Originally established as the European Management Forum, the WEF was conceived to bring corporate and political leaders together to address transnational challenges and shape policy agendas beyond national boundaries. Its mission remains “improving the state of the world” through public-private cooperation, a goal increasingly tested in today’s fraught geopolitical environment.

This year’s meeting—taking place January 19–23, 2026—comes at a time of profound economic, technological and geopolitical shifts. With the official theme “A Spirit of Dialogue,” the Forum seeks to provide a neutral platform to address urgent global risks, from escalating geoeconomic tensions to rapid technologic evolution and fractured multilateral cooperation.

Who’s Attending Davos 2026 is notable for unprecedented participation: - 3,000 delegates from more than 130 countries, including government leaders, global CEOs, civil society representatives and academics. - A record 400 top political leaders, with ~65 heads of state or government, including U.S. President Donald Trump, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Israeli President Isaac Herzog among confirmed guests. - Six of the G7 leaders are expected to participate in bilateral and plenary discussions. - High-profile business figures such as CEOs of Nvidia, Microsoft and other global tech giants underscore the growing influence of technology on economic and policy discourses. - Representatives from major international organizations—including the United Nations, EU Commission, IMF, World Bank and NATO—will contribute to cross-sector panels and strategic dialogues.

The U.S. delegation accompanying President Trump is described as the largest ever, featuring key cabinet members and advisors, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, reflecting Washington’s elevated focus on the summit.

Additional notable attendees include longstanding critics of globalism—such as Nigel Farage—whose presence signals Davos’s attempt to broaden its political reach and reconcile divergent perspectives on international cooperation.

Core Agenda and Themes Davos 2026 aims to tackle a spectrum of pressing global priorities, with sessions designed to generate actionable insights: 1. Geopolitical Stability and Economic Risk: With rising geo-economic confrontation identified by leading risk surveys as one of the most critical short-term threats to global stability, delegates are expected to focus on managing interstate tensions, sanctions regimes, and strategic resource competition.

2. Technological Innovation and Responsible AI: The rapid pace of innovation—especially in artificial intelligence—is shaping economic growth models and labor markets. Advanced AI, cybersecurity and the digital economy are central topics in both public and private sessions.

3. Sustainable Economic Growth: Discussions will explore mechanisms to unlock inclusive growth, strengthen resilience and mobilize investment in emerging markets within the bounds of planetary sustainability.

4. Investing in People and Societal Resilience: Human capital development, education, health systems and equitable opportunity remain core components of the Forum’s strategy for shared prosperity.

5. Public-Private Cooperation: Reaffirming its foundational role, the WEF will foster dialogues between governments and global business leaders to align economic, regulatory and innovation pathways in a fragmented global landscape.

The Forum also has an extensive live broadcast agenda, with over 200 live-streamed sessions and public panels designed to expand the reach beyond the congress center.

Goals, Politics and Expectations Official statements emphasize dialogue over discord—an acknowledgment of the intensifying challenges facing global cooperation. Davos 2026 is structured to convert complex discussions into frameworks for joint action, particularly in areas where private and public sector commitments intersect. Critics, however, caution that the event’s relevance has been contested amid rising nationalist sentiment and skepticism of supranational institutions. The prominence of polarizing political figures, especially U.S. President Trump, has shifted some narrative focus toward hard-nosed geopolitical and economic realpolitik. This has reportedly led to an agenda adjustment, with topics like climate change and diversity receiving less emphasis compared with economics and trade strategy. The Forum’s evolving leadership also sets a new context: with founder Klaus Schwab having stepped down in 2025, interim co-chairs such as Larry Fink and André Hoffmann are steering the organization’s direction amid efforts to strengthen institutional governance and global relevance.

Historical Legacy and Impact Over its five-plus decades, the WEF Annual Meeting has served as a barometer of global cooperation, enabling government, corporate and civil society actors to negotiate policy frameworks ranging from trade liberalization to climate action. While often criticized for elitism, the Forum has historically incubated public-private partnerships, informed international policy discourse and accelerated dialogue on issues such as digital transformation and sustainable development. This year’s Davos comes at a pivotal moment, with global leaders navigating systemic risks that span geopolitics, technology and economic resilience. Whether Davos 2026 will produce measurable policy outcomes or simply reflect widening global divides remains a central question in world affairs.