Focuses for World Economic Forum

The 2010 annual meeting of the World Economic Forum opens on Wednesday. During the five-day meeting, over 2,500 leaders from business, government, civil society, academia and the cultural community will gather to address pressing challenges and future risks.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting.

As an important marker of the world economy at the beginning of every year, the forum has attracted global attention.

The theme for this year is "Improve the State of the World: Rethink, Redesign, Rebuild."

A man walks past a banner advertising the Swiss mountain resort of Davos, the venue of the World Economic Forum (WEF) January 26, 2010. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann