NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Friday, June 27, 2014

The potential of hybrid financing strategies to accelerate the growth of the social business sector was one of the topics at the fourth edition of the Impact Economy Symposium & Retreat in Switzerland on June 13-15, 2014. A group of key influencers, thought leaders, and practitioners from the worlds of investment, business, government, and philanthropy once again convened to explore the most effective solutions, innovations, and opportunities that have surfaced in the promotion of impact. Real Leaders is one of the seven global official media partners of the symposium and, in this exclusive series, Impact Economy’s Dr Maximilian Martin discusses content covered at the conference.

On June 28, the Round of 16 kicks off at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Football (or soccer, as it is known in the United States) has the amazing ability to engage people around the world. The 2010 World Cup in South Africa was televised across 245 television stations in 204 countries. The forthcoming World Cup in Brazil will reach even more people.

At a time when the military advances of ISIS in Iraq and Syria are bringing to the forefront the issues that divide different parts of national and global populations, fresh ideas on everything ranging from alternative energy to sanitation are needed to drive real progress around the world. Mega events such as the World Cup remind us of our shared humanity and intertwined destinies. By taking place in an emerging market and including teams from the developing world, the World Cup also draws attention to the realities there, emphasizing that transformational progress is needed on a number of social and environmental issues; the street protests in Brazil against the cost of this year’s World Cup being just one of many reminders.