Davos begins to receive participants with reinforced security and closed streets

The city of Davos, Switzerland, started to receive this Saturday (21) the 2,500 participants of the World Economic Forum, which returns to being in person after two years of the pandemic. The official opening will be this Sunday (22), with a dinner hosted by Klaus Schwab, the founder and current president of the organization that organizes the event.

The sunny and hot Saturday contrasts with the snow in previous editions, when the event was held in January. But the strong security that marked past events is also seen in the central streets of the city, some closed with concrete structures and the patrolling of several vehicles. Circulating, only public transport and the big dark cars of the delegations.

The expectation is to receive 50 heads of states, but the most awaited will not come in person. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will speak via video on Monday (23), starting at 6:15 am (Brasilia time).

Zelensky will not go in person, but the Forum will receive the economy minister of the warring country. Serhiy Marchenko will personally participate in some events. In one of them, the discussion is the reconstruction plan for Ukraine, which has been at war for almost three months. Also going is the mayor of Kiev, Vitaliy Klitschko.

In the midst of a longer-than-expected war and geopolitical implications for Europe and the world, Ukraine will be the subject not only of official events within the Forum, but also of side meetings held in the city’s hotels. One of the most anticipated is the one that will have the participation of the veteran Henry Kissinger, former Secretary of State of the United States, in a conversation led by Schwab.