This week’s Inside the World Economic Forum podcast features the Global Shapers Community. Listen to David Aikman, Head of the Global Shapers Community at the Forum, and two Shapers in the Geneva Hub, Elianna Sabbag Moquette and Sarah Noble, discuss how young people are changing the world.

“The Global Shapers Community was created out of two needs. The first was created from the World Economic Forum’s philosophy: we are a multistakeholder organization,” said Aikman. “It seemed to us that something would be missing if we were going to have meetings and discussions about the future without the voice of the future taking part.”

“Second, we have seen that this generation, more than any other before it, is empowered thanks to technology and information. In fact, there’s a tremendous power there,” he continued. “More than just having those voices represented, there are probably solutions to many of the world’s problems in that generation.”

The Shapers agree. “I am a Global Shaper because I want to change the world. I know it sounds quite idealistic but I’ve always known that everybody has a role to play in changing the world,” said Noble. “As young people, we are the ones with the motivating ideas and energy to make change happen. The idealism that Sarah pointed to is what makes a Global Shaper. We aren’t jaded, we aren’t pessimistic – we see the future as something very optimistic,” added Moquette.

What do Shapers do? Why do the Shapers have a unique approach to social change? Tune in to this week’s podcast to learn more.

Elianna Sabbag Moquette is committed to sustainable development across the world. She is currently the President and co-founder of GenevaWISE, an organization seeking to improve professional development for youth in developing countries. Previously, she worked to build the capacity of remote rural communities, and remains dedicated to improving collaboration between development initiatives based in Geneva and those in the field. She worked for the Aga Khan Foundation for five years, developing experience working in rural development projects in some of the poorest communities of the global south. Today, she works to find sustainable local solutions to social problems in Switzerland. She is a committee member of Human Rights Watch and mobilized Human Rights Watch youth committee in Geneva. She has lived, worked and studied on four continents, holds a BA from McGill University in Canada, and a LLB Law degree from the University of Kent, United Kingdom.

Sarah Noble is an aspiring leader and changemaker in the field of peace and security. She is currently Chief of Staff and Director of External Relations at Interpeace, one of the world’s leading peace-building organizations, and a member of the Executive Group and the Strategic Management Teams. She has managed peace-building activities in the Middle East, and designed a successful initiative to bring voices of civil society from conflict-affected countries around the world to the International Dialogue on Peacebuilding and Statebuilding, a key intergovernmental platform dealing with issues of peace and conflict. Prior to joining Interpeace in 2005, she conducted research on promoting public debate on national security and defence issues for the Department of National Defence at the Conference of Defence Associations Institute in Canada. She also worked on piloting a peace-building course at the Pearson Peacekeeping Centre. She holds a BA (Honours) in Political Studies and Economics from Queen’s University, Canada, and a MA in International Affairs from Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University, Canada.

David Aikman is a Senior Director of the World Economic Forum and heads both the Global Shapers and the Forum of Young Global Leaders. Since 2003 he has held a number of positions, including with the Partnership Team (responsible for the Forum’s highest-level relationships with corporate partners) and leading the Professional Services industry practice (leading law and accounting firms, management consultancies and executive search firms) to shape industry agendas. Prior to joining the Forum he worked for the International Olympic Committee in Business Development, Marketing and Licensing for seven years. He holds a MBA from IMD, Switzerland, and a BA (with Honours) in English and German Literature from Dalhousie University, Canada. At Dalhousie he was a member of the President’s Leadership Class, an innovative programme to develop youth leaders for service, and worked on volunteer development and education projects in Guyana and India. He earned his International Baccalaureate at Lester B. Pearson UWC of the Pacific, and now serves as a Council Member of the United World Colleges. Besides his enthusiasm for developing young leaders, he has a passion for the vineyards of southern France. Aikman lives in Geneva with his wife Anne and their two children, Juliette (10) and Owen (6), who also aspire to “help people in lots of different places” when they grow up.