m-cause

The World Economic Forum kicks off its annual meeting today in Davos, Switzerland.

Why all the fuss about this conference every year?

The WEF is a non-profit organization with headquarters in Geneva, and it is best known for its Annual Meeting in the Swiss Alps. CEOs, non-profit leadership and political elites join hands in Davos every year to hash out issues, network and ski.  Conspiracy theorists often cite the World Economic Forum as a key player in the global elitist quest to rule and control the world.  Good magazine chronicles some of the mystery around the WEF…click here if you are interested in reading more.

The Davos sessions attract criticism from various anti-globalization movements who claim that the WEF is just another place where Global capitalist leaders join forces to plot evil, destroy the environment and increase poverty.  The organizers of the WEF insist, however, that they are leading the charge in persuading corporate leaders of the world to become more socially responsible.  In fact, Klaus Schwab, former Geneva professor and founder of the forum, is a very vocal supporter of social responsibility.

So why does an organization that believes it is actually trying to help solve global problems get hit with so much protest?

The biggest credible criticism of the WEF is that many of the people who are trying to solve the world’s problems are the same people who caused them.  In other words, we don’t see a lot of fresh ideas at these summits.  Catalyst points out that Schwab and the WEF are simply too focused on big sclerotic companies, while real change is happening within smaller, social businesses.  As Rodney Schwarz puts it, if we are looking to be inspired, I believe it”s the smaller social businesses which will offer leadership. It”s no surprise that Muhammad Yunus and Grameen Bank won the Nobel Peace Prize and not Bill Gates and Microsoft.

Whatever take you have on the World Economic Forum, 2009 will be an important year.  Lets hope “the elites” can work out a few tangible solutions to our Global mega-financial mess during the sessions…and whatever criticism Klaus Schwab receives from anti-globalization protesters, etc. at least he admits that 2009 should be all about serving and creating a new, more responsible world in this interview with CNN,

Finally, because security in Davos is so tight, anti-globalization protesters tend to turn their wrath on other Swiss cities during the 5 days of conferences, and Geneva, home of the WEF, will not be spared.

According to Genevalunch.com there is a ban on anti-globalization marches this year, but Geneva is still bracing for potential violence.  With the global downturn in full swing, protests could indeed get a bit more out of hand vs. previous years.

Barack Obama did not get his skis out this year…no, he decided to stay home & work.  If the downturn worsens into next year, you may find more political leaders following his lead and staying home.