World Economic Forum set to open in Davos after two years

GENEVA: After a gap of nearly two-and-a-half years, Swiss ski resort town Davos is set to host the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting with a host of global leaders from politics, business, civil society, academia, media and the arts

This event takes place at a watershed moment in history from 22-26 May 2022, convening nearly 2,500 leaders to tackle global issues and find solutions to the world’s most urgent challenges including the ongoing global pandemic, war in Ukraine, geo-economic shocks and climate change.

Those scheduled to speak include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, among a host of other world leaders.

The annual meeting generally takes place here in January when the small town is totally covered in snow, but this time it is happening during sunny weather. The annual meeting of 2021 could not take place physically, while the 2022 one was postponed due to the Covid pandemic.

The meeting is centered around the theme ‘History at a Turning Point: Government Policies and Business Strategies’. It happens at the most consequential geopolitical and geo-economic moment of the past three decades and against the backdrop of a once-in-a-century pandemic.

The war in Ukraine and the resulting tragedy calls for global moral action. Leaders will address urgent humanitarian and security challenges as they simultaneously advance long-standing economic, environmental and societal priorities – all while reinforcing the foundations of a stable global system.

Over the past two years, the World Economic Forum has strengthened its impact initiatives, which deal with issues ranging from COVID-19 and climate change to education as well as technology and energy governance.

More than 50 heads of state and government are expected to join, among the 300 governmental representatives, to share their vision for the world. Over 1,250 leaders from the private sector will be participating, along with nearly 100 Global Innovators and Technology Pioneers – the world’s most promising tech and business start-ups and scale-ups.

Civil society will be represented by more than 200 leaders from NGOs, social entrepreneurs, academia, labour organizations, faith-based and religious groups, and over 400 media leaders and reporting press.

The Annual Meeting 2022 at Davos will also bring together younger generations, with 100 members of the Forum’s Global Shaper and Young Global Leader communities participating.