The 26th Global Business Week, which will take place in Davos from 9 to 17 July 2026, will be opened with a symbolic and deeply meaningful address by Christina Batruch, daughter of Bohdan Hawrylyshyn — the renowned Ukrainian economist, visionary, public figure, co-founder and first director of the World Economic Forum in Davos.
This opening moment carries special historical significance. On 19 October 2026, the world will mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of Bohdan Dmytrovych Hawrylyshyn — an outstanding Ukrainian whose life and work made a profound contribution to Ukraine’s state-building, education, economics, public administration, international relations and civil society.
“Ukraine has always existed for me, at least in my thoughts. Wherever I was, whatever I did, I always thought about what useful thing could be done for Ukraine.”
— Bohdan Hawrylyshyn
Who Was Bohdan Hawrylyshyn?
Bohdan Hawrylyshyn was born on 19 October 1926 in the village of Koropets, in the Ternopil region of Ukraine. He became one of the most influential Ukrainian thinkers of the 20th and early 21st centuries — an economist, educator, global manager, civic leader and advocate of responsible leadership.
Throughout his life, he served as an adviser to several Presidents and Prime Ministers of Ukraine, as well as to leaders of the Ukrainian Parliament. In 1991, he became co-chair of the Consultative and Advisory Council under the Presidium of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, an institution that supported Ukraine’s emergence as an independent state on the European and global map.
He was the first Ukrainian to become a member of the Club of Rome and was also a member of the World Academy of Art and Science and the International Academy of Management. From 1968, he headed the International Management Institute in Geneva. He contributed to the development of management education globally and helped establish the International Management Institute in India, MIM-Delhi.
In Ukraine, with his support, the first business school in the country, MIM-Kyiv, was founded. He also played a key role in opening the International Renaissance Foundation and became its first head.
Bohdan Hawrylyshyn was also a member of the “First of December” initiative group, a Plast member belonging to the “Lisovi Chorty” fraternity, and the author of the Declaration of Human Responsibilities, created in 2014 after the Revolution of Dignity. This declaration became a moral guide for building a more democratic, effective and responsible society.
A Ukrainian of Global Scale
Bohdan Hawrylyshyn was a man whose identity was deeply Ukrainian, while his thinking was truly global. His life connected Ukraine with the world — intellectually, economically and institutionally.
He believed that Ukraine could become a strong, democratic and effective country only through responsible leadership, civic maturity, high-quality education and active participation of young people in shaping the future.
His autobiography, “I Remain Ukrainian”, has inspired millions of Ukrainians. His book “Road Maps to the Future: Towards More Effective Societies”, translated into many languages, became an important reference point for managers, policymakers and social leaders around the world.
His academic and intellectual legacy includes more than 100 works on management, management education, economics and politics.
The Philosophy of Responsibility
One of Bohdan Hawrylyshyn’s most important contributions was his philosophy of human responsibility. He believed that rights alone are not enough to build a strong society. People must also understand their responsibilities — toward themselves, their families, their communities, their country and the world.
In 2014, after the Revolution of Dignity, he created the Declaration of Human Responsibilities. This document later became the foundation for the All-Ukrainian Day of Human Responsibility, which has been officially marked at the national level since 2021 on 19 October, the day of his birth.
This idea is especially relevant in the context of Global Business Week 2026, because modern business is no longer only about profit. It is also about responsibility: responsibility for people, communities, nations, future generations and the planet.
Why This Opening Matters for Global Business Week
The participation of Christina Batruch in the opening of the 26th Global Business Week creates a powerful bridge between the historical legacy of Davos and the future of business diplomacy.
Bohdan Hawrylyshyn was closely connected with the creation of one of the world’s most influential platforms for global dialogue — the World Economic Forum in Davos. His life embodied the idea that leaders from business, government, education and civil society must come together to discuss the future and create practical solutions.
Global Business Week continues this spirit in a new entrepreneurial format. It brings together business leaders, family business owners, investors, educators, women leaders, start-up founders and young entrepreneurs from different countries. Its mission is to create space for trade, innovation, cooperation, business diplomacy and responsible leadership.
The opening speech by Christina Batruch will therefore be more than a ceremonial address. It will be a reminder that global business platforms are meaningful only when they are built on values: responsibility, trust, education, human dignity, cooperation and long-term vision.
Bohdan Hawrylyshyn’s Main Ideas
The intellectual legacy of Bohdan Hawrylyshyn can be summarised through several key ideas.
1. Responsible Leadership
For Hawrylyshyn, leadership was not about status or power. It was about responsibility. A true leader must serve society, build institutions, educate others and think beyond personal interest.
2. Human Responsibility
He believed that every person has responsibilities — to themselves, to their family, to society, to the country and to humanity. This became the basis of his Declaration of Human Responsibilities.
3. Effective Societies
One of his central ideas was the need to build effective societies — societies where institutions work, citizens are active, leaders are responsible and the economy serves people rather than only narrow interests.
4. Education as the Foundation of Transformation
Hawrylyshyn saw education as the key instrument for changing countries. He supported management education, youth programmes, business schools and informal learning initiatives for future leaders.
5. Youth as the Force of Change
He believed deeply that young people could transform Ukraine. His initiatives, including “Youth Will Change Ukraine” and the “Youth Delegate of Ukraine to the UN” programme, were based on this conviction.
6. Ukraine as Part of the Global Community
Hawrylyshyn worked to integrate Ukraine into the global intellectual, economic and political space. He believed that Ukraine should not be isolated, but should participate actively in shaping global dialogue.
7. Business and Management as Tools of Development
For him, management was not just a technical discipline. It was a way to build better organisations, stronger institutions and more effective societies.
8. Values Before Power
He believed that a society cannot become truly successful without moral foundations: dignity, freedom, responsibility, cooperation, trust and service.
9. Long-Term Thinking
Hawrylyshyn always thought in generations, not only in political or business cycles. He understood that real transformation requires patience, education and continuity.
10. Remaining Ukrainian While Being Global
Perhaps one of his strongest messages was that a person can belong deeply to their nation and at the same time serve the world. His own life proved that Ukrainian identity and global leadership can strengthen each other.
Recognition and Legacy
Bohdan Hawrylyshyn received many honours throughout his life, including the Gold Medal of the President of the Italian Republic in 1975, recognition as an Outstanding Engineer by the University of Toronto in 1986, the Ukrainian Order of Merit, Third Class, in 1996, and the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise in 2005.
In 2024, he was posthumously awarded the honorary distinction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine as an “Honorary Ambassador” in the category “Life’s Work.”
Yet his greatest legacy is not only in awards or titles. It is in the institutions he helped build, the young people he inspired, the ideas he left behind and the vision of a responsible Ukraine connected to the world.
In the year of Bohdan Hawrylyshyn’s 100th anniversary, his message sounds more relevant than ever: the future belongs to those who are ready not only to lead, but also to serve; not only to build businesses, but also to build societies; not only to succeed personally, but also to create value for their country and for humanity.