The SDG Tent in Davos
Photo: Leidar’s team in Davos from left: Jack Goldsworthy, Fatima John-Sandoz, Lara Hott and Lukasz Bochenek.
The SDG Tent is a mainstay among the side events at Davos. It is an open space outside the security area, meaning it is accessible for people with and without badges. It is a place where wide-ranging discussions are welcome, and the ideal spot for multilateral conversations.
Leidar has been the communications partner for the SDG Tent for many years, including the online event in 2021. Our role is to help develop the strategic narrative and be a part of building the programme. There are only seven years left to achieve the ambition of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, so the focus this year was very much on what action is needed now.
We are also responsible for the tactical communications before, during and after WEF, including media relations for events at the Tent, event management, live social media updates, photography and livestreaming.
The SDG Tent, which is on the main Promenade between the Davos Dorf train state and the security zone, welcomes everyone. And over the years, it has been the stage for many speakers, including Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, Al Gore, Sir David Attenborough, Bill Gates and Dr Jane Goodall, to name just a few. Since 2019, over 10,000 people have come to more than 100 events. This year, topics ranged from regenerative farming to universal health coverage, and from impact investing to responsible remuneration.
The real magic of the SDG Tent is that it brings together people who would not normally talk to each other. A unique mix of investors, accountants, technology experts, professors, journalists, doctors, politicians, philanthropists, hoteliers, farmers and teachers all come together to discuss the big issues around delivering on the promises of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. And it is in an informal setting, giving the discussions a sense of freedom.
There is one place in the SDG Tent that all Davos insiders knows: the People’s Café. It’s where there’s good coffee and, let’s be honest, fast WiFi. And anyone who has been to WEF knows those are two things in short supply.
We are seeing more and more at the SDG Tent is the enormous potential and value that is generated from bringing people together to help build bridges where at first there were barriers. Despite some critical voices, Davos remains the place where people from all walks come together to discuss mutual problems and to seek real-life solutions. And while the SDG Tent might on the fringe, that is actually the reason it is at the centre of some of the conversations that make a real difference.
Jack Goldsworthy
Consultant, Film and Storytelling, based in Geneva
Jack is a consultant with Leidar in Geneva with diverse international experience as a videographer.