WEF President says unity will be theme of Davos 2002
( 2001-07-08 10:23 ) (8 )

The founder and president of the World Economic Forum (WEF), Klaus Schwab, has said that "Coping Together With Fragility" is to be the theme of the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos next year.

Swiss Radio International (SRI) reported Saturday that Schwab was speaking at Zurich's Federal Institute of Technology where he intended to give a speech on globalization and social responsibility.

Surrounded by bodyguards and heavy police security, Schwab and his World Economic Forum seem to attract controversy wherever they go, according to the report.

There was violence at the Forum's recent European summit in Salzburg and its annual meeting in Davos in recent years has attracted plenty of attention for the regular clashes between police and protesters.

Along with the European Union, the G-7 and the World Bank, the Forum has become the focus for those who criticize globalization for widening the gulf between the haves and the have-nots.

Schwab remains a fierce defender of globalization and argues that it has lifted millions of people, if not billions, out of poverty. But he admits that the pace of change raises concerns.

He Said: "Globalization is a revolution happening at tremendous speed and it requires a readiness for change that creates anxiety for many people. The world has become very complex and for many globalization is a scapegoat."

SRI reported that the Swiss government faced much criticism earlier this year for turning Davos into a fortress for the Forum' s meeting and banning protests in the resort.

The theme for Davos 2001 was "Bridging The Divides," which the Forum said was an attempt to address some of globalization's pitfalls.