The Crown Prince and Crown Princess in Davos

Several of the activities carried out by the Crown Prince and Crown Princess are affiliated with the World Economic Forum. Crown Prince Haakon sits on the Foundation Board of the organisation’s Forum of Young Global Leaders (YGL). He was a member of the YGL himself from its launch in 2005 until autumn 2010.

Board member and mentor

It was at a meeting organised by YGL that the Crown Prince met Finnish professor of philosophy Pekka Himanen and founder and chairman of Operation Hope, John Hope Bryant. Together they founded the Global Dignity initiative in 2006, which now has activities in over 50 countries around the world.

In 2012, the World Economic Forum established a new network for leaders between the ages of 20 and 30 called the Global Shapers Community. Crown Princess Mette-Marit is a member of the Foundation Board of the community and a mentor for a group of 13 young leaders in Oslo.

One-half of the global population is under the age of 25. It is therefore essential that the voices of young people are heard.

The environment, societal security and employment

The Crown Prince and Crown Princess will be attending various events and meetings in Davos to bring themselves up to date on a range of current issues.

The Annual Meeting brings together some 2 500 leading politicians, business leaders, academics and organisation heads to discuss the most pressing global challenges. The World Economic Forum is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and its Managing Director is Espen Barth Eide, formerly Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Under the theme “The New Global Context”, participants will gather to discuss relevant issues and global challenges such as climate change, food security, gender equality, conflict, the internet of the future and economic development.

Participants will be attending from over 140 countries, and include some 40 heads of state and government. Prime Minister Erna Solberg and Minister of Foreign Affairs Børge Brende will be representing the Norwegian Government.