P.E.I. man attends World Economic Forum in Switzerland
A P.E.I. native is one of two Canadians selected to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland as part of a global youth initiative, having conversations and sharing ideas with some of the most powerful people in the world.
The forum is an annual gathering of global business and political elite which brings together 70 national leaders with 2,500 economic decision makers.
Ben Wedge, who graduated from Three Oaks Senior High School in Summerside, P.E.I., is one of two Canadians among 50 members of the youth initiative Global Shapers who were selected to attend the forum.
He's been involved with the group for four years, working on projects in Halifax, where he now lives, focused on sustainable transportation and community-building with children and immigrants.
"It's been a pretty crazy experience," Wedge told CBC News: Compass host Louise Martin via Skype.
"They say we're brought here as equals, but really, looking around the room today — there's people like Bill Gates, Justin Trudeau gave a speech [Tuesday] afternoon, David Cameron the former prime minister of Britain was here as well."
Climate change is one of the main topics under discussion at this year's forum along with gender and racial equality. On Wednesday, Global Shapers will meet with the head of personal care manufacturing giant Procter and Gamble to talk about gender equality.
'A big win for me'
Wedge's goal for the conference is to get the ear of powerful influencers to discuss commitments to greener transportation.
"Getting some commitments from big CEOs to encourage their employees to walk, bike and take transit to work — that would be a big win for me," he said.
One of his colleagues was able Tuesday to get the Indian Minister of Railways and Coal to commit to removing "coal" from his title, a small but important measure of progress on climate change.
P.E.I. has been doing a good job with wind farms and improved transit system, Wedge said.
"The change is happening — we just want to see it go a lot faster."
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