Spirituality at the Core of Innovation

I started the week off at the Social Good Summit & the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting here in New York. I am overwhelmed–in good ways and bad. While it’s impressive and inspiring to witness the  innovative ways folks are tackling the world’s most pressing needs, it’s equally daunting to see the volume of work still left to be done.

And with all of this inspiration and innovation abounding, the best nugget of advice I heard between these two powerhouse meetings of the best global leaders and thinkers actually had to do with nurturing our spiritual selves. Talking about  “Spirituality & the Digital Age,” at the Social Good Summit, Deepak Chopra shared that  the essence of  “. . .human creativity is spiritual.” So in nurturing your spiritual self, you’re actually nurturing the parts of your brain responsible for all that innovative thinking and problem solving.

~Grace Aneiza Ali

Image via Social Good Summit

Nikki Kahn featured in Newseum’s “The Eyes of History 2012: White House News Photographers Association”

Nikki Kahn, the Guyanese-born, Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist who Of Note profiled in its recent Guyana issue, is featured in the new exhibit, “The Eyes of History 2012: White House News Photographers Association,” opening Sept. 28-March 29, 2013, at the Newseum in Washington, DC.

“The exhibit showcases dramatic, award-winning images and video from the annual competition of the White House News Photographers Association. The display features more than 70 of the best news images of the people, events and issues that shaped the nation and the world in 2011.”

~Grace Aneiza Ali

“You can’t be a Global Citizen, if you don’t know your local roots.” -Klaus Schwab, World Economic Forum

I attended  breakfast this morning with Dr. Klaus Schwab, the founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, along with several of my colleagues from the Word Economic Forum Global Shapers. While Dr. Schwab chatted about the blueprint for change, activism, and innovation, he reminded us that as we go forth into the world, we’re more impactful if we know who we are, if we honor our roots, if we are connected with where we come from, and most importantly, that  we are needed in our own backyards just as much as we are needed across continents and borders. There is change happening and needed at every corner.

~Grace Aneiza Ali | Founder, Editorial Director