The World Young Leader Forum: are we the changemakers or offspring of Western decadence?

My week in India ended with the World Young Leader Forum. The Forum is organised by the BMW Foundation every two years and is open to all participants to the 4 regional fora – European, Transatlantic, Russian and Asian – to increase networking, exchanges and enrich the discussion.

200 delegates from across the world – Africa naturally excluded. Young leaders from across sectors all professionally successful, socially and environmentally engaged, well educated, middle-upper class, smart and beautiful.

We want a better world … and cool as well. Is it possible? Are we really the future, the change makers who can combine economic growth, sustainable development and social justice driving a BMW – even better with a driver: job creation! – or are we just an elite in a decadent Western society who can hold the higher moral higher ground only because our parents have done the dirty work, accumulating the capital we are consuming?

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I don’t have an answer yet but, trust me, it’s been fun so far. Without mentioning the 4 Season hotel with huge rooms, excellent restaurants, bowing staff and a view of the local slum, I really felt at home with a bunch of link-minded, free spirit and creative minds all really committed to make a difference. Let me recall some of them.

I must start with the stars of the group: David, a devoted husband, committed father and brilliant social entrepreneur in the shape of Paul; Thorsen is in charge of a multi-million foundation and go-go dancer at night; and Igor the most outrageous dancer in the group. He left Tatiana with the new kid at home and joined us. Last year I danced with Tatiana, this time with Igor. What a family!

Our spiritual guides followed: Miguel pious Christian who has dedicated his life to convert the world to social entrepreneurship. He’s due to get married soon to a Portuguese Princess remarkable for her modesty – she is not a model, and has got a little handicap but is such a caring wife and mother. They are planning to have 5 children and a dog.

The other one was Thomas, the only French guy who answer in English even when you question him in French. He’s young, brilliant, almost married with a Franco-Syrian model… it’s the Sarko-dream!

Such a success would have been possible without the Foundation’s staff. All girls, pretty and posh. Naturally, my favorite is Mummy Daniela and Markus who came out with spectacles more camp than mine.

I met new guys i really like: Arne and Andres both from Viking land. The first tall as a basketball player always wearing a Sicilian hat as a Linus’ blanket.if it wasn’t for his passion for climate change he would be a successful porno-model. the other one was sort of wild spirit. He leaves in Rwanda and works with Kagame. you never know how he could react when you challenge his statement. If you are lucky he might even assault you.

From Rwanda to South Africa I met again Oliver, a big boy with a big hear, and Dimitrios who took out for a run on his BMW as you can see in the picture. It was like Richard Gear in American Gigolo… but he rents himself just for world peace!

I don’t want you to think the Forum is gender discriminatory. It was plenty of cool females. Carolina and Sofie, the Portuguese sisters who didn’t stop hunting for preys for the whole Forum. Naturally, I followed them. Sabine corporate girl who wants me to volunteer for her in Munich and Wiebke who will volunteer for me in London. It’s gender equality!

I couldn’t missed Carolina Brsileira not just because she looks like Madonna and multi-billion fundraiser but will provide an exuse for me to go to Brazil: the BMW Foundation Forum in Brazil!

There were many more. I can’t mentioned them all but some more: Andreas, Zoya, Farai, Paul, Daniel, Sachin, Joachim, Ozcan, Karl, Neera, Shaffi, Frank and Father Dermont who closed the Forum dispensing everybody from going to mass on Sunday after  days we had to woke up always at 6!

We spent few days together but we have already planned new initiatives. The European group wants to meet up soon to start some joint concrete actions perhaps to help each other. We might get some support from the German Embassy and organise a first meeting in Rome. it won’t be bad to show to the young Italian that you can be a leader without being a corrupted buffoon and deliver. i want to connect this group to the new intergroup of the young MEPs at the European Parliament + many other ideas!

This is my crowd. but there are others who think differently. the best example was  one of the Indian speakers a multi-millionaire Indian businessmen in real estate who delighted all with the story of his family, especially his son’s aspiration to build a 90 story- building with 50 swimming pools in Dubai because nobody has never done it. He belives his son aspiration is share d by all young Indians and represent the new India. To me as many others it sounded like “Mine is bigger than the one of everybody else and I’m gonna to show you!”.

India is growing but poverty is appalling. I’m reading Making Inidia Work by William Nanda Bissel a social entrepreneur who runs Fabindia, just bought in Bangalore. India has embraced consumpion-driven economic growth, just when the world has realized that such a path is unsustainable. A world where India and the other BRICS consumes as much the US would be truned in a gigantic rotten garbage.

William believes that India can develop an economic model which combines growth with social justice and environmental sustainability. The famous triple bottom line. Read it. it’s a good recipe for the whole world.

My crowd shares his view. We might be wrong but there is no alternative and what we do is so cool that i wouldn’t change even if I would be proved it’s dead-end. So don’t waste you time and join us!