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Thursday, January 26, 2006

Davos: Schmoozing on the Swiss Mountain

It is that time of the year when top-shot politicians, business moguls, the who-is-who of the entertainment and advocacy industries worldwide converge at a Swiss mountain resort-town of Davos to fraternize and wine and dine. These people under the umbrella of the World Economic Forum, also deliberate on varieties of issue that range from world economies and globalization to AIDS and natural disasters.

The World Economic Forum started on the 25th of January and will run till 29th of the month. The theme for the 2006 Annual Meeting is "The Creative Imperative".

The roll-call of attendees stretches from the Angelina Jolie and Michael Douglas to Afghanistan's president Hamid Karzai and Dublin’s ArchBishop Diarmuid Martin. This is an elitist gathering no doubt and will not uncharacteristically be paparazzi- infested.

What’s this week-long talking, schmoozing and networking all about right?
What does it mean to Auntie Ngozi in her dusty, remote, erosion-ravaged village in the hills of Ubakala, or Jelili in Makoko, one of Lagos slums? What does it mean to my brothers and sisters in Dafuar- Sudan, and those Africans who fled their homelands because of political or/and economic strives and now locked up in immigration detention cells worldwide?

What does it mean to the small business owners that are struggling to keep their businesses afloat because of the cost and stress of doing business in Nigeria?
I really don’t know what this forum is about...despite what the logo states- "Committed to improving the state of the world". Maybe General ‘Segun Obasanjo, one of the attendees and the president of my country- Nigeria knows? But I won’t be surprised if he’s as clueless as me and doesn’t know either.

I know one thing for sure; this forum is one big Schmoozefest! That much I know. And if you disagree- I'm not too old to learn, please educate me.

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Post Script
  • Additional information on World economic forum can be found at Jewels in the Jungle, My heart's in Accra, and at the forum blog.
  • Bono is at it again!

    “U2 frontman Bono unveiled a new push to fight HIV and AIDS in Africa, announcing a partnership with several companies Thursday to sell products under a brand called "Red," with the proceeds going toward anti-AIDS programs...”- Washington Post.

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Imnakoya @ 1/26/2006
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