The World Economic Forum is an independent international organization committed to improving the state of the world through public and private cooperation. One of the organization's platforms is the Global Shapers Community, whereby so-called "Global Shaper Hubs" are established in cities around the world, comprised of young leaders between 20 and 30 years old who want to develop their leadership potential while benefiting their community with local projects.

For the first year ever, a Global Shaper Hub has been established in Tijuana and will be in attendance at an upcoming Annual Global Shaper Community curator meeting, along with representatives from more than 320 other hubs, from August 21st through 25th in Geneva, Switzerland.

Each hub is lead by a curator who is tasked with forming the hub and ensuring its productivity as it works toward a specific community action goal that is developed by the hub itself. In Tijuana, the curator is Miguel Marshall, Co-Founder of HUB STN and Ahorro Libre –– both enterprises have received attention locally and internationally for outstanding achievements or potential in the start-up and technology communities in Tijuana. Members of the Tijuana Hub include young local entrepreneurs, business owners, public servants, journalists, and other civic leaders.

San Diego has also joined the Global Shapers Community and will be represented at the upcoming meeting in Geneva as well.

San Diego's hub curator is Mario Lopez, former director of Binational Affairs for the City of San Diego, and CEO of The Border Group, a binational consulting firm. According to Lopez, "I am very happy that the World Economic Forum has recognized the uniqueness of the San Diego and Tijuana region and invites us to participate in the Global Shapers Community."

Both hubs are in the infant stages of development, and have yet to establish firm community projects, but it is anticipated that both hubs will be working on projects with some sort of cross-border impact. Other hubs in Mexico include Monterrey, Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Puebla. In California, other hubs include Palo Alto, Sacramento, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.

Past projects from various hubs around the world have received support from the World Economic Forum to fund and further projects with great community impact. Notable projects include the construction of public libraries; providing electric power to rural Sub-Saharan areas in Africa so that children can do homework at night via solar lanterns; digital after-school programs in Armenia; and Monterrey, Mexico's hub initiative to increase local participation in economic and social development in neighborhoods.

To read the Global Shapers Tijuana Hub press release, and for more information, click here.

To read the Global Shapers San Diego Hub press release, and for more information, click here.

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