Swiss Marketing: Bill Clinton speaks at Swiss Marketing & IMD event
Bill Clinton, former U.S. president, was the keynote speaker at the Inspire for Excellence Forum, jointly organized by Swiss Marketing and IMD, on May 20, 2012.
In his speech entitled "Embracing Our Common Humanity", Clinton discussed the challenges of globalization and pointed out a path to a common future based on shared goals and values.
"There is a growing realization that while tough conflict resolution is part of the essence of good politics, creative networks of cooperation are what matter in everyday life. As far as the 21st century citizen is concerned, the stability and vitality of societies depend on people's networks," he said.
The former US president emphasized that the common characteristics of successful countries include a commitment to a sustainable economy, good business practices and a vibrant civil society.
"There is a gap between what the private sector can produce and what the government can provide, and a variety of NGOs are working to fill that gap faster, cheaper and better," he said.
In a comprehensive analysis of the global situation, Bill Clinton urged the audience not to be discouraged by the current bad news and uncertainties. "It would be a big mistake for individuals and businesses to use the current climate as an excuse to become indifferent, give up and retreat. You need a strategy and you need to execute it," he said.
He pointed out that the challenge for advocates of a sustainable economy, especially in these difficult times, is to show that sustainability is a more productive economic path than the paths taken so far. In his introduction, IMD Executive Director Jim Pulcrano described Bill Clinton's speech as "one of the highlights of IMD's history". Tanja Levine, President and Founder of the Inspire for Excellence Forum and member of the Board of Swiss Marketing, said she hoped that everyone in the audience would "take away at least one idea or inspiration for what they want to do to make this world a better place".
In addition to IMD and Swiss Marketing, the
Hult International Business School and Accenture sponsored the forum. The other partners included Le Temps, Do! L'agence SA, Kai Zen and Drappier.
