2016 Concordia Summit convenes more than 200 world leaders

September 6, 2016

Nobel Peace Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus & Paul Polman, CEO, Unilever to Receive Concordia Leadership Award

Dozens of heads of state, Fortune 500 CEOs, global non-profit leaders, and internationally renowned thought leaders will take the stage at the 6^th annual Concordia Summit, September 19^th & 20^th at the Grand Hyatt New York, to address global challenges through the lens of public-private partnerships.

Several important challenges will be addressed, including: the global migration and refugee crisis; the future of the European Union; transnational responses to cybersecurity and international terrorism; global women’s empowerment; collaboration in cancer research; energy in the Americas; a humane and secure global food supply; and labor trafficking.

The Summit will feature more than 200 speakers, including:

• Hon. Madeleine Albright, Chair, Albright Stonebridge Group and former U.S. Secretary of State
• Luis Almagro, Secretary General, Organization of American States
• José María Aznar López, Former President of the Government, Spain
• Irina Bokova, Director General, UNESCO
• Ian Bremmer, Founder and President, The Eurasia Group
• Tom Brokaw, Special Correspondent, NBC News
• Kathy Calvin, President and CEO, United Nations Foundation
• H.E. Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, President, The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
• H.E. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, President, The Republic of Mauritius, Co-Chair of the UN High Level Panel on Water
• Tom Frieden, Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Andrew Liveris, President, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer, The Dow Chemical Company
• David Petraeus, Chairman, KKR Global Institute
• H.E. Johann Schneider-Ammann, President, The Swiss Confederation
• George Soros, Founder and Chair, Soros Fund Management and The Open Society Foundations
• RT Hon. David Miliband, President and CEO, International Rescue Committee

“Now more than ever, the power of partnerships has a real chance to make a difference in the lives of people around the world, and Concordia is actively working to create effective partnerships that provide actionable solutions,” said Concordia’s Chairman & CEO, Matthew A. Swift, adding that “the 2016 Summit will feature our most impressive group of public and private sector leaders to-date.”

The full conference agenda and list of speakers is available here: https://www.concordia.net/the-summit-2016/.

Since its inception in 2011, the Concordia Summit has brought together over 3,000 participants, including 40 current and former heads of state, 450 international and Fortune 500 C-suite executives, prominent nonprofit leaders, and senior Congressional and Administration officials.

At this year’s Summit, Concordia will also host the Private Sector Forum on Migration and Refugees in partnership with Columbia University’s Global Policy Initiative, the International Organization for Migration, and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, with the support of the Open Society Foundations and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. This high-level interactive discussion will focus on the private sector’s role and responsibility in addressing global migration challenges and the global refugee crisis, and will culminate in a plenary session and Call to Action.

“Global migration is one of the most pressing challenges facing our world today. We believe that the private sector in particular can have a significant role in addressing the ongoing refugee crisis. It is our hope that the Private Sector Forum will provide a clear path forward for businesses to engage in solving this global challenge,” remarked Concordia’s Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board, Nicholas M. Logothetis. 

Concordia has partnered with many of the world’s premier organizations to develop compelling and ground-breaking content. Program partners include:  

• American Enterprise Institute
• AmeriCares
• Arizona State University
• Atlantic Council
• Columbia University Global Policy Initiative
• Darden School of Business Institute for Business in Society, University of Virginia
• Eurasia Group
• European Public Law Organization
• George W. Bush Institute
• Institute for the Study of War
• International Organization for Migration
• National Democratic Institute
• New America
• NYU | Stern Center for Business and Human Rights
• Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
• Palladium
• PeaceTech Lab
• Project Concern International
• Pyxera Global
• RIDGE-LANE Limited Partners
• RISE Egypt
• Seleni Institute
• The Miller Center
• The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy
• The Wilson Center
• S. Agency for International Development Global Development Lab
• S. Department of State Secretary’s Office of Global Partnerships
• S. Water Partnership
• United States Council for International Business
• Winrock International

 At the conclusion of the Summit, Concordia will host The Concordia Awards on the evening of September 20^th at Cipriani 42nd Street to present the third annual P3 Impact Award and the first annual Concordia Leadership Award. The U.S. Department of State Secretary’s Office of Global Partnerships, Concordia, and the University of Virginia Darden School of Business Institute for Business in Society created the P3 Impact Award to recognize highly effective public-private partnerships that have led to positive social impact.

The Concordia Leadership Award, awarded for the first time this year, recognizes global leaders within the public, private, and nonprofit sectors who inspire others through their ability to turn vision into impact. The honorees include Nobel Peace Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, Chairman of Yunus Centre and Founder of Grameen Bank and Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever.

The Summit is open to the press. For media accreditation, please register at: https://www.concordia.net/press-registration-2016/

For all media inquiries please contact media@concordia.net or +1-646-561-3508.

Concordia is a 501(c)(3) organization that enables public-private partnerships to create a more prosperous and sustainable future. As equal parts convener, campaigner, and idea incubator, Concordia is creating a new model for how a nonpartisan, nonprofit can have a global impact. Matthew A. Swift and Nicholas M. Logothetis founded Concordia in 2011. Learn more at www.concordia.net. 

Photo credit: Leigh Vogel/Getty Images

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