> "Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety." — Proverbs 11:14
# 10 Fun & Unique Facts About Davos 2026
1. Tiny Alpine town, huge impact – Davos itself has around 11,000 residents, yet each January it hosts over 3,000 official participants, plus thousands more media and staff. It basically doubles in population during the meeting.
2. Top-level mix – The meeting gathers around 400 political leaders, 850 CEOs, nearly 100 unicorn founders, and hundreds of academics, artists, and civil society leaders. It's like the UN, Fortune 500, and TED Talk combined.
3. A musical opening – Davos 2026 opened with a concert, not a speech, featuring the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, violinist Renaud Capuçon, and Jon Batiste, combined with AI-generated visuals. They call it "setting a tone for dialogue."
4. Sunglasses diplomacy – French President Emmanuel Macron wore aviator sunglasses indoors due to a minor eye condition, sparking social media buzz and "Top Gun" jokes.
5. AI at your fingertips – Many participants use personal AI agents to summarize sessions, schedule meetings, and analyze speeches in real time. Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff joked: "I have to have my narrative in my pocket."
6. Green themes– 2026 is nicknamed "Blue Davos" — emphasizing water, oceans, and sustainable blue foods as a central focus of innovation and partnerships.
7. Minilateralism talk – Leaders frequently reference "minilateralism", which means solving global problems in small groups of key countries instead of full UN-style multilateral negotiations.
8. Viral moments happen fast – Social media creators like Marina Mogilko (Silicon Valley Girl) and Max Klymenko are embedded in the Forum to capture "ideas on the move," showing that Davos isn't just for old-school power players anymore.
9. Tech & security mix – Cybersecurity and AI discussions are front and center, with panels on industrial, societal, and enterprise-level AI adoption, and OT security (the tech that runs factories and utilities).
10. Historic photo ops– Almost every world leader in one room, but they carefully stage public appearances to avoid leaks — yet Davos has famously produced both political tension and viral memes, like Trump joking about Greenland and Macron's shades.
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# Heads of State / Government at Davos 2026
Political leaders confirmed as attending and speaking:
1. United States – President Donald Trump
2. France – President Emmanuel Macron
3. Switzerland – President Guy Parmelin
4. Morocco – Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch
5. Canada – Prime Minister Mark Carney
6. Egypt – President Abdel Fattah El‑Sisi
7. Qatar – Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani
8. European Union – President Ursula von der Leyen (European Commission)
9. China – Vice‑Premier He Lifeng (serving as senior leader)
10. Palestinian National Authority – Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa
11. Serbia – President Aleksandar Vučić
12. Pakistan – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif
13. Panama – President Jose Raul Mulino Quintero
14. Lithuania – President Gitanas Nausėda
15. Ecuador – President Daniel Noboa Azín
16. Democratic Republic of the Congo – President Félix‑Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo
17. Finland – President Alexander Stubb
18. Ireland – Taoiseach Micheál Martin (Prime Minister)
19. Mozambique – President Daniel Francisco Chapo
20. Djibouti – President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh
21. Sierra Leone – President Julius Maada Bio
22. Croatia – Prime Minister Andrej Plenković
23. Singapore – President Tharman Shanmugaratnam
24. Poland – President Karol Nawrocki
**Notes:**
- The list above includes many — but not all — of the 60+ heads of state and government expected at Davos 2026.
- Some leaders attend but don't speak publicly.
- Others may participate in private meetings or side sessions that aren't always covered in the press.
- International organizations such as the United Nations (e.g., Antonio Guterres) and the World Trade Organization are also represented by their leaders.
# Leaders Not Attending Davos 2026
1. China – President Xi Jinping: Not attending; China is represented by Vice‑Premier He Lifeng instead.
2. India – Prime Minister Narendra Modi: Not attending; India's delegation is led by ministers and regional leaders rather than the PM.
3. Brazil – President Lula da Silva: Not attending; Brazil is represented but Lula himself is absent.
4. Saudi Arabia – Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman: Not attending in his capacity as head of state; delegation-level attendees are present.
5. Denmark – Prime Minister (unnamed, due to a dispute): The Danish government skipped because of political tensions with the U.S. over Greenland.
6. Spain – Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez: Canceled his trip after a major train crash at home.
7. Mozambique – President Daniel Chapo: Did not attend because of serious flooding at home.
Notes:
- Absences like these don't always mean the country isn't represented — ministers, envoys, or officials often still participate.
- Some leaders (e.g., Putin of Russia) might be invited or mentioned in diplomacy but have not been confirmed as present in Davos itself.
- Davos typically hosts many delegations, so focus on the top-tier leaders most commonly noted in official attendance lists and news coverage.
