The World Economic Forum: A Swiss success story

Since 1971, the World Economic Forum has stood at the intersection of geopolitics and cooperation. It believes that the only viable path is to connect leaders across sectors, regions, ideologies and generations to make sense of global challenges and move the world forward together, congregating its partners in trusted spaces – physical and digital.

Working globally but headquartered in Geneva, how Swiss is the Forum and what makes it a distinctive organization in connecting diverse voices and divergent points-of-view around shared challenges?

Bringing together leaders from government, business, international organizations, civil society and the next generation, the Forum embodies a unique culture based on its values of independence, impartiality, integrity, respect and excellence.

It believes that in the face of growing global fractures and uncertainty, our platform remains vital to building the trust base on which partnerships can be created and strengthened.

Switzerland has deeply impacted the mission and values of the Forum since its founding more than 55 years ago.

From our headquarters in Geneva to our Annual Meeting in Davos, the country continues to provide an impartial environment where trust, dialogue and cooperation can flourish across borders, sectors and generations.

The Forum is independent and not beholden to any especial interests.

Nestled in the Swiss Alps, Davos is not only Europe’s highest city but it has also become synonymous with the Forum's Annual Meeting.

Held in Davos since its inception, the Annual Meeting embodies openness and cooperation, encapsulated in the “Davos Manifesto,” created in 1973 and renewed in 2020. The manifesto outlines the principles of stakeholder capitalism, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Agenda.

The agenda of the Annual Meeting evolves each year and the connections made there have been known to help ease geopolitical tensions, accelerate breakthroughs in global health and new technologies, and develop new models for inclusive growth and climate resilience, and much more.

Over the years, the Annual Meeting in Davos has facilitated landmark agreements, such as averting armed conflict between Greece and Turkey in 1988 and helping to end apartheid in South Africa. It also served as a platform for the announcement of the UN Global Compact, an initiative that calls on companies to align their operations with human rights principles.

At the 1990 gathering, a session on “New Europe” took place, bringing together for the first time the heads of Western and Eastern European countries. The encounter between West German Federal Chancellor Helmut Kohl and the newly elected East German Prime Minister Hans Modrow was decisive in determining German reunification.

The “Spirit of Davos,” which embodies the Annual Meeting, refers to the attitude of openness and cooperation at the heart of the Forum's mission. The Annual Meeting is an invitation-only event, based not on wealth or fame but on expertise and influence for positive change.

As well as the Forum’s partner businesses, government leaders, international organizations, civil society leaders, activists, artists and youth representatives, other participants of the Annual Meeting include members of communities such as the Global Innovators and Technology Pioneers community, the Community of Global Shapers, the Forum of Young Global Leaders, and the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship.

The Forum’s activities extend beyond the Annual Meetings in Davos, as evidenced by pivotal events in its history:

The Forum promotes consensus and action on issues such as social inclusion and environmental protection through its Annual Meeting and beyond. Its commitment to long-term progress is evident in its recent achievements.

For instance, it launched the Reskilling Revolution – an initiative aiming to transform education, skills and learning to prepare a billion people for tomorrow’s economy and society .Additionally, the Forum spearheads the First Movers Coalition, a global coalition of companies leveraging their purchasing power to decarbonize the world’s heavy-emitting sectors.

It also hosts the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which helps stakeholders harness the full potential of technological progress for the equitable and human-centred transformation of industries, economies and societies.

The collaboration between Switzerland and the Forum is not merely symbolic; it is deeply rooted in tangible initiatives.

In 2015, a Host State Agreement was signed, acknowledging the Forum as an “international institution for public-private cooperation.”

The House of Switzerland, established in 2019, provides a platform for working meetings, thematic events and collaboration among political, business and scientific stakeholders during the Annual Meetings.

This collaboration has since translated into further joint initiatives. In January 2023, the Swiss Federal Office of Culture, in cooperation with the Forum, launched the Davos Baukultur Alliance, bringing together stakeholders to advance high-quality, sustainable and inclusive built environments.

The Alliance builds on the Davos Declaration of 2018, with its secretariat hosted by the Forum and Switzerland chairing the Alliance during its initial five-year period.

In January 2024, the Forum and the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs launched the Global Foresight Network during the Annual Meeting.

The Network brings together a global community of practitioners from the public and private sectors to strengthen strategic foresight and future preparedness, providing a platform to anticipate emerging challenges and develop more forward-looking approaches to decision-making.

The Forum is deeply intertwined with the Swiss ethos of neutrality, collaboration and long-term vision. In a rapidly changing world and as dynamics shift across countries and sectors, Switzerland offers an important reminder. Progress is rarely the result of one voice prevailing over another. More often, it comes from creating the conditions where trust is built and different voices can work together.

This article has been updated in August 2026.