In a context of technological revolution that is shaping the new knowledge economy, Salvadorans have not been taking advantage of their demographic bonus, which will expire in 2040 when old adults will surpass the working age population. While there is a lack of a long-term effective social policy, and therefore a weak human capital, fiscal deficit has significantly increased in recent years and will demand massive payments of debt during the 2030s.

Through the El Salvador 2040 project, the Global Shapers San Salvador Hub is positioning a futuristic agenda in a series of public online and offline discussions with key stakeholders such as emergent leaders, youth movements, media organizations, international actors, intellectuals, politicians, and policy makers. In that direction, over the past months, the Global Shapers Community in San Salvador has engaged with political leaders and government officials to publicly endorse specific policy proposals on early childhood development, education, and strategic infrastructure. By building an ambitious horizon in 2040 and explaining the possibilities of building a consequential, historic consensus on how to prepare young generations for a complex near future, the Global Shapers Community in San Salvador will empower citizens and their representatives to transform El Salvador from a violent and poor country to a benchmark of social progress and inclusiveness.

The immediate goal is to position 2040 as a shared vision and to empower both citizens and policy makers to work together towards such horizon; which will be measured by the level of mentions, engagement, and reach of El Salvador 2040 in traditional and social media and the attendance to El Salvador 2040 forums. Also the end goal is to engage with policy decision-makers to implement a long-term development agenda in three key areas: early-childhood development, infrastructure, and environmental sustainability. The number and scope of policies endorsed, approved, and implemented in such areas will be the main indicators to measure the impact of El Salvador 2040.