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An opportunity to rub shoulders with superstar Matt Damon and chinwag about water access, or hear the latest iteration of Al Gore's state of the world report.
There is a fair amount of star power here. Yahoo's Marissa Meyer is a co-chair of the forum, along with Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote.
Nouriel Roubini, who anticipated the collapse of the United States housing market and the worldwide recession which started in 2008 - is here, as are about 30 Nobel laureates.
In a session called "Big Brother", which discussed cyber surveillance, there was standing room only to hear a clear hot-button issue: Who owns data, when is privacy eroded and what do you do about it? The answer: nobody knows, though not one of the panellists defended America's surveillance programme.
From the audience, a president pitched in as did internet founder Sir Tim Berners Lee, an indication of the brains trust assembled here.
Davos is a dip into the world's newest ideas and concepts; an opportunity to sharpen your own mind against the latest thinkers, artists, business and other leaders.
This is probably what draws an average 2 500 business leaders to the forum, along with 300 heads of state, cabinet members and other delegates who head political and civil society.
The elite is replicated in 300 young global leaders, tech pioneers and shape-shifters, the titles the WEF bestows on young talented people from across the world.
This year's themes are on reshaping the global economy after the hammering of a long and deep crisis. The financial media is optimistic, suggesting growth rates are on the uptick across regions.
South Africa's large delegation of ministers and business leaders is folding its narrative into this story.
Headed by Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, the team -
nearly all of whom wear scarves in the flag's colours - are using the national
development plan to show clear direction.
In addition, the R1trn infrastructure plan undergirds a story of public investment, political stability and of the successor generation to Nelson Mandela.
On the town's main drag, a gallery hosts a Mandela
exhibition from which the smiling late elder statesman grins upon the passing
global elite. On Thursday night, BrandSA will host a screening of Long Walk to
Freedom.
It's a sign of the emergent world that alongside South
Africa's huge building wrap, the other larger billboards in Davos advertise
India and Nigeria.
On Wednesday, delegates tucked into a Nigerian lunch of
jollof rice, sea snails, egusi soup and other delicacies sponsored by the
government. Those enjoying the eats were
all turned out in green and white scarves, the national Nigerian colours given
out at the venue. It was a clear symbol
of Nigeria's growth surge and its ambition to take on SA as the continent's
leader.
This is my first time at Davos and I've been surprised by how bridled the capitalism and its elite is. I keep reading or hearing words meant to replace "capitalism" like "talentalism" - a concept that says the skilled, talented and creative are the new establishment.
The meeting was opened by a cardinal representing Pope
Francis, whose ringing message was that wealth must serve humanity and not the
other way around.
Inequality and youth unemployment are huge themes here, as is a set of discussions under the rubric of "Meeting society's new
expectations".
Professor Klaus Schwab, who owns the WEF, explained in
notes that "an alarming effect of the financial crisis is the widespread
erosion of confidence in business and government leaders".
Perhaps that is why an atmosphere of reinvention and reshaping governs the meetings this year.
