For three days in June Geneva became the world capital of business as the 13th World Chambers Congress brought together movers and shakers from across the globe to tackle the pressing challenges of an uncertain world.

Under the banner of "Achieving peace and prosperity through multilateralism", three key topics were explored – demystifying multilateralism, innovation by all and for all, and future-proof sustainability. A galaxy of speakers included Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director general of the World Trade Organisation, Pamela Coke-Hamilton, executive director of the International Trade Centre, Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum, Vincent Subilia, director general of Geneva Chamber, BCC director general Shevaun Haviland, and LCCI chief executive Richard Burge.

The event triggered the production of the ‘Geneva Manifesto’, produced against the backdrop of geopolitical friction and concerns that globalisation is going into reverse and which was designed to signal the global chamber community’s commitment to:

• maintain cooperative relations irrespective of political differences
• foster trade as an engine of peace, prosperity, and sustainable development
• avoid unnecessary fragmentation of the global economy.

The manifesto emphasised the need to elevate and amplify the importance of key trade services provided by chambers and set out commitments to develop new or enhanced chamber products to drive sustainable development through international trade.

Read the full story in our latest issue of London Business Matters, p.14.