At the Davos meeting, participants interacted and expanded their networks both inside and outside the venue. That may explain why leaders from all over the world travel all the way to the Swiss resort.
While U.S. President Donald Trump attracted a lot of attention this time around, the Davos meeting was attended by a wide variety of people, including heads of state, corporate leaders, start-up executives, and members of nongovernmental organizations.
This year, a wide range of age groups participated, with 10 teenagers chosen as "change-makers" (see Part I of this column series) who are engaged in activities such as environmental protection or eliminating discrimination.
TV faces in real life
After going through a very strict security check, I found myself walking among people who made me think, "I've only seen them on TV!"
For example, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde appeared at lunch on the last day of the event, chatting casually with participants.
It shouldn't have been surprising at all, but when I actually saw her in person, I was a little moved. Am I a fangirl?
Except for super VIPs surrounded by guards, you can talk to any of them.
Frank atmosphere, expanding exchanges
In fact, the atmosphere at the venue was quite open and frank, and people who sat next to each other in the sessions often have conversations, and greetings and self-introductions start immediately in the cafe corner.
Some people approached me, saying: "Are you from a newspaper? Then I want to introduce you to someone." Or: "My business is selling private jets. I often go to Japan because I have customers there."
Unexpected human networks were also created. Many participants attended with their spouses. I had lively chats with groups of wives complaining about men.
At meetings and receptions organized by companies, participants also enthusiastically interacted with each other. I met so many people that I ran out of business cards. "You suddenly get to know top-level people like CEOs. It's a luxurious environment," a corporate executive told me. I agree with that impression.
Food is hard to find
The Davos meeting looks gorgeous on the whole, but there were some difficulties.
Getting food was surprisingly hard.
When I had an opportunity to attend a gathering during which a meal was served, that was fine. But I sometimes missed the chance, when I was in a conference hall all day. Around noon, soup and light meals were served at the venue, but it was not enough for the participants who came rushing in.
Davos is not a big city, and many restaurants were occupied for dinner parties. On chilly nights, I sometimes had hard time as I searched for a place to eat.
In Switzerland, supermarkets close early. This time I stayed in a private apartment, not a hotel, so a mini supermarket attached to a gas station, which was open until late at night, was my go-to place for food. When I went shopping at night, all the customers were wearing badges identifying themselves as meeting participants.
During the session, shuttle buses ran around the conference hall, stations and hotels. However, the main mode of transportation was walking because of the traffic jams caused by many participants driving in.
This year, the weather was good and there was little snow, which was helpful, but some wryly asked, "Are you coming by car to discuss environmental measures?"
Jan. 24, the last day of the meeting, was unusual in that I had no problem getting food. A farewell lunch party was held on top of a mountain, and in the evening I joined the diner party with media colleagues.
I had plenty of cheese fondue, but it would take me a lot longer to digest the many encounters and meetings I had, than to digest the famous Swiss dish.
(This is the final installment of the series.)
-- Hasegawa is a deputy managing editor of The Yomiuri Shimbun and the editor of the Yomiuri Shimbun Online website. Since joining The Yomiuri Shimbun in 1989, she has worked as a correspondent based in Manila, Geneva, Cairo and elsewhere. She took up her current posts in 2019 after working as editor and then managing editor of The Japan News. Her interests include diving and cooking. This is the second time she has attended the Davos conference; she also participated in 2019.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
