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The faculty and participants are from all sectors of society and are here because they are people with influence in our world. And this year's theme is Resilient Dynamism. Could you ever imagine a better description for the work of mindful leadership?
Issues of national security, of globalization and of the role of business in increasingly transparent societies have been raised at Davos but have attracted less attention since the financial crisis; this year, attendees say, that is likely to change.
While the mix of people at Davos is slowly changing with the rise of World Economic Forum Young Global Leaders, Global Shapers and technology entrepreneurs, there is one population whose presence has gone unchanged.
The World Economic Forum has set the catchphrase for this year's summit: 'Resilient Dynamism." If that's difficult to digest, it's because the risk outlook is equally cloudy and disparate.
The situation has passed from unsustainable to catastrophic. The world needs a pay raise: those trillions of dollars have to be invested in growth and growth starts by investing in a company's most valuable asset -- its people.
Davos provides the perfect opportunity to learn about what has worked between 2008 and now, and what hasn't worked. Europe must re-price itself back into global markets while holding onto the gains it already has in social cohesion and environmental sustainability.
This new economy isn't based on recently discovered natural resources or cheap labor. It's based on the idea that mobile communication has the unprecedented ability to unlock opportunity -- even among the most poor and most isolated.
The rising frequency of extreme weather events and natural disasters has, in fact, prioritized resilience on the climate change agenda. It's driven by economic incentives, social benefits, and the sentiment that, frankly, we don't seem to have any other choice.
If leaders do not have the courage to imagine the future, they won't play a part in shaping it. But if the future is so elusive, where do we start? First, ask what high-level trends tell us about where we might be headed.
Whatever sentiment you deem more appropriate, it may be too early for a final judgement call about Rio+20's impact. Nonetheless, over six months later, it raises the question: where are we today?
Reputational crises can occur with lightning speed, fed by the ease with which information travels, increasing the inter-connectedness of our global economy that is a challenge as much as an opportunity for organizations.
Despite the fact that young people's needs and concerns are often shaped by the context they live in, there are global issues that are common problems around the world: employment, the desire to be included and recognized and make their voices heard.
Sustainable solutions based on innovation can create a more resilient world only if that innovation is focused on the health and well being of its inhabitants. And it is at that point, where technology and human needs intersect, we will find meaningful innovation.
The unemployment suffered by the youth of today will most likely haunt them for the rest of their lives and when they become parents of their own -- if they ever make enough of a living to start their own families -- it will also haunt their own children.
The World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting is a potential setting for global change for a more optimistic and resilient future. We will discuss crisis ...
The town of Davos is still reasonably quiet as everyone prepares for the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum, set to open formally today.
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