Davos 2019 Live: Identity in a Digital World

The World Economic Forum is one of those annual meetings that bring together leaders of global society at one podium. This year there will be a good number of world leaders at World Economic Forum in the town of Davos, which is slated to commence on Tuesday, January 22 and continue till Friday, January 25.

The top global leaders like US President Donald Trump, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, China's President Xi Jinping, British Prime Minister Theresa May, France's President Emmanuel Macron and Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa are not attending the World Economic Forum 2019.

Founded in 1971 as a not-for-profit organization, this forum is best known for its annual meeting at the end of January in Davos, Switzerland. This initiative brings together representatives from the corporate, investor, humanitarian and development communities to collectively deliver on new solutions that will help to solve the most critical problems of this age. The failure to tackle constant climate change and extreme weather events are the most threatening global risks this year, as revealed in a report released by WEF on Wednesday, January 16.

"Davos will be dominated by a high level of anxiety about stock markets, a slowdown in growth and international politics," chief economist at IHS Markit, Nariman Behravesh said.

"The leadership presence is lower than last year but those who are going ... will be seeking to impart a sense of confidence and calm business and investors' nerves," Behravesh added.

Quotes to get ready for WEF 2019

"Right now, we are facing a man-made disaster of global scale. Our greatest threat in thousands of years. Climate change." – David Attenborough, an English broadcaster and natural historian.

"If we do not change course by 2020, we risk missing the point where we can avoid runaway climate change, with disastrous consequences for people and all the natural systems that sustain us." – António Guterres, Secretary-General of United Nations.

"There is no economic law requiring globalization to be a race to the bottom." – Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of the Oxfam International.

"Globalization 4.0 has only just begun, but we are already vastly under-prepared for it." – Klaus Schwab, Executive Chairman of WEF.

"I appreciate that disability as an identity is tricky, but it is simply language and words. Who is to say that normal is normal? Or that able is able?" – Susie Rodgers, British Paralympic swimmer.

Attendees at WEF 2019 at Davos

The Annual Meeting in Davos will host over 3,000 participants from 115 economies. Women represent 22 percent of the participants (compared to 21 percent last year), whereas 78 percent are men. The oldest attendee is 92-year old David Attenborough, the English broadcaster and natural historian. And the youngest participant is Skye Meaker, the 16-year old South African photographer who was named Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2018 at a ceremony at the Natural History Museum, London.

World leaders and top CEOs meet at Davos in Switzerland this week to discuss how to steer policy amid worries of slowing economic growth, damaging trade wars, and Brexit. Devdiscourse is covering the event by giving live updates on the event.