Since yesterday, Monday, nearly three thousand high-level officials from the world of business, governments, and various sectors, along with a large number of activists, journalists, and observers, have been flocking to the Swiss city of Davos to attend the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum.
The Forum, held from January 19 to 23, will feature over 200 sessions discussing a wide range of economic, political, and social issues, including economic inequality, climate change, technological innovation, and international cooperation, in addition to global competition and conflicts.
Forum organizers confirmed that the current session is attracting a record number of top leaders, with around 400 politicians participating, including more than 60 heads of state and government, along with approximately 850 chairpersons and CEOs of the world’s largest companies.
Topping the list of participants is U.S. President Donald Trump, who will deliver a speech today, Wednesday, alongside several members of his administration.
Also expected to attend are French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, along with dozens of ministers and central bank governors.
From the technology sector, senior executives in attendance include Jensen Huang from NVIDIA, Satya Nadella from Microsoft, Demis Hassabis from Google DeepMind, and Arthur Mensch from the French company Mistral AI, in addition to the Secretary General of NATO and the Director-General of the World Trade Organization.
This year’s Forum takes place against a complex geopolitical backdrop, with rising tensions between major powers and the ongoing war in Ukraine, heightening fears of direct military confrontations.
The topic of artificial intelligence is leading the discussions, with executives debating how to use it to enhance efficiency and profits, while union leaders and rights groups warn of its impact on jobs and livelihoods, and policymakers attempt to find a balance between regulation and innovation.
Organizers announced the theme of this session as “The Spirit of Dialogue,” focusing on five main pillars: cooperation, growth, investing in people, innovation, and building prosperity.
Despite the Forum’s prestigious status, its critics argue that it offers many words but little action in addressing economic inequality and climate challenges. Protests continue in Davos and other Swiss cities, where environmental and social organizations are demanding that major corporate leaders take responsibility towards society and the global economy.
Regarding participants, attendance requires an official invitation or membership in the Forum, which can cost hundreds of thousands of pounds sterling annually, reinforcing the event’s elite nature.
Despite the criticism, the World Economic Forum asserts that it seeks to bring leaders together to work for the common good, while some analysts describe participation in Davos as an opportunity to understand the mindset of global elites and how they influence international policies.
In separate developments, the Forum announced that the Iranian Foreign Minister will not participate this year, citing recent developments in Iran and confirming that the tragic loss of civilian lives makes representation by the Iranian government inappropriate.
The World Economic Forum was launched in 1971 in Davos, a small town famous for skiing with a population of around 10,000. Its founding goal, according to institutional documents, was “to improve the state of the world.”
The first session was merely a meeting of corporate managers, but it expanded to become a global gathering bringing together governments, businesses, academic institutions, and civil society organizations.
The Forum has contributed to some tangible achievements, including the normalization of relations between Turkey and Greece in 1988 and the launch of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization in 2000.
The Forum also provides participants with an opportunity to announce their commitments in the fields of sustainability and social responsibility, despite ongoing criticism related to elitism
Davos
Davos is a Swiss Alpine town in the canton of Graubünden, historically known as a health resort and for its development as a premier destination for winter sports. It is now globally recognized as the annual host of the World Economic Forum meeting, where political and business leaders gather to discuss global issues.
Swiss city
The Swiss city of Bern was founded in 1191 and became the de facto capital of Switzerland in 1848. Its well-preserved medieval old town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is famous for its arcades, fountains, and the Zytglogge clock tower.
Swiss cities
Swiss cities such as Zurich, Geneva, and Bern are known for their well-preserved medieval old towns, cosmopolitan atmosphere, and role as global hubs for finance and diplomacy. Their histories are deeply tied to the Swiss Confederation, with Bern serving as the de facto capital since 1848 and Geneva gaining prominence as a center for the Reformation and later international organizations. These urban centers blend historic architecture with modern innovation against the backdrop of the surrounding Alpine landscape.
World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum is an international non-governmental organization founded in 1971 by German engineer and economist Klaus Schwab. It is best known for its annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, which brings together political, business, and cultural leaders to discuss global economic and social issues.
United States
The United States is a federal republic founded in 1776 following its Declaration of Independence from Great Britain, with its current government established by the U.S. Constitution in 1789. It grew from thirteen original colonies into a global superpower, with a history shaped by westward expansion, industrialization, and significant internal conflicts such as the Civil War. Its diverse culture is a product of large-scale immigration and its influential roles in areas like technology, entertainment, and politics.
Donald Trump
Donald Trump is a businessman and television personality who served as the 45th President of the United States from 2017 to 2021. His presidency was marked by a populist and “America First” political agenda, significant tax reforms, and a distinctive, often controversial, communication style.
France
France is a country in Western Europe with a rich cultural and historical legacy, dating from ancient Gaul through the rise of the Frankish Kingdom and into a major global power. It is renowned for landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and the Palace of Versailles, which reflect its artistic, philosophical, and political influence throughout the centuries.
Emmanuel Macron
Emmanuel Macron is the current President of France, first elected in 2017. He founded the centrist political party La République En Marche! in 2016, and his presidency has focused on economic reforms and strengthening the European Union.
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive branch of the European Union, responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, and managing EU policies. It was formally established in 1967 as part of the Merger Treaty, consolidating earlier executive bodies to act in the general interest of the EU.
Ursula von der Leyen
Ursula von der Leyen is a German politician who has served as the President of the European Commission since 2019. She is the first woman to hold this position and previously served as Germany’s Minister of Defence. Her career has been marked by a focus on European integration and digital and green policy initiatives.
Syria
Syria is a country in the Middle East with a capital at Damascus, one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities. Its territory is home to numerous ancient sites, such as Palmyra and the Crusader castle Krak des Chevaliers, reflecting its long history as a cradle of civilizations including the Phoenician, Roman, and Umayyad empires. The country has been in a state of complex civil war since 2011, following earlier periods of French mandate rule and decades of Ba’athist governance.
Ahmad al-Shara
Ahmad al-Shara is a prominent mosque and religious complex located in the city of Daraa, Syria. It is named after a local religious scholar and serves as a key center for Islamic worship and community gatherings in the region. Historically, the site has been a focal point during significant events, including the early stages of the Syrian civil war that began in 2011.
Canada
Canada is a North American country formed in 1867 through Confederation, evolving from earlier British and French colonial territories. It is known for its vast landscapes, multicultural society, and a historical development deeply influenced by Indigenous peoples, colonization, and immigration.
Mark Carney
Mark Carney is a Canadian economist who served as the Governor of the Bank of Canada from 2008 to 2013 and later as the Governor of the Bank of England from 2013 to 2020, becoming the first non-Briton to hold the position in the institution’s history. His tenure was notably marked by steering monetary policy through the aftermath of the global financial crisis and the initial period of the Brexit referendum.
Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo, located in Central Africa, is a vast country with a complex history marked by the pre-colonial Kingdom of Kongo, its brutal exploitation as the personal colony of King Leopold II of Belgium, and a tumultuous post-independence period. Its rich cultural heritage is deeply tied to its numerous ethnic groups and is expressed through music, art, and oral traditions, while its natural sites include the immense Congo River basin and rainforest.
Félix Tshisekedi
Félix Tshisekedi is the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), having taken office in January 2019 following contested elections. He is the son of the veteran opposition leader Étienne Tshisekedi and leads the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) party.
China
China is one of the world’s oldest continuous civilizations, with a recorded history spanning over four millennia. It is home to numerous UNESCO World Heritage Sites, such as the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, which reflect its long and complex imperial past. In the modern era, it has developed into a major global power with a unique blend of ancient traditions and rapid technological advancement.
He Lifeng
He Lifeng is a Chinese politician who has served in various high-level economic and financial roles, including as Vice Premier of the State Council since 2023. His career has been primarily focused on economic planning and development, with previous key positions as head of the National Development and Reform Commission and as a senior official in Fujian and Tianjin.
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe with a rich history dating back to the medieval state of Kyivan Rus. It has experienced periods of rule under various empires and was a founding republic of the Soviet Union before regaining its independence in 1991. The country is known for its diverse cultural heritage, Orthodox Christian cathedrals, and the Chernobyl historical site.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Volodymyr Zelenskyy is the sixth and current president of Ukraine, having taken office in May 2019 after a career as a comedian and actor. His presidency has been overwhelmingly defined by leading the country’s defense and diplomatic efforts following the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022.
NVIDIA
NVIDIA is an American technology company founded in 1993, renowned for pioneering the graphics processing unit (GPU). Its technology has evolved from powering video games to becoming a foundational component in artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, and autonomous vehicles.
Jensen Huang
Jensen Huang is the co-founder and CEO of NVIDIA, a leading technology company he helped start in 1993. Under his leadership, NVIDIA evolved from a graphics chip designer for gaming into a global powerhouse in artificial intelligence computing and accelerated computing.
Microsoft
Microsoft is an American multinational technology company founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in 1975, which became globally dominant through its Windows operating system and Office software suite. It has since expanded into cloud computing, gaming, and hardware, playing a pivotal role in the personal computing revolution and shaping modern digital culture.
Satya Nadella
Satya Nadella is an Indian-American business executive, not a place or cultural site. He became the CEO of Microsoft in 2014, succeeding Steve Ballmer, and is known for shifting the company’s focus toward cloud computing and services like Azure.
Google DeepMind
Google DeepMind is a British artificial intelligence research laboratory founded in 2010 and acquired by Google in 2014. It is renowned for creating AI systems like AlphaGo, which famously defeated a world champion in the complex board game Go, marking a significant milestone in AI development. The lab focuses on advancing general artificial intelligence through fundamental research in machine learning and neuroscience.
Demis Hassabis
Demis Hassabis is a British artificial intelligence researcher and entrepreneur, best known as the co-founder and CEO of DeepMind, a pioneering AI company acquired by Google in 2014. His work has been central to major breakthroughs in AI, including the development of AlphaGo, the first computer program to defeat a world champion in the complex board game Go.
Mistral AI
Mistral AI is a French artificial intelligence company founded in 2023 by former researchers from Meta and Google DeepMind. It quickly gained prominence for developing and releasing open-source large language models, positioning itself as a significant European competitor in the global AI industry.
Arthur Mensch
Arthur Mensch is the co-founder and CEO of the French artificial intelligence company Mistral AI, which he established in 2023. The company quickly gained prominence for developing open-source large language models, positioning itself as a significant European competitor in the global AI industry.
NATO
NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, is a military alliance established in 1949 by the United States, Canada, and several Western European nations. It was founded primarily as a collective defense pact against the threat posed by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Today, it remains a key security alliance, with its membership having expanded significantly to include 32 member states across North America and Europe.
World Trade Organization
The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an international body established in 1995 to regulate global trade rules and resolve disputes between member nations. It succeeded the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which was created after World War II to promote economic cooperation. The WTO’s primary functions are to ensure trade flows as smoothly, predictably, and freely as possible.
Iran
Iran, historically known as Persia, is home to one of the world’s oldest continuous civilizations, with a rich history spanning thousands of years from the ancient Achaemenid Empire to the modern Islamic Republic established in 1979. Its cultural landscape is marked by significant sites like Persepolis, the magnificent ruins of a ceremonial capital from the 6th century BCE, and the stunning Islamic architecture of Isfahan’s Naqsh-e Jahan Square.
Turkey
Turkey is a transcontinental nation bridging Europe and Asia, with a rich history as the heart of the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires. Its cultural sites, such as the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul and the ancient ruins of Ephesus, reflect this layered heritage from classical antiquity through to its establishment as a modern republic in 1923.
Greece
Greece is a southeastern European country widely regarded as the cradle of Western civilization, being the birthplace of democracy, philosophy, and the Olympic Games. Its rich history spans from the advanced Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations to the influential Classical era of city-states like Athens and Sparta, followed by periods under Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman rule before gaining independence in the 19th century.
Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization
The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) is an international public-private partnership founded in 2000 to improve access to new and underused vaccines for children in the world’s poorest countries. Its mission is to save lives, reduce poverty, and protect the world against the threat of epidemics by increasing equitable and sustainable vaccine coverage.
