World Economic Forum in Davos explains how it works

Nearly 3,000 high-level participants are gathered in Davos for the World Economic Forum's annual meeting, which includes more than 200 sessions and organizers say will draw nearly 400 top political leaders.

Nearly 3,000 high-level participants from business, government and other sectors are gathering in Davos for the World Economic Forum's annual meeting. The forum is based in Geneva and first held its annual Davos meeting in 1971. What began as a gathering of business executives has grown into a broad conference addressing topics from economic disparity to climate change and technology. Organizers say the event will include political leaders, corporate chiefs, and international institution heads. Key details: - Organizers say nearly 400 top political leaders, including more than 60 heads of state and government, and nearly 850 chairs and chief executives are expected to attend. - Nearly 3,000 participants are on site, alongside activists, journalists and outside observers, and more than 200 sessions are scheduled. - The meeting will address issues such as economic inequality, climate change, technology (including artificial intelligence), and global cooperation and competition. - Named attendees mentioned in the reporting include U.S. President Donald Trump (scheduled to speak Wednesday), Emmanuel Macron, Ursula von der Leyen, Mark Carney, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and business leaders such as Jensen Huang, Satya Nadella, Demis Hassabis and Arthur Mensch. - The forum's theme is "A Spirit of Dialogue," organized around cooperation, growth, investment in people, innovation and building prosperity. - Critics noted that Davos has been criticized for emphasizing discussion over concrete action on issues like inequality and climate change. Summary: The meeting brings together a wide mix of political and business figures to discuss global challenges, with scheduled speeches and hundreds of sessions on topics including AI, trade and climate. Outcomes and next steps from the conference are undetermined at this time.