This year's World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting, scheduled from January 20 to 24 in Davos, Switzerland, is expected to bring together close to 3,000 leaders from politics, academia, and business, including 60 heads of state and government.
Throughout its history, the WEF has sparked numerous bilateral and multilateral discussions, exploring and addressing global and local issues critically important to the international community.
To name just two examples: In 1992, Nelson Mandela and F.W. de Klerk met outside South Africa for the first time at Davos. Their handshake symbolized a turning point in the global fight against apartheid.
In 1998, during the ongoing financial crisis, the idea of creating a regular dialogue platform between developed and developing nations emerged in Davos. Attendees of that forum agreed to establish a platform for economic cooperation between 10 developed countries and 10 developing countries, ultimately laying the groundwork for the Group of 20.
The increasing gap between aspirations and anxieties was evident last year, and the agenda for Davos 2025 is anticipated to be even more critical. Geopolitical and economic uncertainty, trade tensions, cultural polarization, and climate challenges are becoming increasingly complex and interconnected. Meanwhile, new technological breakthroughs in quantum computing, biotechnology, and artificial intelligence are creating unique opportunities for humanity to improve productivity and raise people's living standards while reducing poverty and inequality.
Davos 2025 will center on \"Collaborating for the Intelligent Age.\" The theme highlights how converging technologies are rapidly transforming our world with the potential to both uplift and divide humanity. Under the overarching theme, the forum will be oriented around five priorities: \"Rethinking Growth,\" \"Industries in the Intelligent Age,\" \"Investing in People,\" \"Safeguarding the Planet,\" and \"Rebuilding Trust.\"
As the world stands at a crossroads of unprecedented technological advancement and complex global challenges, the upcoming WEF meeting is poised to foster collaboration and dialogue among global leaders. The discussions and initiatives launched at Davos 2025 may well shape the course of our collective future, making this gathering more significant than ever.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
