The spirit of Davos is how the organisers describe their annual pilgrimage to the Swiss ski resort. To thousands of protesters it is something else: an elite of global financiers and business leaders getting on with the business of globalisation with little regard for the rest of the world. For many participants, however, it is more simply an opportunity to network, perhaps take in some skiing.
In the last few years, the clash between global protesters and the World Economic Forum has become critical. Security is so tight that some say they would think twice about attending again. The Swiss authorities' suppression of demonstrations in Zurich and Davos has drawn fierce criticism. Tear gas and water cannon were used on the streets of the Swiss city as police fought running battles with scores of protesters. In Davos, about 200 protesters were blasted with water guns after throwing snowballs at police.
Irish EU Commissioner Mr David Byrne was cornered by some of the protesters but managed to avoid confrontation.
Inside the giant Congress Centre, however, many participants continued to network unaware of the fracas outside. Some 2,200 businessmen, politicians and academics secured invitations to the forum. For many top executives the main attraction are the side meetings, lunches and dinners. It is these sessions outside the normal areas which are most interesting, according to Bank of Ireland chief executive Mr Maurice Keane and AIB chairman Mr Lochlann Quinn who were both here this year.
"The sessions are excellent," says Mr Keane. "It compresses what would take about eight to 12 weeks in a management development course into four or five days. You also meet more people in two days than you could in months of setting up meetings."
Of course, the skiing is also an attraction and, according to Mr Keane, even riding the lifts is a good opportunity to network.
Mr Quinn is also enthusiastic. "It is simply impossible to be bored." He admitted he would not come back with a customer "but it is educational on a macro level".
Others are here for different reasons. Concern's former chief executive, Mr Aengus Finucane, who now works in the group's US office, did not manage to secure a pass to the centre. Nevertheless, he met a lot of people and is optimistic. He said the concerns of the non-governmental agencies were at last getting a place at the table.
But perhaps the real action in Davos is the private conference rooms at the top of the centre. It is here that the world leaders meet in private and little of what they say leaks out.
The unimpressed might allege, as did one participant, that the gathering was a marketing scam designed to enhance the profile of its founder, Prof Klaus Schwab.
Whatever about that, Davos is probably the only place in the world where you will run into billionaire financier Mr George Soros on the bus and lunch close to Bill Gates.
