From January 20 to 24, 2025: World leaders gathered in Davos in search of the best economic strategies

The world ‘s economy in 2025 is expected to be stronger and improve on that of the past year, and this will be the focus at the World Economic Forum 2025 where leaders from all over the world will convene to discuss the best steps to take to ensure progress and stability.

The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2025 will take place from January 20–24 in Davos, Switzerland and promises to be yet another pivotal event for the world, especially corners of the world needing immediate economic intervention.

Convened under the theme “Collaboration for the Intelligent Age,” this year’s meetings comes as the world tries to understand ashifting political landscape around the world. With the reelection of Donald Trump as US President, the toppling of Assad in Syria, the resignation of Justin Trudeu as Canadian PM, the ongoing war in Gaza, and many more, there are a lot of factors to be considered. Add to that the rapid technological advancements—from artificial intelligence to cryptocurrency— there are many sides to the social equation needed to solve to unlock unprecedented opportunities to boost productivity, foster growth, and improve living standards. 

This year’s meeting aims to address these complexities by fostering dialogue and cooperation among the most influential voices in government, business, civil society, science, and culture. The program is designed to inspire innovative approaches and actionable solutions that emphasize inclusion, sustainability, and resilience in a rapidly evolving world.

The meeting will explore five interconnected themes:

Rebuilding Trust: Strengthening collaboration within societies and across borders to bridge divides and foster unity in addressing shared challenges.

Reimagining Growth: Identifying new pathways for economic expansion, particularly in the face of global economic uncertainties and high debt levels.

Investing in People: Highlighting the critical role of human capital, emphasizing job creation, education, and skills development to build resilient and modern societies.

Safeguarding the Planet: Driving climate action, energy transitions, and nature conservation through innovative partnerships and cutting-edge technologies.

Industries in the Intelligent Age: Supporting industries in balancing immediate business goals with long-term strategies for sustainable transformation.

The meeting will build on the World Economic Forum’s fundamental functions as the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation.

1. Act as a reliable international forum for communication and collaboration
2. Gather a wide range of interested parties
3. In a time of complexity, try to make connections.
4. Have a strong focus on the future, both in terms of ideas and solutions.

The workshop will also include a unique workstream on Leadership in Complexity, which will examine the tools required to negotiate this rapidly changing environment.

Programme

The event will go on for 5 days filled with informative agendas:

20th January 2025 

• 15:00 CET: Inauguration Day – Opening keynote with prominent speakers.
• 18:00 CET: Crystal Awards 2025 – Honoring global achievers.
• 18:30 CET: Opening Concert – A cultural kickoff event.
• 18:30–19:45 CET: Investing in People Forum – Inclusive dialogue on human capital development.

21st January 2025 

• (08:00–10:15 CET): Key topics: Global demographics, US presidency insights, tech innovation, banking shifts, and refugee resilience.
• (10:00–13:45 CET): Special addresses by leaders from Europe and China, climate forums, crypto discussions, and industrial growth strategies.
•  (14:00–17:30 CET): Highlights: Addresses by Olaf Scholz and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, discussions on diplomacy, US economy, biotech, and migration trends.
• (17:30–19:45 CET): Focus areas: African economy, diversity in the workplace, and inclusion initiatives.

22nd January 2025 

• 08:00–09:45 CET: Discussions on safeguarding natural habitats, decoding China’s economy, and addressing gender parity.
• 10:15–12:15 CET: Panels on global health, AI governance, and modern slavery, with addresses from António Guterres and Anwar Ibrahim.
• 14:00–15:45 CET: ASEAN collaboration, advanced energy tech, and economic trends dominate afternoon sessions.
• 16:15–18:15 CET: Focus on Europe’s growth, climate finance, digital health, and AI’s role in innovation.
• 17:15–19:45 CET: Evening explores food security, youth development, and retirement reinvention.

Key figures include Al Gore, Christine Lagarde, and António Guterres.

23rd January 2025 

• 08:00–09:45 CET: Climate, cybersecurity, and AI in industries.
• 10:15–11:00 CET: Financial integration, Argentina’s President’s address, and energy transitions.
• 11:30–14:00 CET: Trade, India’s growth, and reskilling discussions.
• 15:00–16:15 CET: Global risks, AI in security, and Muhammad Yunus’ talk.
• 17:00–20:45 CET: U.S. President’s address, neurodiversity, and art for justice.

Key Focus Areas: Climate, economic growth, AI, and global trust-building.

24th January 2025

• 09:00–09:45 CET: Discussions on tech, development, trust, democracy, and environment.
• 10:15–11:00 CET: Innovations in digital infrastructure, clean tech, and global relations.
• 11:00–12:00 CET: Global economic outlook.
• 12:00–12:15 CET: Tackling societal exclusion.
• 12:30–13:45 CET: Closing remarks.

Focus: Innovation, sustainability, inclusivity, and global collaboration.

The Open Forum

The Open Forum is a key feature of the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting, designed to engage a wider audience in meaningful conversations.

Since its inception in 2003, the Open Forum has convened every January at the Swiss Alpine School in Davos, bringing together a diverse range of leaders. Government officials, artists, civil society activists, visionary entrepreneurs, and CEOs of global companies all contribute their perspectives on important issues. This platform invites the public to listen, engage, and share ideas with panelists on topics of global significance.

Reflecting the spirit of Davos, the Open Forum fosters dialogue on key themes such as geopolitics, economics, the environment, leadership, and the role of the arts in society. It serves as a bridge for open exchanges between the public, scholars, business leaders, and policymakers committed to improving the world.

The Open Forum’s goal is to raise awareness and spark conversations on critical challenges by providing a space for ideas, questions, and discussions. All sessions are broadcast live on our website and are available for viewing later.

Digital Members Track

Members of Forum Digital and Pro, who come from a variety of backgrounds, get unique access to a virtual program that provides an intimate look at the talks taking place at the Congress Centre during the Annual Meeting in Davos. They also get the newsletter from Davos Daily. See the right for more information about these memberships.

Written. By Dr Florence Omisakin