The Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos-Klosters is perhaps best known to the world at large simply as "Davos". It is much more than a simple get-together of global leaders from many fields in a Swiss ski resort, however.

The Annual Meeting provides a rethinking of our systems and exploration of strategies and solutions that have positive transformational implications. Particular emphasis will be placed on addressing the question of "How", going beyond analysis and elaborating innovative ideas and solutions to key global challenges.

For more than four decades, the Annual Meeting has provided leaders from industry, government, academia, civil society and the media with an unrivalled platform to shape the global agenda and catalyse solutions at the start of each year.

The diversity and the informal and collaborative "spirit of Davos" mean that, as well as engaging with familiar faces, participants have the chance to connect with people they don’t know, who challenge the way they think and act.

Participation in the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting is by invitation only and limited to:

• Chief executives of the world's leading global businesses, representing the Forum’s 1,000 Member companies
• Politicians from the G20 and other key countries – including over 30 heads of state and government
• The heads of all major international organizations
• The chairs of the 72 Global Agenda Councils, representing a network of over 1,200 experts
• Representatives from civil society stakeholder groups
• Media leaders representing the top news organizations from around the world
• Young Global Leaders
• Social Entrepreneurs
• Technology Pioneers
• Spiritual and cultural leaders