The World Economic Forum in Davos... where the world's political, financial, and academic
elites as well as social entrepreneurs gathered to share ideas and opinions that could reshape
our world...
not to mention rub shoulders and expand their network and horizons.
From the ultimate in security and technological convenience, our Moon Conn-young provides
an inside look at what made this year's gathering go off without a hitch.
"The World Economic Forum draws about 25-hundred global leaders every year to the town of Davos.
Another one-thousand journalists come to cover the event.
With Davos being a very small town with a little more than 10 hotels, the rest of us
have to stay in Dorf, or here Klosters... a nearby town that's about 25 kilometers away
from Davos Platz."
"Every morning those who stay at Klosters like myself hop on to one of these shuttles
that takes me directly to the Congress Centre."
A half an hour ride... up the picturesque mountain.
The joy of riding the shuttle is knowing the next conversation will be just as interesting.
Neurons?
At Davos, yes AT and not IN... you never know who you will come across with what expertise...
it turns out Sangeeta Bhatia is an MIT professor of bioengineering.
Quite an educational session, I must say.
Taking the shuttle every morning and night is also a fascinating part of the Davos experience.
The next stage of the process is to penetrate through the REALLY tough security here at
the Congress Centre which itself takes some time.
Davos works with a caste system of badges that determine your access to talks, meetings...
just about everywhere.
You need to get beyond the very tight security -- including metal detectors and an electronic
scan of your attendee badge... everywhere you go.
Stopped.
Holders of the white badge have access to all official sessions as well as lunches,
dinners which are generally off the record.
An orange pass with a purple line - the one my video jouralist has around his neck...
has very limited access.
Once you get beyond the entrance control, you'll find the place swarming with world
leaders, business people, academics and the big names.
Want to find out who runs the world?
All you need to do here is to take a look around.
Within minutes, you'll run into the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, President of Mexico Enrique
Pena Nieto...
"Hello, Mr. Secretary.
Hi."
"Hi, how are you."
and the U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry.
Beyond these movers and shakers, the World Economic Forum is still a conference.
Let me use my high tech badge and find out what I have lined up for my afternoon.
Aha.
"Chaired by the founder, Professor Klaus Schwab."
The founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, Professor Klaus Schwab.
It is this German economist who has made this high-powered talk-fest a VITAL part of the
business calendar... for the world's political, financial, and academic elites... every year
for nearly five decades.
"I hope you go home having made friends from here."
So, the World Economic Forum in Davos is NOT just a conference, I suppose.
Behind the mega-tight security... in this tiny town... with one road in and out and
no airport...
it's where the world's most influential and the most powerful "make friends."