Davos 2025, the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF), begins on Monday in the Swiss resort town of Davos, with the theme “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age.”
The forum will run until January 24 and will convene global leaders to address key global and regional challenges. These include responding to geopolitical shocks, stimulating growth to improve living standards and stewarding a just and inclusive energy transition.
Donald Trump to join interactive session
This year’s edition brings together nearly 3,000 prominent figures from over 130 countries, spanning diverse sectors and regions, to foster dialogue, build trust and drive collaborative action. Davos 2025 will also feature over 350 government leaders, including 60 heads of state and government.
Participants include U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who will join via live video in an interactive session, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, among others.
More than 1,600 business leaders, including over 900 CEOs and board chairs from WEF member companies and partners, will also participate alongside over 120 global innovators, tech leaders and startup founders.
The forum will center discussions around five key pillars: Rebuilding Trust, Reimagining Growth, Investing in People, Safeguarding the Planet and Industries in the Intelligent Age.
Crystal Awards
On Day 1 of Davos 2025, three exceptional Cultural Leaders will be recognized at the Crystal Awards ceremony for their work to challenge conventional thinking, spark change and help envision a more inclusive world. This includes UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and global advocate for children’s rights David Beckham; fashion designer, philanthropist and champion of women’s rights Diane von Furstenberg; and architect, social activist and 2024 Pritzker Prize laureate Riken Yamamoto.
The forum will also cover some early perspectives from historians and media leaders on what lies ahead on U.S. Inauguration Day.
All Abilities Welcome forum
Day 1 of Davos 2025 will also feature the “All Abilities Welcome” forum where leaders and experts including Katy Talikowska, CEO of The Valuable 500 and David Edwards, general secretary of Education International, will discuss how to effectively remove barriers and support equal access and opportunities for all. About 15 percent of the global population live with disabilities and face significant challenges in education and employment.
Read| What to expect at Davos 2025: Over 300 sessions to tackle the world’s most pressing matters
Key launches on Day 1
Davos 2025 witnessed the launch of the “Open But Secure: Europe’s Path to Strategic Interdependence” report today, which explores how Europe can balance sovereignty with collaboration to secure its future on the global stage. In 2024, the WEF, in collaboration with the European Council on Foreign Relations, convened the High-Level Group on European Strategic Interdependence, bringing together over 40 leaders from government, business and academia.
Their deliberations in Madrid, Warsaw and Berlin focused on how Europe can navigate the world as it is. The insight report reflects the group’s discussions and presents ways for Europe to achieve strategic interdependence and adapt to an increasingly multipolar world.
Day 1 will also see the signing of the Indonesia Jobs Accelerator. The forum’s Accelerators Network links a growing cohort of local public-private collaboration platforms that support governments and businesses in shaping more prosperous and inclusive economies and societies. They have five impact areas: Jobs, Skills, Education, Gender Parity and Markets of Tomorrow.
The Jobs Accelerator also links up with the Reskilling Revolution, which aims to provide one billion people with better education, skills and economic opportunities by 2030.
The first day of Davos 2025 will also see several countries and companies joining the Responsible Renewables Infrastructure initiative. This initiative mobilizes leaders from business, government, non-profit organizations and academia who are committed to accelerating the deployment of renewable power infrastructure in a way that creates more equitable outcomes for people and positive impacts on biodiversity.
