A general view of the town of Davos at nightfall during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos. The World Economic Forum takes place in Davos from January 19 to January 23, 2026.INA FASSBENDER/AFP/Getty Images
Nearly 3,000 high-level participants from business, government and beyond plus untold numbers of activists, journalists and outside observers are converging in the Swiss town of Davos for the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting.
Here’s a look at the latest edition of the elite affair in the Alpine snows.
What is the World Economic Forum, and why is Davos so famous?
The forum is a think tank and event organizer based in Geneva whose main event – the annual meeting – debuted in 1971 in Davos, a ski-resort town of about 10,000 people at a height of about 1,500 meters in the Alps of eastern Switzerland.
The first edition, hosted by forum founder Klaus Schwab, featured a gathering of business executives.
Since then, the meeting has swelled into a catch-all conference on issues as diverse as economic disparity, climate change, technology, and global cooperation — as well as competition and conflict.
Mr. Schwab stepped down in April. New co-chairs Larry Fink, the head of investment firm BlackRock, and Andre Hoffman, vice chair of pharmaceuticals firm Roche, are in charge.
More than 200 sessions will tackle a wide array of issues.
What to know about the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos.
The Associated Press
Who is invited to this year’s meeting?
Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks during the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 20.Markus Schreiber/The Associated Press
Organizers says a record of nearly 400 top political leaders, including more than 60 heads of state and government, and nearly 850 chairs and chief executives of many of the world’s leading companies.
Headlining the lineup is U.S. President Donald Trump, who’s set to deliver a speech on Wednesday, and several cabinet ministers and top advisers including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and special envoy Steve Witkoff.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is also attending and made a speech on Tuesday, urging countries to start condemning economic coercion, even when practised by a great power ally – a clear reference to the United States following an extraordinary threat by Mr. Trump to impose tariffs on European allies and Britain until Washington is allowed to acquire Greenland for strategic purposes.
Former prime minister Justin Trudeau also spoke Tuesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos. He was joined by his partner and pop star Katy Perry, who sat in the front row, giving a warm smile when Mr. Trudeau talked about Canada not meddling in other states’ affairs to take oil.
Former prime minister Justin Trudeau holds hands with Katy Perry as they leave an event during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press
President Emmanuel Macron of France, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, President Ahmed al-Sharaa of Syria, President Felix Tshisekedi of Congo, Vice Premier He Lifeng of China, and President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine are among the who’s-who of top attendees.
Organizers say 55 ministers for economy and finance, 33 ministers for foreign affairs, 34 ministers for trade, commerce and industry, and 11 central bank governors are also expected.
Tech titans scheduled to be on hand include Jensen Huang of Nvidia. Microsoft’s Satya Nadella, Demis Hassabis of Google DeepMind, and Arthur Mensch of France’s Mistral AI.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala are among scores of top officials from international institutions.
What’s different this year?
A delivery robot during the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting, in Davos, Switzerland on Jan. 20.Romina Amato/Reuters
The geopolitical context has become incredibly complex this year: Trump’s pronouncements and policies on subjects as diverse as Venezuela, Greenland and Iran — not to mention his aggressive tariff policies — have upended the world order and raised questions about America’s role in the world.
The advent of artificial intelligence — its promise and perils — has also become a hot topic. Business executives will examine how to apply it to boost efficiency and profits; labor leaders and advocacy groups will warn of its threat to jobs and livelihoods, and policymakers will look to navigate the best way forward between regulation and right to innovate.
Davos conference organizers always trot out buzzwords for the meeting, and this year’s is “A Spirit of Dialogue” — around five themes of cooperation, growth, investment in people, innovation and building prosperity.
Critics say Davos is too much talk and not enough action to rectify gaping inequality in the world and address troubles like climate change.
What about protests and other events happening on the streets of Davos?
Activists from the Swiss NGO Campax project a cartoon image of U.S. President Donald Trump onto a ski slope during a protest against his attendance at the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland.Denis Balibouse/Reuters
As usual, protesters rallied over the weekend in and near Davos ahead of the event. Hundreds of marchers scaled an Alpine road up to the town on Saturday behind a banner in German that read “No Profit from War” and alongside a truck that bore a sign: World Economic Failure.
Companies like Microsoft, India’s Tata Consultancy, social media titan TikTok and cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike have joined governments from countries like Nigeria, Qatar, Ukraine and the United States – a USA House is making a debut this year – to set up shop on the Davos Promenade to promote their services, products and national economies.
Davos storekeepers rent out their premises so that forum participants can have the prime real estate for the week.
Critics have long accused the annual meeting in Davos of generating more rhetoric than results, and they see Mr. Trump’s return as sign of the disconnect between haves and have-nots. Some say Swiss leaders who support the event and flock to Davos too are adding to the problem.
“It is worrying how Swiss politicians are courting warmongers and their profiteers in Davos,” said Mirjam Hostetmann, president of Switzerland’s Young Socialists, who have led protests against the event. “The WEF will never bring peace, but will only fuel escalation.”
With reports from Steven Chase and The Canadian Press.