This year marks the 15th anniversary of the Milken Institute Global Conference - and we're pulling out all the stops.

CEOs, government officials, thought leaders and many of the world's leading investors are beginning to converge on Los Angeles for Global Conference 2012, which gets under way shortly.

This year's lineup features multiple members of Congress, three state governors, a current member of the Cabinet and several former members, three current Fed presidents, current and former heads of U.S. government agencies, and international officials. We've got world leaders and some of the sharpest minds in business, finance, policy, science and education, plus investors representing trillions of dollars in assets under management.

Oh, and did we mention President Bill Clinton and the man who dreamed up "Star Wars"?

Together this diverse group will tackle issues from debt and poverty to cybersecurity and water shortages. It will be a whirlwind three days showcasing groundbreaking ideas that can lead to real progress.

If you can't join us in person, let www.milkeninstitute.org be your eyes and ears. We'll be blogging nonstop, sharing great photos and posting video as soon as each session ends.

The Milken Institute is proud to welcome the world to Los Angeles.