The World Economic Forum’s annual Davos, Switzerland, powwow opened Monday—and will set the tone for this year’s political focus and discussion.
Key Details
- The annual Davos 2023 event, hosted by the World Economic Forum, began Monday, bringing together some of the world’s most influential figures and wealthiest families.
- Celebrities, billionaires, and CEOs are gathered in the ski-resort town of Davos, Switzerland, for the week, to discuss climate change, world economies, ESG, digital currency, and the future.
- The theme of Davos 2023 is “cooperation in a fragmented world”—and will continue until January 20.
- Today’s discussion topics included “Chief Economists Outlook,” “Electricity As the Backbone Of an Integrated Energy System,” and “Making a Difference.”
Why It’s Important
The World Economic Forum and its guests—the world’s most influential people—gather annually to discuss global issues, such as the economy, climate change, and trade. This is the first time since 2020 that the event has taken place during its usual mid January time schedule.
The Forum is comprised of public sessions in addition to private backroom sessions between world leaders. The secretive atmosphere has set the event up with an air of mistrust from the general public. The discussions and panels that come out of this year’s forum are likely to set the tone for international political discussion going into this year.
Partisan Reactions
The World Economic Forum has faced bipartisan criticism. Progressives criticize the event for its inaction, saying that the rich elite who gather at the event don’t take any of the lessons or problems discussed and act upon them in ways that will address wealth inequality or climate change.
“But an entirely different narrative played out on the internet, where social-media users claimed leaders wanted to force the population to eat insects instead of meat in the name of saving the environment,” AP reports.
Conservatives tend to view the Forum’s mission more derisively, dismissing it as a hive of dangerous conspirators who want to establish a post-national global order, restrict human freedoms, and reduce the quality of life for average people. The Davos 2020’s theme, “The Great Reset,” continues to echo in online forums and discussions as a call for socialist reform.
