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World Economic Forum founder and ex-chairman of its Board of Trustees, Klaus Schwab, has issued a stark warning regarding the erosion of societal foundations ahead of this 56th edition of the annual gathering of the global elite at Davos, which is taking place at a time of geopolitical tumult.
In a message shared on X, Schwab emphasised that the global community currently lacks the two fundamental pillars of truth and trust required to address urgent international challenges. He stated that without restoring these values, the capacity for collective action remains at risk. "We are missing in our society two fundamental pillars. It's truth, and it's trust. And without restoring those pillars, we will not be able to solve the big global issues which we face at this moment. Our societies face a decline of truth and trust. Without truth, we lose a shared reality; without trust, we lose our capacity to act together. It's a keyword of dialogue of listening each to another and in such a way to see the different aspects, the different dimensions of a problem and such fundamental in order to be able to create solutions afterwards," Schwab noted. He identified the present moment as a critical juncture where the restoration of these pillars is the only path toward solving significant global issues. Schwab highlighted that the current era of rapid and disruptive technological change requires a focus on maintaining human essence. "If there is one decisive factor of the intelligent age, what is it? I think it's the capability in view of the fast and disruptive technological change to remain human beings. And as human beings, we have to exercise empathy, we have to listen to each other, and I think we have to analyze issues not just with our brains, but also with our heart, and with an understanding that ultimately we have to serve not ourselves, but society," he said. Shwab founded the World Economic Forum in 1971 from which he was dismissed last April before being reinstated a few months later, following an internal investigation that deemed the allegations against him unfounded. Schwab retired from his roles at the Forum in 2025. The World Economic Forum (WEF) will convene its 56th Annual Meeting in Davos from January 19 to January 23, 2026, bringing together nearly 3,000 leaders from more than 130 countries at a moment of heightened geopolitical tension, economic uncertainty and rapid technological transformation. Held under the theme "A Spirit of Dialogue," Davos 2026 seeks to provide an impartial platform for global leaders from government, business and civil society to reconnect, rebuild trust and explore collaborative solutions to challenges that increasingly transcend borders. The meeting builds on the Forum's mission to improve the state of the world through public-private cooperation, continuing a tradition that for more than five decades has positioned Davos as a central venue for shaping responses to global crises and long-term structural change. This year's programme is shaped by ongoing geopolitical realignments, slowing global growth, trade frictions and accelerating technological change. Across sessions on geopolitics, growth and global governance, participants will explore how cooperation can be renewed amid contested norms, strained alliances and eroding trust. (ANI)
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