The 2026 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting will be held from 19 to 23 January 2026 in the Davos-Klosters region of Switzerland. The meeting is part of the annual summit tradition organized by the World Economic Forum. The 2026 meeting is structured around the theme “Spirit of Dialogue”, which focuses on sustaining multilateral communication channels amid rising economic, political and technological tensions in the international system.
Participant Structure and Representation Level
The summit brought together heads of state and government, ministers of economy and finance, central bank governors, senior executives of multinational corporations, representatives of international organizations, academics and civil society actors. The participant profile encompasses political and economic actors influential in global decision-making processes. In addition to official sessions, the Forum hosted closed-door meetings and bilateral talks.
Agenda Highlights
Main agenda items included the global economic outlook, geopolitical tensions, trade policies, technological transformation, artificial intelligence, climate and sustainability, energy security and global risks. Assessments published during the Forum emphasized that economic conflicts and trade-based tensions are among the most prominent risk areas for the global system.
The U.S. Administration and the Davos Agenda
U.S. President Donald Trump attended the 2026 Davos meetings. Trump’s engagements in Davos were shaped primarily within the framework of U.S. economic and trade policies. It was noted that Trump met with global corporate leaders to communicate U.S. policy priorities. At the same time, it was recorded that some heads of state and government did not attend the summit, sparking discussions about the level of representation at Davos.
World Economic Forum Assessments and Research
In reports and studies published before and during the meeting, economic conflicts, geopolitical fragmentation and trade wars were identified as leading global risks. These assessments helped define the policy framework discussed at Davos sessions. Global economic governance, multilateralism and international cooperation were examined within this context.
Sessions and Side Events
Panels, roundtable discussions and leader-to-leader meetings held during Davos 2026 formed a significant part of the official program. The meeting process was communicated to the public through live broadcasts and daily briefings via the World Economic Forum’s digital platforms. Thematic sessions targeting different sectors were organized throughout the meeting days.
