The World Economic Forum on Thursday said its next annual meeting will be held in the Swiss ski resort town of Davos in January 2022, making it the first major in-person congregation of the world leaders in almost two years since the deadliest pandemic hit the world.
The WEF's 2020 Davos annual meeting was the last such summit before the COVID-19 pandemic virtually shut down the entire world while the Geneva-based organisation for international public-private cooperation had to skip its yearly congregation in 2021 due to safety and health concerns posed by the deadly virus that was first detected in China in December 2019 before it became a global pandemic by February-March period last year.
In a statement, the WEF said its next annual meeting will take place from January 17-21, 2022 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, under the theme 'Working Together, Restoring Trust'.
The foremost business, government and civil society leaders will convene in person to address economic, environmental, political and social fault lines exacerbated by the pandemic, it added.
The meeting will focus on accelerating stakeholder capitalism, harnessing the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and ensuring a more inclusive future of work.
The role of public-private cooperation will be crucial to rebuilding trust and shaping a more sustainable future.
The Annual Meeting 2022 will be the first global leadership event to set the agenda for a sustainable recovery, the WEF said.
"The pandemic has exacerbated fractures across society. It is a critical year for leaders to come together and shape the necessary partnerships and policies. The meeting will bring together forward-thinking leaders to drive multi stakeholder collaboration and address the world's most pressing economic, political and societal challenges," it said.
Stating that the well-being of participants, staff, service providers and hosts is a priority, the WEF said it is working closely with the Swiss authorities as well as with experts and national and international health organisations to put in place measures for the Annual Meeting 2022 that are appropriate and adapted to the context.
Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum, said, "the pandemic has brought far-reaching changes. In a world full of uncertainty and tension, personal dialogue is more important than ever. Leaders have an obligation to work together and rebuild trust, increase global cooperation and work towards sustainable, bold solutions".
Progressing cooperation to tackle climate change, build a better future for work, accelerate stakeholder capitalism, and harness the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution will be important topics on the agenda.
Ahead of the Annual Meeting 2022, the Forum will host the fifth Sustainable Development Impact Summit taking place virtually from September 20-23, 2021 in the context of the United Nations General Assembly.
The summit will convene under the theme 'Shaping an Equitable, Inclusive and Sustainable Recovery'. It will welcome leaders from government, business and civil society who will work together to drive action and build momentum for a more sustainable and inclusive future.
