About the Conference

“What’s Going On?” 

Marvin Gaye asked that question 51 years ago in a landmark Motown recording that captured the mood of a world searching for answers in the midst of social, racial, and political upheaval. We are still seeking answers to some of the same questions, along with others that are new. Motown’s birthplace is a perfect place to explore solutions to some of the most pressing challenges facing global leaders today. Detroit’s revitalization earned it a place on TIME magazine’s 2022 list of “World’s Greatest Places,” with the magazine noting the city’s rich heritage of design, innovation, and diversity. The first and only American city to be designated a UNESCO City of Design, Detroit is a destination made for reflection on how creativity and culture shape our economy and our world. From examining the elegant design of artificial intelligence and what it means for the future of humanity to exploring the transformation of transportation and its implications for the climate, to learning how our environment shapes our brains and bodies even before birth, much will be “going on” at IWF’s World Leadership Conference in Detroit.