What It Means To Be a Curator
Reflections from the Annual Curators Meeting 2017 of the Global Shapers Community #ACM17
Curator
noun
— One who has the care and superintendence of something
— A keeper or custodian
I love the word “Curator”. Of all the “positions” I have held, I think this is my favorite.
Last July 2017, I assumed the role of Curator for the Global Shapers Iloilo Hub — one of the four Global Shaper Hubs in the Philippines (alongside Manila, Cebu and Davao). The Global Shapers Community (an initiative of the World Economic Forum) is a network of young people “driving dialogue, action and change” in over 300 cities worldwide. Curators are supposed to be the leaders of each Hub and the main contact to the Global Shapers headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
I have been part of this community since 2013 (originally joining the Manila Hub), and to this day, my experiences as a Global Shaper are still some of the most formative moments in my twenties. I will always be humbled by the opportunities this community has presented to me, especially in 2014 when I joined World Economic Forum events like the Annual Meeting in Davos and the East Asia Summit in Manila.
But even if I’ve been a member of the Global Shapers Community for four years, I have learned more things about it just last week during the Annual Curators Meeting (ACM) in Geneva. This is the gathering of all Curators from each Hub worldwide. More than 300 young people in almost all major cities around the world.
People often think the Global Shapers is a group for “elite young superstars” who want to change the world. And admittedly, this was my original perception as well. So much so, that I even developed the infamous “impostor syndrome” when I was invited to be part of the Community. There were amazing, stellar people in this group. Who was I to be a part of this?
Interestingly, during the ACM, our fearless leaders affirmed that this notion of the Community being a group for “superstars” is skewed. Yes, some Shapers may go to places like Davos, or the United Nations, and represent the youth voice in high-level talks, but this is not the main purpose of the Global Shapers Community. What it is and what it should be is a community of diverse young people, who are passionate about creating local impact in their own cities, and who embody the Global Shaper values and code of conduct.
Diversity and Local Impact. At the end of the day, these words are what truly attracted me to the Global Shapers. When I moved back home to Iloilo in 2015, I was more curious about getting to know everyday champions of advocacies in the city — students, educators, artists, entrepreneurs, development workers, etc. Something was happening in our city where I noticed an emergence of communities led by these local advocates. They are not “superstars” in our common use of the term. These are everyday people with an extraordinary love for what they do, and where they are from.
This is what unites us in the Iloilo Hub as well. If you ask each Iloilo Shaper, they would all tell you their stories of why they love Iloilo.
To be a Curator of the Iloilo Hub, is therefore, an opportunity I can not take lightly. A Curator is the main custodian of a Hub in the Global Shapers Community. The supposed leader. But personally, I prefer a style of leadership that is collaborative and not based on one person alone. Hence, I am happy that the governance allows for a Hub to be led by a Curatorship team (a Curator, a Vice Curator and the Immediate Past Curator). Together, our role would be to assemble the right platform of experiences, connections, tools, etc. that will enable each Iloilo Shaper to be effective.
Although we are part of a global network, we operate independently. Our challenge therefore is to find what is the optimum set of opportunities that we can pursue given our collective talents, advocacies and specific context. Aligned with our global mission, we will strive to drive “dialogue, action and change” that can shape Iloilo.
It’s a tall order, but I think we can do it. Our Shapers are already doing it! I see each Shaper as a curator as well of his or her field / advocacy. They are thought leaders who cultivate their own communities and initiatives, but we also aim to create collective impact.
Having said this, I am grateful to Professor Klaus Schwab (the founder of the World Economic and Forum and the Global Shapers Community), Yemi, Wadia and the dynamic global team for building this amazing platform to harness the voice of the youth in our cities.
Will be updating you on our journey of Shaping Iloilo.
Here’s to a better future!
