World Economic Forum

The World Economic Forum (WEF) is a Geneva-based foundation whose Annual Meeting of chief executives of the world's richest corporations, some national political leaders (presidents, prime ministers and others), and selected intellectuals and journalists, about 2000 people in all, is usually held in Davos, Switzerland. There are also regional meetings throughout the year. It was founded in 1971 by Klaus M. Schwab, a business professor in Switzerland, and has helped fund his family foundation, the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship.

WEF responses to critics

At the 2001 Annual Meeting, the Swiss Authorities spent $5.4 million on security. In the 2001 Annual Report, Klaus M. Schwab compared the threat of violentalternative globalization protestors to the threat of terrorists. Some critics judge that these type of reactions amount to a refusal to accept and respond to the criticism, however the Forum has always made it clear that is happy to engage with peaceful critics, indeed there have been a number of 'dialogues' with groups from the World Social Forum in Porto Allegre and the Open Forum was started to help foster this dialogue.

Related Topics:
2001 - Klaus M. Schwab - Alternative globalization - Terrorists

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The WEF claims that it wishes to open up dialogue with critics. Starting during the 2003 Annual Meeting in January in Davos, an Open Forum Davos 2003 was held in parallel with the main Annual Meeting. 300 members of the public able attended free of charge and the WEF hosted the Open Forum again in 2004 and 2005.

Related Topics:
2003 - Davos - 2004 - 2005

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 2001 the WEF started a series of 'initiatives' with the purpose of engaging business in tackling problems that concern business and its critics. The WEF's portfolio of active initiatives in 2005 include corporate citizenship, global health, global governance, greenhouse gas and water.

Related Topics:
2001 - 2005

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Controversy over the WEF's role in planetary decision making is likely to continue throughout the first decade of the twenty-first century.

Related Topics:
Decision making - Twenty-first century

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~