The world economic forum, committed to improving the state of the world, is the international organization for public-private cooperation. The forum engages the foremost political, business and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. It was established in 1971 as a not-for-profit foundation and is headquartered in geneva, switzerland. It is independent, impartial and not tied to ANY special interests. The forum strives in ALL its efforts to demonstrate entrepreneurship in the global public interest while upholding the highest standards of governance. Moral and intellectual integrity is at the heart of everything it does. Our activities are shaped by a unique institutional culture founded on the stakeholder theory, which asserts that an organization is accountable to ALL parts of society. The institution carefully blends and balances the BEST of many kinds of organizations, from both the public and private sectors, international organizations and academic institutions. Recognizing that the major global challenges require international and interdisciplinary collaboration among ALL stakeholders of global society, the forum integrates leaders from business, governments, academia and society at large into a global community committed to improving the state of the world. The forum thus serves the world's preeminent leaders as an independent and impartial partner and as a comprehensive and integrated platform for public-private cooperation. To achieve its mission, the forum ACTS as a catalyst for thought leadership and action mainly in the form of public-private cooperation. For this purpose, the forum identifies issues on the global, regional and industry agendas, seeks solutions and, wherever possible, creates partnerships for action. The forum always ACTS in the spirit of entrepreneurship in the global public interest, combining the forces of creative thinking, innovative initiatives and intellectual integrity with the will to advance peace and prosperity in the world. In its activities, the forum fully respects the essential role played by governments and international organizations, in particular by the united nations, as well as by their various affiliated institutions.