Leaders of progressive political organisations from around the globe will meet in Montreal on 14 and 15 September to talk about topics such as inclusive prosperity, diversity, trade, innovation and digital democracy.

S&D vice-president Enrique Guerrero Salom MEP will represent the Global Progressive Forum*, a joint platform created by the Party of European Socialists and the S&D Group to address the future of transatlantic relations and the common challenges ahead.

At this year’s summit, Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau will host global leaders such as:

Thomas Perez, US secretary for labor;
Sadiq Khan, mayor of London;
Bill de Blasio, mayor of New York City;
Tina Brown, editor and founder of Women in the World;
Eric Schmidt, chairman of Alphabet;
Helle Thorning-Schmidt, former Danish prime minister and current president of Save the Children;
David Miliband, head of the International Rescue Committee and former UK minister for foreign affairs.

S&D vice-president Enrique Guerrero Salom MEP, who will address a roundtable on the politics of inclusion in diverse societies, said:           

“This is an opportunity for progressive leaders on both sides of the Atlantic to come together and address pressing issues. We are all facing growing populism, with irresponsible leaders disseminating xenophobic messages based on fear, if not on lies.

"There are no easy answers to challenges such as the war in Syria, terrorism, migration flows, financial instability, the growing gap between the few rich and the many poor, or climate change. We must find global answers to global challenges. And our answers must be based on our shared progressive values: individual freedoms, solidarity, equality, respect for diversity and social inclusion of migrants and refugees.

"Unlike the conservatives and neoliberals we believe that together we can build a better world for everyone, reinforcing multilateral organisations and taming globalisation. We are working together to introduce human rights, labour rights and environmental standards into trade and to adopt all the commitments adopted last year at the UN Paris summit on climate change.

"We will be discussing how to best deliver for our citizens, but it is clear that we will have a much better chance if we have strong progressive governments both in North America and in Europe. The upcoming elections in the United States will be crucial."

* Note to the editors:

Created in 2003 by the PES and the S&D Group, the Global Progressive Forum aims to connect progressive leaders, left-wing experts and social movements. The leaders’ summit in Montreal is promoted by the Center for American Progress, a think tank and advocacy organisation based in Washington DC.