"Among the highlights, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation has confirmed his participation and will address the opening of the meeting," a press release published on the forum's official website said.
Annual meetings of the World Economic Forum are traditionally held at Davos, gathering representatives from international organizations, governments and business elites from all over the world to address global economic development.
More than 200 participants from international organizations and representatives from the world's top 25 economies, and over 1,000 business representatives, as well as leaders from NGOs, trade unions, universities and think tanks, will take part in the 2009 World Economic Forum, which is expected to focus on the financial crisis and growing food prices.
The meeting, which will set the record "both in terms of quality of the participants and the numbers," "shows the desire for us to collectively deal with the broader problems facing us all," said Professor Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum.
The participants will discuss "major economic, political, societal and technological changes that lie ahead in 2009," Schwab said.
The World Economic Forum was founded in 1971, and is an independent non-profit organization. Its meetings are used to discuss pressing issues rather than make decisions. Selected intellectuals and business figures are often invited to attend.
