The inspiring debates and calls for action in the months leading up to and during the 50th St. Gallen Symposium from 5-7 May 2021 have shown: Cross-generational dialogue is more needed and impactful than ever.

In 1969, the St. Gallen Symposium was initiated by a group of students at the University of St.Gallen at a time of upheaval. Racial segregation in the US, the Vietnam War, and struggles to come to terms with the German past fuelled conflicts among generations. Today, in light of the climate crisis, rising inequality, and rapid technological change, younger generations are again raising their voices as they reflect on the ways their futures are being compromised by current developments.

A Seismograph of Emerging Challenges

The 50th St. Gallen Symposium’s theme “Trust Matters” captured the nature and urgency of such challenges, but also the spirit that has guided the symposium throughout the years: dialogue and cross-generational action instead of mere confrontation. In recent years, trust in businesses, governments, and emerging technologies has eroded, especially among younger generations. The International Students’ Committee (ISC) of the St. Gallen Symposium asked its global community “How can trust be strengthened at a moment in time when it matters most?” More than 2,000 leaders of today and tomorrow from 87 countries, among them 154 speakers from business, policy, science, and civil society, responded to the call, and accepted the invitation to talk, listen, understand, and act.

In more than 60 sessions, the symposium acted as a seismograph charting the next generation’s perspectives and priorities and fostered mutual understanding. Members of the ISC challenged Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz to better take into account the interests of young citizens when addressing the coronavirus pandemic. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella emphasised the technology sector’s societal responsibility in light of rapidly accelerating digitalisation when he said that “a company should succeed only when it helps the world to tackle its most pressing challenges”. Discussing a sustainable transformation of the economy with German climate activist Luisa Neubauer, Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, urged the global audience to “let our actions speak when it comes to regaining trust of younger generations”.

Identifying Key Drivers of Trust

“Trust requires trustworthiness”, Lord Griffiths of Fforestfach, Vice Chairman of Goldman Sachs International and Conference Co-Chairman of the St. Gallen Symposium, noted at the outset of the 50th anniversary symposium. Across the realms of business, politics, media, science, and technology, participants and speakers identified key drivers of trust, including transparency, integrity, accountability, and inclusiveness. They agreed that in times of increasing polarisation, trust can also emerge from dialogue, particularly “dialogue between opponents”, as Peter Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, explained when making the case for humanitarian diplomacy. A first step can be to “train your interest in the lives of people with different opinions”, according to Maria Exner, Editor-in-Chief of ZEIT Magazin, while Prof. Wolfgang Schürer, the St. Gallen Symposium’s founder, noted that “one of the biggest qualities of a leader is to invite different, or even opposing views”.

A Symposium Reinvented

To enable a global forum where the most important stakeholders could drive dialogue and action in times of a pandemic, the St. Gallen Symposium reinvented itself and developed a hybrid, global model for the symposium of the future. From September 2020 onwards, year-round publications and initiatives such as the Global Leadership Challenge developed ideas and projects to address global challenges. For the main symposium this May, the virtual conference platform PLATO recreated the university campus with dedicated spaces for high-level debates and more intimate exchanges. Alongside Switzerland, the first rendition of the St. Gallen Symposium Singapore Hub attracted 100 physical participants over two days, including ministers, chief executives and Singaporean Leaders of Tomorrow Alumni. Through physical and digital gatherings in 10 additional locations, such as Johannesburg, São Paulo, and New York, the symposium’s community engaged in cross-generational dialogue around the world.

Several Executive Roundtables, workshop-style Interactive Sessions and Leaders of Tomorrow talks fostered discussion on business strategy and public policy: For instance, senior tech executives and policy-makers discussed ways to strengthen trust in emerging digital technologies with selected Leaders of Tomorrow – the results of which will be published in a White Paper together with IMD Business School in the coming weeks. As the start of a new long-term initiative, a roundtable chaired by Prof. Hermann Simon brought together 15 Hidden Champions of the DACH region to identify and share best practices, in order to sustainably position themselves on a competitive international market.

The 50th St. Gallen Symposium was also more open and participatory than ever. The public was invited to join 17 livestreamed sessions. A local panel in Ghana was broadcast on Pan African TV to 40 African countries. The EcoOst St. Gallen Symposium, meanwhile, disseminated and discussed the symposium’s findings for its home region St. Gallen – Appenzell.

Dialogue Continues

“We will continue to discuss, to debate and to collide.” With these words, members of the ISC closed the 50th St. Gallen Symposium, which proved constructive and critical dialogue across generations, sectors and regions is a timeless model to inspire forward-looking thought and action. But as the past year has also shown, the formats through which such dialogue is conducted need to be agile and ever-changing. In the years ahead, the St. Gallen Symposium will continue its transformation towards a year-round, global initiative that embraces digital opportunities to foster leadership with the next generation in mind.