Davos 2026 Forum: Spirit of Dialogue

Since its inception more than half a century ago, the Davos Forum has served as a space for dialogue among businesses, governments, international organizations, civil society, and academia. Now in its 56th outing, this calling is expressed more strongly than ever through the theme ‘Spirit of Dialogue,’ which paints the event as a neutral and impartial platform for the exchange of ideas that respond to the current international context—one marked by growing fragmentation, heightened complexity, and rapid technological change.

The Forum will tackle a number of far-reaching questions: How can we cooperate in a more contested world? How can we unlock new sources of growth? How can we invest better in people? Can innovation be deployed at scale and in a responsible manner? And can prosperity be created while respecting the planet’s limits? To address these questions, the Forum will summon public- and private-sector leaders and civil society representatives with the aim of exchanging ideas, aligning priorities, and coming up with coordinated solutions to global challenges. All of this will be done with a forward-looking perspective, focused on frontier innovation and on generating knowledge that supports concrete, actionable decision-making.

The Forum will tackle five major challenges that will shape the global agenda and that call for close cooperation among governments, businesses, and civil society. Responsible growth, resilience, and innovation emerge as key vectors guiding decision-making and helping to turn today’s complex landscape into opportunities for the future.

• Cooperating in an increasingly fragmented and competitive world. Heightened competition among major powers, social polarization, and eroding trust are reshaping global balances and call for closer cooperation among businesses, governments, and civil society to navigate a volatile environment.
• Unlocking new sources of growth in a highly uncertain environment. Amid trade tensions, inflationary pressures, and high debt levels, boosting innovation and productivity is essential to create long-term growth and ensure that its benefits are more inclusive.
• Investing better in people to strengthen social and labor resilience. Job transformation driven by artificial intelligence, the challenge of youth employment, and gaps in access to healthcare all call for stronger investment in training, employability, and health systems through coordinated public- and private-sector action.
• Deploying innovation at scale and responsibly. Harnessing the potential of AI and emerging technologies requires sound governance, sustained investment, and effective execution—key to driving productivity and advancing the energy transition.
• Creating prosperity while respecting the planet’s limits. In light of climate change and environmental degradation, it is essential to promote regenerative and circular economic models that protect ecosystems and generate sustainable growth and long-term stability.

Who will we see at Davos?

The World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting 2026 is expected to bring together some 2,500 to 3,000 participants from around 130 different countries. Participants include heads of state and government, corporate CEOs, civil society leaders, global media representatives, and youth leaders from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, and North America.

Several heads of state and government have already confirmed their attendance, including US President Donald Trump and Argentina’s President Javier Milei. Representatives from leading Spanish companies will also be in attendance. BBVA will be represented by its Chair, Carlos Torres Vila, and its CEO, Onur Genç.

What is the Davos Forum?

The Forum is traditionally held in Davos, the highest town in Europe (1,560 meters). Surrounded by mountains, it houses the largest ski station in Switzerland. However, Davos is not famous for its snow but for hosting the World Economic Forum (WEF). This annual meeting is attended by political, business, cultural and media leaders who wish to take part in the international agenda.

Davos was established in 1971 in Geneva (Switzerland) as an "independent, impartial and not tied to special interests” non-profit organization. Its founder is Klaus M. Schwab, a professor at the University of Geneva, who initially invited 444 executives from European companies to a meeting on corporate governance in the convention center of Davos.

His idea was to introduce the American business management approach to European firms. He never imagined that that meeting would lead to the unparalleled international summit that it is today.

Thousands of ideas come out of the Davos Forum. Not all of them materialize, but some have come far: the North American Free Trade Agreement, signed between Canada, Mexico, and the United States, was first proposed at an informal meeting in Davos.

A summit inspired by a sustainable manifesto

In 2020, Davos relaunched its Manifiesto' with a single objective in mind: to build a more sustainable and inclusive world. The 2020 edition was the most sustainable annual summit held to date, achieving ISO 20121 certification for event sustainability and being fully carbon neutral. The initiatives implemented to reach this goal included the use of locally sourced food suppliers, the introduction of alternative protein sources to reduce meat consumption, the provision of 100% renewable electricity, the reduction or elimination of materials that cannot be easily recycled or reused, and increased use of electric vehicles.

How can you follow the World Economic Forum in Davos?

The Forum’s public sessions will be broadcast live at the Davos Open Forum. Media outlets will also be in attendance. Furthermore, live updates, sessions, interviews, and debates will be shared across the Forum’s social media channels.

• X (previously Twitter), with 4 million followers on @wef.
• Facebook: in English at the World Economic Forum, and for content in Spanish, Foro Económico Mundial.
• LinkedIn at the World Economic Forum and for coverage in Spanish, Foro Económico Mundial.
• Instagram at @worldeconomicforum and in Spanish, @foroeconomicomundial.
• YouTube, with live sessions and videos on the World Economic Forum’s channel.
• TikTok at @worldeconomicforum.

The official hashtag for the event is #WEF26.