Frequently asked questions about WEF

What does the World Economic Forum do?

The World Economic Forum brings together leaders in business, politics and society for reflection and connection to generate ideas and proposals, bridging countries and cultures to address the issues affecting our world. We also bring the very best minds and experts to provide the necessary insight to allow leaders to make decisions that can bring about change for the better.Conferences like the Annual Meeting in Davos and regional summits are an occasion for leaders to outline major challenges and define strategies to address them.

Where are the World Economic Forum's events and who goes?

Forum events take place on almost every continent each year, and the Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, is the largest of these. International and regional leaders, Forum members from the international business community, governments and institutions attend these meetings.

What is the Annual Meeting, who attends and why is it so important?

Business, religious, government, cultural and society leaders meet each year in Davos, Switzerland, for the Annual Meeting. The event provides a platform for these leaders to debate the difficult global challenges of our planet, identify emerging risks and ways to address them. It’s not surprising then that many initiatives and projects have been created at the Annual Meeting.

Why is it held in Davos?

Since 1971, the scenic village of Davos has been the traditional site of the Annual Meeting. Holding the meeting in such a setting rather than a bustling metropolis allows attendees to focus more easily on the issues at hand.The alpine location also means that local authorities are in a better position to implement the high level of security required for such an event.

More than 2,500 people attend the Annual Meeting, so are Davos residents happy to host it?

An independent opinion survey showed that an overwhelming majority of Davos residents are in favour of hosting the Annual Meeting and are happy with the exposure it brings the town. The population actually voted to set aside part of the communal budget to support the Annual Meeting.

What about the protests at the Annual Meeting?

The Forum supports the rights of free speech and peaceful assembly, but opposes violence and destruction of property. In principle, the Forum is supportive of demonstrations by those who desire to have their voices heard. But the Forum condemns – vehemently and unequivocally – those who believe that violence is a legitimate form of public expression or debate. In answer to the protests, the Open Forum was launched to give everyone a voice in the globally focused debates at the Annual Meeting in Davos. On a year-round basis, you can also have your say about critical global issues on the Forum's weblog.

Can the public take part?

The general public cannot take part directly in the Annual Meeting for reasons of security and space. But the Forum and civil society organizations - including church, non-governmental and non-profit organizations - co-organize the Open Forum. These are discussions open to the general public, free-of-charge and held simultaneously with the Annual Meeting in Davos. The general public can also participate through social media by joining the discussions through a variety of ways including video blogs on YouTube, a community on Facebook or subscriptions to Twitter.

Are events behind closed doors, or are they covered by the media?

Many global and local media organizations produce special coverage of Forum events. In fact, nearly one in every five participants at the Annual Meeting hails from the media sector. The Forum’s weblog provides even greater access to sessions, and it is a virtual forum where people unable to attend the meetings can have their say too.