London ( CNN ) -- Following a year in which `` people power '' was the rallying cry from the Arab Spring to the Occupy movement , the annual World Economic Forum might seem an elitist anomaly . Never mind the 1 % , this is the 0.00004 % : around 2,600 of the world 's top political and business leaders , coming together to address the big issues -- most pressingly , the eurozone debt crisis -- in the luxurious surrounds of a Swiss ski resort . Among those gathering in Europe 's highest-altitude town from January 25 to 29 will be royalty from Saudi Arabia , Norway , Belgium and the Netherlands , billionaires like philanthropist George Soros , senior executives from Facebook , Google and other tech giants , and the leaders of countries including Germany , South Africa , Mexico , and the world 's youngest nation , South Sudan . While admission is free for heads of state , civil society or faith leaders and international organizations , among others , those paying will face a $ 20,000 price tag for admission , plus other costs which can easily push the bill to $ 40,000 . But the true barrier to entry is having the power and influence to secure a `` white badge '' of invitation , the only means of admission to this most exclusive of clubs . As undemocratic as the event may seem , the forum 's architects say that the current global atmosphere of unrest will give discussions an even greater significance . This year 's theme is `` The great transformation : shaping new models . '' Klaus Schwab , the German economist who founded the World Economic Forum ( WEF ) in 1971 , says new decision-making models are needed to account for changed global realities . The WEF has cautioned that the backlash against rising inequality , seen in the discontent behind the Occupy movement and the Arab Spring , risks derailing globalization and constitutes a threat to economies worldwide . Amidst the turmoil of the current economic environment , emphasis needs to be placed on finding new models for assessing the quality of economic growth -- ensuring it is both sustainable and inclusive . Given rising youth unemployment -- in Spain , Europe 's worst affected country , joblessness among young people stands at about 45 % -- a new model for job creation is also needed . `` For the first time in generations , many people no longer believe that their children will grow up to enjoy a higher standard of living than theirs , '' said Lee Howell , the WEF managing director behind the Forum 's Global Risks 2012 report . The key to avoiding catastrophe , Schwab argues in a discussion paper , is `` to provide young people with the capability to create their own jobs : to move from the pure concept of unemployment to the concept of micro-entrepreneurship . '' Those who dismiss the forum as an ineffectual talk-fest for the wealthy and privileged may point to the thematic similarities with previous years ' forums as evidence that the event does little to actually implement change towards its stated ends . It 's certainly true that the problems that have given a more austere tone to proceedings in recent years have only endured , or worsened , since the world 's elite last visited Davos . At least this year 's discussions will not want for a sense of urgency . Delegates will meet against the backdrop of the eurozone debt crisis , with European nations bickering over the fiscal compact they hope will be their salvation . But ahead of the EU summit which immediately follows Davos on January 30 , the situation remains bleak . France and Austria recently lost their prized AAA credit ratings in a downgrade by Standard & Poor 's which affected seven other eurozone nations . Budget deficit numbers for Greece , the country which triggered the current crisis , are getting worse , while crucial talks between the country 's government and its creditors on debt haircuts have struck difficulties . The world 's largest economy suffered the same indignity as France when , in an unprecedented move , the U.S.was stripped of AAA status in August . This followed of months of uncertainty stemming from the political paralysis over raising the $ 14.3 trillion debt ceiling , the resolution of which meant the country narrowly avoided a potentially calamitous default . And , a year on from its outbreak , the failure of the Arab Spring to deliver dividends has some questioning whether it really constitutes a new dawn . In Egypt , unemployment is at a decade-long high , tourism is down by a quarter , the Cairo Stock Exchange was 2011 's worst performer and the once celebrated military has been recast as a villain . The success of Islamist parties on the new political landscape of the Middle East has disappointed some secularists and liberals , and raised concerns about the social changes that could ensue . For those in attendance , Davos will provide an opportunity not just to air opinions , but perhaps also to build a consensus on how to approach these new realities . The real action will be conducted behind the scenes , at exclusive cocktail parties and black-tie events in the town 's most expensive hotels . Eventually though , from the muted hum of discussions , a better sense of the global agenda for the year ahead will emerge , even for those of us without white badges .
The world 's elite will focus on Europe with the eurozone crisis at the forefront of discussion . The theme of this year 's forum is ` ` The great transformation : the new models '' Forum organizers say the backlash against rising inequality is jeopardizing globalization . They say the event does little to actually implement change towards its stated goals .