Implementation date: August 2-4, 2019 In August 2019, the Global Shapers Ulaanbaatar Hub hosted and successfully organized the regional Global Shapers meeting in the Asia Pacific region. The event Shape Asia Pacific 2019 focused on the central theme of “Shaping Happiness.” It involved discussions around the pursuit of happiness in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, mental health, and stress management in creating wellbeing at life, work, and community. Additional sessions focused on the future of finance, education, and humanity, and the Climate Reality Project organized a timely workshop on climate change. It was one of the most significant international events of 2019 in Mongolia, with representation from 17 different nationalities and over one hundred attendees.
The central theme of SHAPE APAC 2019 was “Shaping Happiness.” It involved discussions around the pursuit of happiness in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, mental health, and stress management in creating wellbeing at life, work, and community.
Additional sessions focused on the future of finance, education, and humanity, and the Climate Reality Project organized a timely workshop on climate change. Finally, to foster greater regional cooperation and boost cross-hub collaboration, the Ulaanbaatar Hub organized a “Shape-a-thon” – a challenge to pitch new cross hub projects for a chance to win seed funding provided by the host Hub.
SHAPE APAC 2019 took place in the unparalleled Mongolian steppe and successfully incorporated its unique nomadic culture and rich history into the event. The participants did not only learn about Mongolia but also at the same time, experience it first hand. During the first two days, Global Shapers from all around the world stayed in traditional yurts and partook in nomadic activities that bestowed them the honorary title of “Good Nomads” upon completion. The venue situated outside the capital city allowed the participants to unplug from their everyday stressors, mentally recharge, and ultimately reflect on their mental wellbeing. In parallel, community trips around the capital city Ulaanbaatar provided a better understanding of modern Mongolia. The tours highlighted the potentials and challenges the city faces and how the local Global Shapers are working to address them.
A critical factor that ensured the success of SHAPE APAC 2019 was that it was an event for Shapers by Shapers. Only the Ulaanbaatar Hub members, alumni, the Young Global Leaders Community, and their networks made the event a reality. Every single Global Shaper from the Ulaanbaatar Hub understood the challenges of hosting the event and answered the call of duty. The warm Mongolian hospitality provided a great atmosphere to create new friendships and a chance for the
participants to enrich one another. SHAPE APAC 2019 was a small but meaningful advancement for each Global Shaper’s commitment to improving the state of theworld.
SHAPE APAC 2019 successfully provided a platform for the Global Shapers Community to have meaningful conversations about mental wellbeing and shaping happiness in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The Mongolian nomadic lifestyle and detached venue site from
modern-day stressors created a safe space for each Global Shaper. It allowed them to be vulnerable and share their personal and professional challenges and triumphs. It was an event full of inspiration and joy. The discussions were not only focused on the individual but also encompassed to align the values of happiness in a variety of sectors such as education, finance, and the communities each Shaper represented. The Ulaanbaatar Hub further strived to create a lasting impact from the SHAPE APAC 2019 by launching and funding a cross-hub project focusing on mental wellbeing. The project “Nurture Notes” led by the Iloilo Hub received the award and is in its inception.
Others
Dear Hub Members and Friends,
We set out on our Curatorship term with the objective of making our Hub more inclusive and diverse, and creating an enabling environment where our Shapers could effectively collaborate to make our city of Ulaanbaatar healthier, greener, and more equitable.
We began the Curatorship term by redefining Ulaanbaatar Hub’s vision and mission through a co creation workshop to construct statements that serve as stronger guiding principles for addressing pressing local challenges. Our updated vision is “to be a thriving community of young changemakers to shape a sustainable and vibrant Ulaanbaatar.” Our mission has become “to drive creative, innovative, and inclusive solutions through community development projects and advocacy for effective policies.”
To implement our mission, we welcomed a record number of 12 new Shapers through our annual recruitment cycle, bringing our 2024-2025 community to 30 active members. With expertise ranging from law and finance to social entrepreneurship and activism, our Shapers represent over 11 diverse sectors. To ensure a smooth transition into the Hub, we introduced a multi-month, phased onboarding process. We also introduced a policy to reduce potential financial barriers to membership fees.
This was a critical year for our projects. Two of our projects, Ulaanbaatar Oasis and UBeSafe, formally registered as non-profits, reflecting the significance of the issues they address. They will remain a part of the Hub’s roster of projects that Shapers champion, and we’re excited to see their capacity to sustain long-term impact grow as stand-alone organizations. Our other projects grew, shifted, and expanded as well, and you’ll have the opportunity to read more about them in this report.
We’ve organized a number of events to improve engagement between current Shapers and alumni, recognizing the importance of intergenerational knowledge sharing and collaboration. We’re also proud that our Shapers attended numerous high-level international and regional events representing the Ulaanbaatar Hub and youth, from the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting (Davos) to the Global Shapers Community’s Asia-Pacific region’s largest event, SHAPE APAC. We spoke at high-level panels and presented our community projects on global stages.
This year would not have been possible without your engagement, trust, and collaboration–thank you. We are deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve as your Curatorship Team. We are excited to pass the baton to the incoming 2025-2026 Curatorship, who we are confident will continue to make the Hub more vibrant, more representative, and impactful.
The 2024-2025 Curatorship Team
To download: Global Shapers Ulaanbaatar Hub – Annual Report 2024-2025
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