What Paulo Coelho and other global leaders tweeted about at World Economic Forum in Davos

by Obert Madondo | The Canadian Progressive, Jan. 31, 2013:

Let’s agree in one point: we can have anything, but we CAN’T have everything #wef

— Paulo Coelho (@paulocoelho) January 25, 2013

The tweet by Paulo Coelho, the world-renowned Brazilian author of The Alchemist, was one of the most popular of world leaders’ reflections during last week’s World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.

More than 2,500 of the world’s most influential leaders attended.  The majority of them, members of the fame 1 per cent. As expected, the leaders fondled their smartphones a whole lot during the event. Used social media to say whatever they had to say.

This infographic, created by Accenture, tells us Coelho and other global leaders tweeted about at the WEF. According to Mashable, “Social media activity peaked during UK Prime Minister David Cameron’s speech about G8 priorities.”

Oh yes, priorities!

Corp Welfare/State Cap from BRIC to US @fabiusmaximus01: The New America is State Capitalism, fueled by our money nyti.ms/T24INK #WEF

— Nouriel Roubini (@Nouriel) January 26, 2013

According to Oxfam International, in 2012, richest 100 billionaires earned enough to end global poverty 4 times over.  Here in Canada, Green Party leader and MP for Saanich-Gulf Islands, Elizabeth May, has called for a “Guaranteed Livable Income” as a strategy to eradicate poverty. Why? Statistics Canada just reported that the gape between the rich and the poor continues to widen. That, since the early 80s, 1 per cent has consistently grabbed a large chunk of the national income.

More than 3.5 million Canadians live in poverty. One in ten Canadian children is poor. Forty percent of the 770,000 people who rely on food banks every month are children. Globally, 61 million children, most of them girls like Malala Yousafzai, are denied their birthright to education.

At @davos, Ban Ki-moon urges greater efforts to achieve global education & health targets ow.ly/h8G04 #mdgs #wef — United Nations (@UN) January 26, 2013

Gordon Brown: “The victims’ cries for help cannot be silenced forever” #Davos #WEF huff.to/Wt1PRL

— Huffington Post (@HuffingtonPost) January 26, 2013

The Canadian Progressive recommends:

• In 2012, richest 100 billionaires earned enough to end global poverty 4 times over: Oxfam
• Canada’s richest 1% grabbed 10.6% of all income, rich-poor gap widened: StatsCan
• Elizabeth May calls for a “Guaranteed Livable Income” in Canada
• Shame: 61 million children not in school worldwide