The 13th World Chambers Congress takes place in Geneva this week (21-23 June) under the theme of ‘Achieving peace and prosperity through multilateralism in commerce’.
Attracting 1,500 participants from over 100 countries, the Congress is the biggest, most diverse economic forum for chamber and business executives to exchange experience and examine the issues affecting people, their livelihoods and our planet.
The ICC’s World Chambers Federation and the Geneva Chamber of Commerce & Industry have confirmed the participation of Michel Barnier, former EU chief negotiator for Brexit.
Other prominent speakers include Maximo Torero Cullen, Chief Economist of the Food and Agriculture Organization, Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director of the International Trade Centre, Kelly Clements, Deputy High Commissioner of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Mathias Cormann, Secretary-General of the OECD, Maria Fernanda Garza, ICC Chair and CEO of Orestia, Taras Kachka, Deputy Minister of Economy, Ukraine, Giuseppe Lavazza, Chairman of Lavazza, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization, and Soren Toft, CEO of MSC.
The voice of SMEs
Nicolás Uribe Rueda, Chair of the ICC World Chambers Federation, said, “Chambers of commerce worldwide work to benefit real economies and communities. They are a vital voice for micro-, small-, and medium-sized businesses in the global economy and a practical enabler of cross-border trade, pushing for more inclusive and sustainable economies while advancing goals to enable peace and prosperity through multilateralism. Our World Chambers Congress in Geneva will both exemplify this vital role and strengthen it.”
On the opening day of the Congress, ICC Secretary General John W.H. Denton AO will discuss the current state of play of multilateralism in disruptive times with Founder and Executive President of the World Economic Forum Klaus Schwab and Chair of Esquel Group Marjorie Yang.
Talking about the event, Mr Denton said today, “Chambers of commerce play a pivotal role in driving effective multilateral cooperation that improves lives and livelihoods for millions of people worldwide. In Geneva, we will focus on the global governance now needed to shape a modern global trading system. A system fit for purpose which will enable sustained economic growth for everyone, everywhere, every day.”
An engaging business programme has also been curated to reflect key themes of the Congress: multilateralism, innovation and sustainability.
World Chambers Competition
Chamber innovation will be under the spotlight when finalists of the 2023 World Chambers Competition present their projects during dedicated Congress sessions for each category of the 2023 competition – Best Chamber Model Innovation Project, Best Gender Equality Project, Best Partnership Project and Best Unconventional Project – with opportunities for Congress participants to vote for their preferred projects in this year’s Competition categories.