Davos Transforms into Fortress as World Economic Forum Opens Under Lockdown

Even before the official opening, visitors arriving by train are greeted by flight-defence cannons from the Swiss Army, a stark signal that the Alpine town has entered its annual high-security phase reports Swiss outlet 20 Minuten.

The transformation of Davos becomes unmistakable on the final stretch of the journey.

Near Davos Lake, an empty helicopter landing pad carved into the snow sits in what locals describe as the "Ruhe vor dem Sturm". Nearby stand several Oerlikon 35-millimetre twin anti-aircraft cannons. The weapons, in service since 1963, remain a visible reminder of the scale of security deployed to protect global leaders, executives, and delegations attending the forum.

Stefan Lanz writing for the 20 Minuten describes that along the Promenade, Davos' main thoroughfare, hotels, shops, and even churches have been temporarily repurposed. Companies and countries have once again rented entire buildings, turning the street into what resembles a continuous exhibition space. One of the most eye-catching presences this year is Saudi Arabia. The Gulf kingdom has gone so far as to brand the Migros building next to the Congress Centre, effectively turning the supermarket into a Saudi WEF palace.

Despite the heavy preparations, the atmosphere on Sunday remained relatively calm. Streets near the Congress Centre were still open, security checkpoints were installed but not yet operational, and locals, day-trippers, and bodyguards moved side by side in bright winter sunshine.

That calm was briefly interrupted in the afternoon when fire engines with sirens activated rushed against the one-way traffic toward a hotel on the Promenade. The incident turned out to be a false alarm triggered by a fire detection system, and emergency services stood down after a few minutes.

Further down 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 program, the United States plans to celebrate the 250th anniversary of its founding under the motto "Freedom", with events focusing on artificial intelligence, space exploration, and more. Whether the US president will attend remains unclear.

Once again, India has one of the largest presences on the Promenade, the reporter for Swiss outlet 20 Minuten wrote for the news outlet. The WEF repeatedly emphasizes that most of these pavilions are "free riders" and not directly connected to the forum.

Ukraine is using its pavilion to inform the "Davos-Men" about the realities of Russia's war of aggression. The WEF regularly emphasizes that many of these pavilions are "Trittbrettfahrer" and not formally part of the forum.

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

- ANI