GENEVA, Switzerland — The World Economic Forum Davos Agenda, taking place virtually on Jan. 25-29, will bring together the foremost leaders of the world to address the new global situation. Heads of state and government, chief executives and leaders from civil society will convene under the theme: A Crucial Year to Rebuild Trust. The meeting will focus on creating impact, rebuilding trust and shaping the policies and partnerships needed in 2021. “In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need to reset priorities and the urgency to reform systems have been growing stronger around the world,” said Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum (WEF). “Rebuilding trust and increasing global cooperation are crucial to fostering innovative and bold solutions to stem the pandemic and drive a robust recovery. “This unique meeting will be an opportunity for leaders to outline their vision and address the most important issues of our time, such as the need to accelerate job creation and to protect the environment.” The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that no institution or individual alone can address the economic, environmental, social and technological challenges of our complex, interdependent world. The pandemic has accelerated systemic changes that were apparent before its inception. The fault lines that emerged in 2020 now appear as critical crossroads in 2021. The Davos Agenda will help leaders choose innovative and bold solutions to stem the pandemic and drive a robust recovery over the next year. The five program themes are: Designing cohesive, sustainable, resilient economic systems (Jan. 25) Driving responsible industry transformation and growth (Jan. 26) Enhancing stewardship of the global commons (Jan. 27) Harnessing the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Jan. 28) Advancing global and regional cooperation (Jan. 29) Special addresses from G20 heads of state and government and international organizations will provide crucial insights into a range of important issues in the year ahead. Participants will hear first-hand how these public figures will demonstrate leadership and drive action in areas such as the environment, jobs, and advances in innovation brought by the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Heads of state and government include: Xi Jinping, president of the People’s Republic of China; Narendra Modi, prime minister of India; Yoshihide Suga, prime minister of Japan; Emmanuel Macron, president of France; Angela Merkel, chancellor of Germany; Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission; Giuseppe Conte, prime minister of Italy; Moon Jae-in, president of the Republic of Korea; Alberto Fernández, president of Argentina; Cyril Ramaphosa, president of South Africa; Pedro Sánchez, prime minister of Spain. The team also includes: Guy Parmelin, president of the Swiss Confederation; Ivan Duque, president of Colombia; Carlos Alvarado Quesada, president of Costa Rica; Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, president of the Republic of Ghana; Kyriakos Mitsotakis, prime minister of Greece; Benjamin Netanyahu, prime minister of Israel; Abdullah II Bin Al Hussein, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan; Paul Kagame, president of Rwanda; Lee Hsien Loong, prime minister of Singapore, the host of the World Economic Forum Special Annual Meeting 2021. Leaders from international organizations, government agencies and central banks include: António Guterres, secretary-general, UN; Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general WHO; Kristalina Georgieva, managing director, IMF; Amina Mohammed, deputy secretary-general, UN; Achim Steiner, administrator, UNDP; Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, undersecretary-general and executive director, UN WOMEN; Dongyu Qu, director-general, FAO; Inger Andersen, executive director, UNEP; Henrietta Fore, executive director, UNICEF; David Beasley, executive director, WFP; Fang Liu, secretary-general, ICAO; Anthony Fauci, director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, USA; Angel Gurría, secretary-general, OECD; Mauricio Claver-Carone, president, Inter-American Development Bank; Guy Ryder, director-general, ILO; Jürgen Stock, secretary-general, INTERPOL; Fatih Birol, executive director, IEA; Rebecca Fatima Sta Maria, executive director, APEC Secretariat. Christine Lagarde, president, European Central Bank; François Villeroy de Galhau, governor of the Central Bank of France; Andrew Bailey, governor of the Bank of England will also attend. The private sector will be represented by more than 1,000 leaders from the Forum’s member and partner organizations. Seven of the top ten companies by market capitalization are engaged year-round with the Forum and many will participate in The Davos Agenda week. As a working meeting to advance ongoing project work, more than 500 chief executives and chairpersons will take part in sessions throughout the week. Leaders from civil society are a critical voice in shaping the agenda. Those taking part in the meeting include: Seth Berkley, CEO, Gavi; Gabriela Bucher, executive director, Oxfam International; Sharan Burrow, general secretary, ITUC; Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, president, Association for Indigenous Women and Peoples of Chad (AFPAT); Marco Lambertini, director-general, WWF International; Laura Liswood, secretary-general, Council of Women World Leaders; Delia Ferreira Rubio, chair, Transparency International; Peter Sands, executive director, Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GF). Drawn from over 10,000 civic-minded young leaders, members of the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers, Young Global Leaders, Technology Pioneers and Social Entrepreneurs communities will bring unique perspectives to The Davos Agenda. On Jan. 25, Professor Schwab will release his latest book, titled “Stakeholder Capitalism: A Global Economy that Works for Progress, People and Planet.” It explores how societies can build the future post-COVID, and builds on the Forum’s 50-year-old advocacy of the stakeholder approach. The World Economic Forum will release its Global Risks Report 2021 on Jan. 19. The flagship report is an important marker for prioritizing action in public and private sectors in the year ahead. The Davos Agenda will also mark the launch of several WEF initiatives to accelerate the race to net-zero emissions, to champion new standards for racial justice, to ensure artificial intelligence is developed ethically and in the global public interest and to close the digital divide. The meeting will be preceded by the Opening Event, available on YouTube on Sunday, Jan. 24, at 19.00 CET, featuring a welcome from Schwab and a special address by Guy Parmelin, just before the 27th Crystal Awards hosted by Hilde Schwab, chairperson and co-founder, Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, and the photographer Platon. The awards will be followed by the world premiere of “See Me: A Global Concert.” The official program of The Davos Agenda will begin on Jan. 25. — SG