World Economic Forum
Davos as a stage for global encounters
"The place where leaders meet"
In the meeting business, the "World Economic Forum" (WEF) with around 3000 internationally renowned figures from business, politics, science and society is the flagship of Davos. The WEF's annual meeting carries the "Spirit of Davos" around the world.
The World Economic Forum is a non-profit foundation primarily known for its annual meeting, which takes place annually in Davos. At this meeting, held in the modern Davos Congress Center, leading international economic experts, politicians, intellectuals, and media representatives come together to discuss the world's most current issues and to network. The Forum organizes various other meetings throughout the year and publishes research reports. It now has regional offices in Beijing and New York.
The "Spirit of Davos"
The World Economic Forum's flagship event is its annual meeting, held every year at the end of January in Davos. At the same time, Davos – partly due to its village-like atmosphere – is also a hub for many informal gatherings. The oft-cited "Spirit of Davos" is one of the reasons for Davos's success as a congress destination: Here, at 1,560 meters above sea level, nature takes center stage despite the urban infrastructure. It gives conference participants the feeling of being just a small part of the bigger picture. And it is precisely this atmosphere that repeatedly makes it possible to find compromises and solutions that would have been unthinkable elsewhere.
Programme and participants
Discussions in the official program address key global issues such as international trade barriers, conflicts, poverty, and environmental problems, as well as potential solutions. Dozens of heads of state and government from around the world attend the WEF's annual meeting. In total, WEF participants come from 130 countries.
The guest list in Davos has always been, and continues to be, packed with world-renowned and influential figures from politics and business – including heads of state such as Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton, Angela Merkel, Xi Jinping, and Donald Trump, as well as public figures like Greta Thunberg, princes, and leading figures from the tech and financial sectors.
The beginnings
Founded in 1971 by economics professor Klaus Schwab, the World Economic Forum considers itself an impartial organization, as it is not bound to any political or national interests. With its observer status at the United Nations Economic and Social Council and an internationally composed board of trustees, it pursues, according to its own statements, the mission of "improving the state of the world."
Schwab laid the foundation in 1971 when, as a professor of business policy at the University of Geneva, he invited 444 executives from Western European companies to the first "European Management Symposium" in Davos. Under the auspices of the European Commission, he wanted to bring European companies closer to US management practices. To this end, he established the "European Management Forum" as a non-profit foundation in Geneva and has since held an annual meeting of leading business figures in Davos every January.
Milestones and diplomatic successes in Davos
In 1987, the "European Management Forum" changed its name to the "World Economic Forum" and subsequently sought to broaden its vision and develop into a platform for resolving international conflicts. Leading politicians have since used Davos as a neutral platform. For example, the "Davos Declaration," which prevented Greece and Turkey from starting a war at the last minute, was signed in Davos by both countries in 1988. At the 1992 annual meeting, South African President Frederik Willem de Klerk, Nelson Mandela, and Mangosuthu Buthelezi made their first joint appearance outside of Africa. At the 1994 annual meeting, Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat signed a draft agreement on Gaza and Jericho.
