengthen the public’s trust in institutions. Political instability, corruption, and inequality have contributed to a growing sense of mistrust with public-sector structures. However, the private sector has a pivotal role to play in rebuilding institutional trust and driving positive change by acting as agents of stability, prosperity, transparency, and accountability. By fostering responsible corporate governance, supporting anti-corruption initiatives, and collaborating with governments on sustainable development goals, the private sector can help strengthen the social contract and contribute to the region’s development across sectors. This session will examine best practices from businesses leading by example and discuss strategies to ensure that the private sector plays a constructive role in Latin America & the Caribbean’s prosperous future.
The exploration of outer space is one of humankind’s greatest triumphs. However, as technology develops, bringing increasing numbers of state and non-state space actors – space is becoming crowded, contended and controversial. With space technology crucial to modern life on Earth, space security is coming into view as an increasing strategic risk, with consequences affecting all from modern warfare in Ukraine, to the economic development of small island nations. What are some of the threats to space security? What steps can the International community across sectors and nation-state boundaries take, to prevent an arms race, and protect the domain of outer space?
Research in the field of Women’s Health remains lacking. With that, many are unaware of the symptoms, path to diagnoses, and support available for conditions affecting women, marking one reason women’s access to healthcare is significantly lower than men’s. Women are less likely than men to have a heart attack correctly diagnosed and are more likely to experience poor mental health. Many women do not know the symptoms of perimenopause, and many South Asian women are unaware that their community often starts perimenopause earlier. Some types of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s affect more women than men, yet women are not adequately represented in most medical studies. When they’re in pain, women wait longer in emergency departments and are less likely to be given effective painkillers than men, Black and Ethnic Minority women even less so. What initiatives can deepen funding for improved representation in medical research and access to care to address this public health issue and enable governments to meet the healthcare needs of its women? How can AI and wearable technology contribute to closing the research gap? What steps can employers take to improve menstrual care at work?
English
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
French
German
Greek
Italian
Japanese
Portuguese
Spanish