WEF to open select sessions to public

Looking to shed its image of being an exclusive club of the global elite, the World Economic Forum will open its door to the general public for quite a few sessions during its annual meeting beginning today, including those attended by Indian leaders.
WEF said polarisation, mental health and future of humanity are among the key issues to be discussed at its Davos Open Forum, which runs parallel to the annual meeting.
"Topics including leading in divided times, being human in the Fourth Industrial Revolution and mental health will be discussed by global leaders, with strong female and youth representation," WEF said while adding that the public is invited to join the sessions live in Davos or via webcast.

Race against racism, new models for Europe, being human in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, bridging generational differences and mental health are also among the topics for discussion at the Open Forum Davos 2017.
"Leading personalities from business, government, academia and civil society as well as young people will discuss and interact with the Swiss public on critical - and, at times, controversial - subjects, opening a unique window onto the most challenging debates of our time," said WEF, which describes itself as a public-private collaboration.
Panelists at the Open Forum will include public figures, chief executive officers and chairs, social entrepreneurs, experts and academics from Switzerland and around the world, including several Indian CEOs.

The panelists will also include Allen Blue, Co-Founder and Vice-President, Products, LinkedIn Corporation; Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, Chairman, Nestle; Philip Campbell, Editor-in-Chief, Nature; Marie-Gabrielle Ineichen-Fleisch, State Secretary for Economic Affairs of Switzerland; Ahmad Iravani, President and Executive Director, Center for the Study of Islam and the Middle East (CSIME).
Other panelists slated to participate are Doris Leuthard, President of the Swiss Confederation 2017; Peter Maurer, President, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC); Amre Moussa, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States (2001-2011) and Jacques de Watteville, State Secretary of Switzerland and Chief Negotiator with the European Union.