World Economic Forum: Highlights

January 28, 2012 18:56 IST

Updated: October 18, 2016 13:40 IST

January 28, 2012 18:56 IST

Updated: October 18, 2016 13:40 IST

The annual summit of business, industrial, academic and State heads is being held from January 24-29, 2012 in Davos, Switzerland, when the world is facing debt crisis, political instability and anti-capitalist movement.

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Participants at a discussion during the first day of the 42nd annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The overarching theme of the meeting, which takes place from January 25 to 29, is "The Great Transformation: Shaping New Models". Photo: AP

The roof of the Congress Centre a day before the opening of the 42nd Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum. Started in 1971 as the European Management Forum, and renamed in 1987 as World Economic Forum, it is a platform for business, industrial and State patrons to debate on various issues such as contemporary management practices, global economy, combating hunger, eradication of epidemics and so on. Photo: AP

President of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi pauses as he speaks during a session. Mr. Draghi said that new, tougher rules restricting government budget deficits are the prerequisite before the troubled eurozone can move toward more central control of finances. Photo: AP

International Monetary Fund managing director Christine Lagarde during a session "What trends and issues will shape the global economic order in 2012". Ms. Lagarde favoured austerity as a solution to the cash-strapped Eurozone nations. Photo: AP

WTO director-general Pascal Lamy talks to India's Commerce Minister Anand Sharma. India, Brazil, South Africa alliance, popularly known as IBSA have blamed the protectionist policies of developed countries for economic slowdown in developing and least developed countries. Photo: AP

Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar attends a debate on 'Democracy' at the World Economic Forum. The debate highlighted the stark difference between democracy in books and democracy being practised citing examples such as Pakistan’s history of military rule and the Arab Spring. Photo: AP

A member of the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency acts as a soldier during a 'refugee run' where business people and politicans attending the World Economic Forum slip into the role of people fleeing conflicts and persecution. Actors play the role of soldiers demanding valuables from the refugees, who also have to brave a minefield and barter their belongings for food. Photo: AP

Former British Olympic champion Sebastian Coe poses next to an ice sculpture to promote the 2012 Summer Olympic Games on the sideline of the World Economic Forum. The ice sculpture represents London's Tower Bridge, Big Ben, Canary Wharf and the London Eye. Photo: AP

Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Simon Bland, board chair of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, pose to promote the 10th anniversary. The Global Fund is a public-private partnership that finances initiatives to combat the world's three most devastating diseases. Photo: AP

Here comes the counterpoints to WEF. Amnesty-International's Secretary General Salil Shetty speaks to reporters after attending a protest against corporate excess at the World Economic Forum. Photo: AP

Kumi Naidoo, Greenpeace International director, speaks during the "public eye awards" on the sidelines of the WEF. This “shaming” award is presented every year to those who have caused grave damage to livelihood and environment in the name of development. Photo: AP

People march with a banner that reads in Portuguese "Worldwide" on the first day of the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The World Social Forum, is an annual meeting of people and organizations opposed to capitalism, as a counterweight to the WEF. Photo: AP

Members of the Occupy WEF movement build an igloo at their camp site two days before the opening of the WEF. Occupy movement protests the concentration of wealth to a meagre "1% rich", while the "99% majority" bear the brunt of tax levies. Photo: AP

Participants at a discussion during the first day of the 42nd annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The overarching theme of the meeting, which takes place from January 25 to 29, is "The Great Transformation: Shaping New Models". Photo: AP

The roof of the Congress Centre a day before the opening of the 42nd Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum. Started in 1971 as the European Management Forum, and renamed in 1987 as World Economic Forum, it is a platform for business, industrial and State patrons to debate on various issues such as contemporary management practices, global economy, combating hunger, eradication of epidemics and so on. Photo: AP

President of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi pauses as he speaks during a session. Mr. Draghi said that new, tougher rules restricting government budget deficits are the prerequisite before the troubled eurozone can move toward more central control of finances. Photo: AP

International Monetary Fund managing director Christine Lagarde during a session "What trends and issues will shape the global economic order in 2012". Ms. Lagarde favoured austerity as a solution to the cash-strapped Eurozone nations. Photo: AP

WTO director-general Pascal Lamy talks to India's Commerce Minister Anand Sharma. India, Brazil, South Africa alliance, popularly known as IBSA have blamed the protectionist policies of developed countries for economic slowdown in developing and least developed countries. Photo: AP

Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar attends a debate on 'Democracy' at the World Economic Forum. The debate highlighted the stark difference between democracy in books and democracy being practised citing examples such as Pakistan’s history of military rule and the Arab Spring. Photo: AP

A member of the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency acts as a soldier during a 'refugee run' where business people and politicans attending the World Economic Forum slip into the role of people fleeing conflicts and persecution. Actors play the role of soldiers demanding valuables from the refugees, who also have to brave a minefield and barter their belongings for food. Photo: AP

Former British Olympic champion Sebastian Coe poses next to an ice sculpture to promote the 2012 Summer Olympic Games on the sideline of the World Economic Forum. The ice sculpture represents London's Tower Bridge, Big Ben, Canary Wharf and the London Eye. Photo: AP

Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Simon Bland, board chair of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, pose to promote the 10th anniversary. The Global Fund is a public-private partnership that finances initiatives to combat the world's three most devastating diseases. Photo: AP

Here comes the counterpoints to WEF. Amnesty-International's Secretary General Salil Shetty speaks to reporters after attending a protest against corporate excess at the World Economic Forum. Photo: AP

Kumi Naidoo, Greenpeace International director, speaks during the "public eye awards" on the sidelines of the WEF. This “shaming” award is presented every year to those who have caused grave damage to livelihood and environment in the name of development. Photo: AP

People march with a banner that reads in Portuguese "Worldwide" on the first day of the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The World Social Forum, is an annual meeting of people and organizations opposed to capitalism, as a counterweight to the WEF. Photo: AP

Members of the Occupy WEF movement build an igloo at their camp site two days before the opening of the WEF. Occupy movement protests the concentration of wealth to a meagre "1% rich", while the "99% majority" bear the brunt of tax levies. Photo: AP

1/13

Participants at a discussion during the first day of the 42nd annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The overarching theme of the meeting, which takes place from January 25 to 29, is "The Great Transformation: Shaping New Models". Photo: AP

The roof of the Congress Centre a day before the opening of the 42nd Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum. Started in 1971 as the European Management Forum, and renamed in 1987 as World Economic Forum, it is a platform for business, industrial and State patrons to debate on various issues such as contemporary management practices, global economy, combating hunger, eradication of epidemics and so on. Photo: AP

President of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi pauses as he speaks during a session. Mr. Draghi said that new, tougher rules restricting government budget deficits are the prerequisite before the troubled eurozone can move toward more central control of finances. Photo: AP

International Monetary Fund managing director Christine Lagarde during a session "What trends and issues will shape the global economic order in 2012". Ms. Lagarde favoured austerity as a solution to the cash-strapped Eurozone nations. Photo: AP

WTO director-general Pascal Lamy talks to India's Commerce Minister Anand Sharma. India, Brazil, South Africa alliance, popularly known as IBSA have blamed the protectionist policies of developed countries for economic slowdown in developing and least developed countries. Photo: AP

Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar attends a debate on 'Democracy' at the World Economic Forum. The debate highlighted the stark difference between democracy in books and democracy being practised citing examples such as Pakistan’s history of military rule and the Arab Spring. Photo: AP

A member of the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency acts as a soldier during a 'refugee run' where business people and politicans attending the World Economic Forum slip into the role of people fleeing conflicts and persecution. Actors play the role of soldiers demanding valuables from the refugees, who also have to brave a minefield and barter their belongings for food. Photo: AP

Former British Olympic champion Sebastian Coe poses next to an ice sculpture to promote the 2012 Summer Olympic Games on the sideline of the World Economic Forum. The ice sculpture represents London's Tower Bridge, Big Ben, Canary Wharf and the London Eye. Photo: AP

Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Simon Bland, board chair of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, pose to promote the 10th anniversary. The Global Fund is a public-private partnership that finances initiatives to combat the world's three most devastating diseases. Photo: AP

Here comes the counterpoints to WEF. Amnesty-International's Secretary General Salil Shetty speaks to reporters after attending a protest against corporate excess at the World Economic Forum. Photo: AP

Kumi Naidoo, Greenpeace International director, speaks during the "public eye awards" on the sidelines of the WEF. This “shaming” award is presented every year to those who have caused grave damage to livelihood and environment in the name of development. Photo: AP

People march with a banner that reads in Portuguese "Worldwide" on the first day of the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The World Social Forum, is an annual meeting of people and organizations opposed to capitalism, as a counterweight to the WEF. Photo: AP

Members of the Occupy WEF movement build an igloo at their camp site two days before the opening of the WEF. Occupy movement protests the concentration of wealth to a meagre "1% rich", while the "99% majority" bear the brunt of tax levies. Photo: AP

The annual summit of business, industrial, academic and State heads is being held from January 24-29, 2012 in Davos, Switzerland, when the world is facing debt crisis, political instability and anti-capitalist movement.

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