Campus - 08.05.2025 - 10:00
On 7-8 May, the University of St.Gallen (HSG) hosted the 54th annual St. Gallen Symposium under the theme “Shifting Global Power.” The event brought together influential voices from business, academia, and politics. Among them, HSG experts offered timely insights into some of the most urgent political challenges facing the globe today.
Many sessions at the Symposium this year focused on the evolving shift in global relationships; in business, international trade, energy and in politics. At the heart of the political discussions, four pressing global issues were at the forefront. During these sessions, HSG experts were involved and provided insight into these challenges.
In her session focused on new political realities in the USA, Professor Claudia Brühwiler delved into the question of whether the political polarization and populist surge seen in recent years represent a temporary disruption or a deeper realignment. She asked openly, whether all those in the session assess the causes for the Republican triumph – and how long this coalition of different interests would last. She called Donald Trump, “the power that doesn’t stop moving.” One thing that will certainly give some clarity on the issue will be the Republican Party’s performance in the mid-terms.
Professor Andreas Böhm invited four guests to discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The panel discussion, entitled “Ways out of the fog of war”, looked at the history of the conflict, recent escalations and the role of the international community in the search for a lasting peace. Cecilie Hellestveit, an expert in humanitarian international law at the Norwegian Academy of International Law, outlined a 'two-state model' as a possible conflict resolution strategy, stressing: “It is important what language we allow the actors involved in armed conflicts to use. And it is our responsibility to react when a line is crossed.” Journalist Kai Diekmann expressed concern about unreflected hate speech in public discourse and language that fuels conflict rather than seeking solutions.
Palestinian journalist Plestia Alaqad shared her personal family history of four persecuted generations who were never allowed to grow up in peace. She expressed her desire to see an end to this destruction of the future. Stephen Cornish, Director General of Médecins Sans Frontières, stressed how inhumane the situation in Gaza is - even aid agencies like Médecins Sans Frontières can only alleviate suffering and provide very limited assistance in the difficult conditions.
Tomas Casas is senior lecturer in International Management with focus on China and is the director of the China Competency Center. He examined the shifting dynamics of China’s economy, exploring how the nation is recalibrating its growth model especially now amid rising geopolitical tensions with the USA. As China transitions from an export-driven economy to one increasingly focused on innovation and internal consumption, Casas shed light on the broader implications for global trade and international relations.
Casas noted that in “The Art of the Deal” Trump reveals that he relishes the game of chicken. This kind of approach will not work with China. He said, “China will not blink first, full stop.” He continued to ask whether the US depend more on China or China on the US? “Who will suffer more, Chinese manufacturers due to lower revenues from America, or shoppers at Walmart and Wall Street investors realizing they are poorer?”
HSG Lecturer and Founder of the Klitschko Foundation Wladimir Klitschko first made a name for himself as a boxer and was the heavyweight boxing champion from 2000 to 2003 and 2006 to 2015. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Klitschko has used his notoriety to drum up global support for Ukraine – and sees himself as an activist rather than a politician, helping to deliver humanitarian and military help for the country. His Foundation currently is active working to return stolen Ukranian children that have disappeared at the hand of the Russian army. Speaking from his personal vantage point on Russian aggression in Ukraine, he offered a deeply human perspective on the war’s toll on its people and the global consequences of how Russian aggression could spread to other European nations. “Our spirit is unbreakable. We will resist. We will fight... but without the help of our allies, we cannot continue to resist.” His remarks underscored the urgency of continued international support and the resilience of democratic values under siege and asked the question is the European Union and NATO stronger with Ukraine, her natural resources, her land and her people or not?
Image: Hannes Thalmann
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