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THE PUBLIC EYE ON DAVOS 2001

A CHALLENGE TO THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM IN DAVOS,
SWITZERLAND: 25 - 30 JANUARY 2001

UPDATE AND INVITATION

The Public Eye on Davos is a joint initiative of several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with the goal to challenge the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. This is an update about the Public Eye on Davos 2001, its activities around Davos, its homepage in English, French, Spanish and German (www.davos2001.ch), the possibility to subscribe to an infolist and the opportunity to come to Davos.

Every year at the end of January, Davos turns into a place where opinions are shaped and decisions are taken by the global elite. As long as economic policies are defined in private elite gatherings like the WEF, opposition against the undemocratic and unsustainable way of economic globalization will increase around the world. The objective of the Public Eye is to monitor the discussions in Davos, to challenge them in public and to disseminate critical information about the WEF to an independent public.

The Public Eye on Davos is a joint project of the Berne Declaration (coordination), the South American Network "Asociacion Lationamericana de Organizaciones de Promocion" (ALOP), Focus on the Global South, Friends of the Earth International (and it's Swiss affiliate Pro Natura), Genetic Resources Action International (GRAIN), the Tebtebba Foundation, the World Development Movement and the Network Women in Development Europe (WIDE).

In January 2001, the Public Eye will be present in Davos again. It will organize an independent conference from 25 - 28 January 2001. At this conference, campaigns and demands for more sustainable and accountable economic policies will be presented to an interested public. Representatives of various organizations, including Victoria Tauli Corpus from Tebtebba, Philippines, Andrea Durbin from Friends of the Earth/US, Mariama Williams from the Gender and Trade Network, Peter Bosshard from the Berne Declaration or Maria Riley from the Center of Concern will participate.

On the Public Eye's website, you will find more information on the evolving program. In order to receive this information and on new developments at the WEF directly, please subscribe to the infolist on the website: www.davos2001.ch, or send an e-mail to: martina.bosshard@evb.ch (subject: subscribe).

During the independet NGO conference, the Public Eye will be able to offer limited accomodation in Davos for interested visitors. Costs will be around 40 US$ per night. The visitors will have to pay all costs of the trip by themselves. As accomodation space is very limited, it is absolutely necessary to register as soon as possible.

The World Economic Forum (WEF) is a private institution based in Geneva, Switzerland. Since its foundation in 1971, the WEF has become a strong motor of the neoliberal policies and, at the same time, a perfect publicity agent for its members: the 1000 largest private corporations worldwide and 1000 so-called "Global Growth Companies". Under the grand motto of being "Committed to Improving the State of the World", past Forum meetings have engendered the launch of trade negotiations such as the GATT's Uruguay Round or the NAFTA.

In order to connect the global elite, the WEF has created several networks with club character such as the "Global Leaders for Tomorrow", the "World Media Leaders" or the "Industry Governors". Throughout the year, the WEF organizes meetings and regional summits all over the world. Forthcoming summits will take place in New Delhi (26-28 November 2000) and in Mexiko-City (4-5 December 2000).

The biggest and most important event of the World Economic Forum is its annual meeting which takes place every year in Davos, Switzerland. Under the motto of "Bridging the Divides: Creating a Roadmap for the Global Future", the next annual meeting will take place from 25-30 January 2001. Key topics will include: "Addressing the Globalization Backlash", "Shaping the Global Corporation" and "Biotech: Mapping Our Future".

Around 3000 participants with leading positions in business and politics, academia and the media are expected to attend. Regular guests in Davos are, among others, Mike Moore, head of the World Trade Organization, the presidents of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, Kofi Annan, Bill Gates, George Soros, Chief Executive Officers of CocaCola, Nestlé, Shell, McDonald's, Rio Tinto Zinc and so on as well as prime ministers and other leading politicians. In 2000, Davos was visited for the first time ever by a US president, Bill Clinton. More than 300 gatherings will provide many opportunities to create an elite consensus on economic and political problems, to strike business deals and to conduct behind-the-scene political negotiations.

The WEF itself selects which media get accreditation to the annual meeting. Journalists are divided into three groups: those who are excluded altogether, those who are "working class" journalists and excluded from certain meetings, and those who belong to the club of "World Media Leaders" and enjoy many privileges. This hierarchical structure of media access makes it easy for the WEF to control to a certain extent what will be published and how.

The WEF is an institution that cannot possibly be left unchallengend any longer!

You will find more information on the Public Eye on Davos and other challenges to the World Economic Forum: www.davos2001.ch