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DAVOS IS THE place to be this week – but you’re unlikely to get near the place unless you’re among the world’s business or political elites.
The alpine Swiss town hosts the World Economic Forum (WEF) every year and the 2018 incarnation gets underway tomorrow.
Aside from businesspeople and politicians, influential thinkers, activists and celebrities will also be in attendance.
There’s no doubt about the most talked about appearance, however. US President Donald Trump is scheduled to be at the summit on Friday but that could be dependent on the current US government shutdown.
What about Ireland though, who from our shores is attending the global gathering?
According to the list of participants on the WEF site, there are six attendees from Ireland. One more than last year.
Here they are.
Writer and education and disability campaigner Sinéad Burke is Ireland’s only female representative at Davos.
Her Minne Mélange website host discussions about inclusivity within fashion and about feminism and marginalised communities.
A lack of women at Davos has been criticised in previous years and this year each discussion panel is to be chaired by a woman.
Burke will part of the discussion tomorrow at 10am about ‘Fostering Inclusivity’.
This year represents somewhat of a changing of the guard for Ireland. New faces at the head of government since last year means that Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe will be performing the Noonan role of talking up Ireland’s finances.
Aside from the many snowy media opportunities afforded to politicians, Donohoe will be speaking as part of a panel discussion with economic luminaries like Joseph Stiglitz.
The discussion is at 1 pm Irish time on Thursday and is titled: ‘Beyond the Paradise Papers: Can global tax avoidance be stopped?’
One of Ireland’s richest business people, O’Brien is no stranger to the slopes of Davos.
Garry Lyons / TwitterEnjoyed seeing an Taoiseach @EndaKennyTD yesterday - I think he liked my tie! pic.twitter.com/2giSEzHgEr
— Garry Lyons (@garrylyons) April 15, 2015
Mastercard chief innovation officer Garry Lyons heads up MasterCard Labs, the company’s research and development arm based in Leopardstown, Dublin.
Fresh from last week’s speech to the European Parliament, Ireland’s Taoiseach has another trip to the continent.
On Thursday at 4pm he’ll speak as part of a panel discussion that will also feature the leaders of Portugal and the Netherlands.
In previous years Enda Kenny made frequent use of the international airwaves and expect Varadkar’s profile to allow him continue in the same vein.
Andrea Bandelli
The Italian-born executive director of Science Gallery International oversees the Global Science Gallery Network, which stemmed from the original Science Gallery at Trinity College Dublin. He is also developing sister projects in London, Melbourne, Venice, Bengaluru and Detroit.
Bandelli has had a long history with Ecsite, a European organisation representing science centres and museums in 25 countries.
With reporting by Fora.ie
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