“Davos is unique in bringing together close to 3,000 decision makers from governments, business, and civil society at the beginning of the year to address the challenges of a world in deep transformation,” said Klaus Schwab, Founder and Chairman of the Board of Trustees, World Economic Forum. “Despite divergent positions and great uncertainties, the Annual Meeting 2025 will foster a spirit of cooperation and constructive optimism with the objective of shaping the forthcoming Intelligent Age in a more sustainable and inclusive way.”

"The Annual Meeting comes at a moment marked by a greater level of global uncertainty than we have seen in a generation, driven by geopolitical tensions, economic fragmentation and accelerating climate change,” said Børge Brende, President and CEO of the World Economic Forum. “Within this more unsettled climate, the only way to address urgent challenges and unlock new opportunities is through innovative, cooperative approaches."

Switzerland is the host country for the Annual Meeting. More than 350 governmental leaders are expected to participate this year, including 60 heads of state and government. There will be strong government representation from around the world.

Top political leaders taking part include: Donald J. Trump, President-elect of the United States (who will join via live video link for an interactive dialogue with participants), Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission; Ding Xuexiang, Vice-Premier of the People's Republic of China; Olaf Scholz, Federal Chancellor of Germany; Javier Milei, President of Argentina; Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament; Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, President of South Africa; Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister of Spain; Karin Keller-Sutter, President of the Swiss Confederation 2025, Federal Councillor, Head of the Federal Department of Finance; Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia; Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan; Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of the Government of Bangladesh; Alexander De Croo, Prime Minister of Belgium; Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo; Mostafa Madbouli, Prime Minister of Egypt; Abdulatif Rashid, President of Iraq; Simon Harris, Taoiseach of Ireland; Isaac Herzog, President of Israel; Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia; Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai, Prime Minister of Mongolia; Dick Schoof, Prime Minister of the Netherlands; Mohammed Mustafa, Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority; Dina Ercilia Boluarte, President of Peru; Andrzej Duda, President of Poland; Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar; Aleksandar Vu?i?, President of Serbia; Tharman Shanmugaratnam, President of Singapore; Ulf Kristersson, Prime Minister of Sweden; Asaad Hassan Al Shibani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Syria, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Prime Minister of Thailand; Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine; Pham Minh Chinh, Prime Minister of Viet Nam.

Heads of international organizations taking part include: António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations; Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization; Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund; Mark Rutte, Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization; Achim Steiner, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme.

Over 1,600 business leaders, including over 900 of the world’s top CEOs and Chairs from the World Economic Forum’s Members and Partners, will also participate, over 120 of which are Global Innovators, Tech Pioneers and Unicorns who are transforming industries.

More than 170 leaders from civil society and the social sector – from labour unions, non-governmental organizations, religious and indigenous communities, as well as experts and heads of the world’s leading universities, research institutions and think tanks – will participate in the meeting. More than 160 members of the Forum’s Global Shapers, Young Global Leaders and Social Innovators will also attend to showcase local innovations and solutions to global challenges.

Heads of civil society organizations participating include: David Miliband, President and CEO, International Rescue Committee; Sania Nishtar, CEO, Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance; Luc Triangle, General Secretary, International Trade Union Confederation; M. Sanjayan, CEO, Conservation International; Comfort Ero, President and CEO, International Crisis Group; Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, President, Association for Fulani Women and Indigenous Peoples of Chad; Tirana Hassan, Executive Director, Human Rights Watch; Peter Sands, Executive Director, The Global Fund; Amitabh Behar, Executive Director, Oxfam International; Cardinal Peter Kodwo Turkson, Chancellor, Pontifical Academy of Sciences and Social Sciences of the Holy See.

A list of civil society organization representatives taking part can be found here.

“By convening leaders from around the world and different walks of life, the Annual Meeting provides a platform to share views and knowledge at a time of profound change for people and communities,” said Mirek Dušek, Managing Director, World Economic Forum. “A core goal of our proceedings is to enable broad-based agency and solutions in the context of the new economy that seems to be emerging.”

To respond to the dynamic global context, the 55th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum will convene under the theme, Collaboration for the Intelligent Age. Discussions will focus on five core, interconnected pillars, each critical for a sustainable, inclusive and prosperous future.

Reimagining Growth will explore new opportunities for economic growth, including through technology-driven innovation. Industries in the Intelligent Age will examine how business can navigate technological shifts and new industry dynamics. Investing in People will address the need for workforce development, reskilling and creating jobs in emerging sectors. Safeguarding the Planet will focus on scaling climate and nature solutions and advancing decarbonization efforts. Rebuilding Trust will work to foster global cooperation and resilience in an increasingly fragmented world.

The Annual Meeting 2025 will continue to be informative and accessible to the wider public through the livestreaming of over 220 sessions. In addition, the Open Forum, now in its 22nd year, will host panel discussions open to the public under the theme, Justice for All: A World without Barriers.

The Annual Meeting’s programme is shaped both by the Forum’s continuing work and the latest global developments. It encourages and promotes forward-thinking ideas and long-term solutions to tackle multiple interconnected global, regional and industry-specific challenges and crises, as well as new opportunities driven by innovation and technology. The full programme is available here.

In the lead-up to the Annual Meeting 2025, the World Economic Forum published several reports to inform and guide discussions. On global cooperation, the Forum’s recently released Global Cooperation Barometer 2025 sets the stage for “disordered” cooperation and pragmatic, solutions-driven decision-making in a period of heightened global volatility and geopolitical instability.

On the economy, the Future of Jobs Report 2025 explores how shifting global trends and new technologies are projected to generate 170 million new jobs by 2030 while displacing 92 million others – highlighting an urgent need to upskill workers worldwide. The Global Risks Report 2025, launching tomorrow, will identify the top risks for the short term as well as the next decade, while the latest Chief Economists Outlook will focus on expectations for the global economy in 2025.

On technology, the Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2025 highlights the increasing complexity in the cyber landscape due to a rapid growth of emerging technologies, geopolitical uncertainty as well as vulnerabilities in supply chain interdependencies and a growing cyber skills gap. The meeting will see the release of a new report series on artificial intelligence (AI) and its responsible adoption at scale across key industries and new research detailing practical strategies for inclusive AI development.

On climate, nature and energy, the meeting will build on the momentum from the three UN COPs on Climate, Land and Biodiversity in 2024 to scale the deployment of renewable energy, drive energy efficiencies while addressing energy demand, and protect and restore nature. The Forum will advance the work of key initiatives, including the Global Plastic Action Partnership, the Transitioning Industrial Clusters Initiative and the First Movers Coalition, and release new research outlining key strategies for industries and cities transitioning to a nature-positive future.

“The climate and nature crisis requires urgent attention and action. In 2024, annual global warming reached a record 1.54C above the pre-industrial average, with many parts of the world experiencing unprecedented, catastrophic weather events,” said Gim Huay Neo, Managing Director, World Economic Forum. “At the Annual Meeting, we will explore how data and technologies, as well as innovative partnerships, can be harnessed to create value and empower leadership for people, planet and prosperity.”

The Arts and Culture programme, which includes the 31st Annual Crystal Awards and around 20 cultural leaders, will feature a dynamic and multifaceted arts programme, with interactive AI-driven art, music, film, photography and handcrafted creations.

About the Annual Meeting 2025

The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2025, taking place in Davos-Klosters from 20 to 24 January, convenes global leaders under the theme, Collaboration for the Intelligent Age. The meeting will foster new partnerships and insights to shape a more sustainable, inclusive future in an era of rapidly advancing technology, focusing on five key areas: Reimagining Growth, Industries in the Intelligent Age, Investing in People, Safeguarding the Planet, and Rebuilding Trust. Click here to learn more.