“When I bought my first company,” publisher and philanthropist Louise Blouin told an audience on Thursday morning, “I went to lunch with people who asked me 'Why are you buying this junk?'” Felicia Taylor, a business anchor for CNN, nodded knowingly, saying “I love that.” Speaking at the opening of the Blouin Creative Leadership Summit, both women seemed to agree that confidence might be the key to harnessing the power of creativity to address issues of global concern.
Optimistic innovation, as it turns out, is the overriding theme of this series of discussion panels and networking events taking place in New York this week, where topics of conversation will range from advances in bio-engineering to regional dynamics in the Middle East in the wake of the Arab Spring. Though such heady subject matter may have been almost as intimidating as the problems being discussed, the summit has thus far been dominated by a can-do spirit of technocracy and forward-thinking, buttressed by the expertise of a vast array of experts from the arts, science, and business fields.
Blouin and Taylor's conversation was followed by a talk from Roland Rich, Officer-in-Charge of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOP), who spoke briefly about how scientists and political leaders around the world can learn from one another to foster prosperity and cooperation between nations. Rich, in turn, was followed by Irina Bokova, director-general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), who went out of her way to mention that 2012 marked the 40th anniversary of UNESCO's list of World Heritage sites. Before commencing the days proceedings, Bukova gave a few words on the vital role of culture as an engine for fueling economic development and creating jobs. “The challenge,” she told the audience, “is to use culture for innovation and development.”
To see more photos from the Blouin Creative Leadership Summit, click the slide show.