Davos Under Lockdown as World Economic Forum Opens Today

Even before the official opening, visitors arriving by train are greeted by flight-defence cannons from the Swiss Army, signalling that the Alpine town has entered its annual high-security phase, Swiss outlet 20 Minuten reported. The transformation of Davos becomes especially evident during the final stretch of the journey.

Near Davos Lake, an empty helicopter landing pad carved into the snow stands in what locals describe as the “Ruhe vor dem Sturm” or calm before the storm. Nearby, several Oerlikon 35-millimetre twin anti-aircraft cannons—introduced in 1963—serve as a visible reminder of the extensive security measures in place to protect world leaders, executives and delegations attending the forum.

Stefan Lanz, writing for 20 Minuten, noted that along the Promenade, Davos’ main thoroughfare, hotels, shops and even churches have been temporarily repurposed. Companies and countries have rented entire buildings, turning the street into what resembles a continuous exhibition space.

One of the most striking presences this year is Saudi Arabia. The Gulf kingdom has reportedly branded the Migros building next to the Congress Centre, effectively transforming the supermarket into a Saudi WEF pavilion.

Despite the heavy preparations, the atmosphere on Sunday remained relatively calm. Streets near the Congress Centre were still open, security checkpoints had been installed but were not yet operational, and locals, tourists and bodyguards mingled under bright winter sunshine.

The calm was briefly disrupted in the afternoon when fire engines with sirens rushed against one-way traffic toward a hotel on the Promenade. The incident was later confirmed to be a false alarm triggered by a fire detection system, and emergency services stood down within minutes.

Further along the Promenade, the English Church has taken on a new role. While it has often been sublet during previous WEF meetings, this year marks the first time it is officially in American hands. According to the programme, the United States plans to mark the 250th anniversary of its founding under the theme “Freedom,” with events focusing on artificial intelligence, space exploration and other topics. It remains unclear whether the US president will attend.

India once again has one of the largest presences on the Promenade, the 20 Minuten report noted. The WEF has repeatedly stressed that many of these pavilions are “free riders” and not directly connected to the forum itself.

Ukraine is using its pavilion to brief attendees—often referred to as “Davos-Men”—on the realities of Russia’s war of aggression. The WEF has similarly emphasised that several such pavilions are “Trittbrettfahrer,” or not formally part of the official forum.

As rumours circulate that the US president could stay at a nearby hotel known as the “goldenes Ei,” guarded by a large security entourage and decades-old anti-aircraft guns, Davos continues its annual balancing act between global power politics and life in a small mountain town under lockdown.