The World Economic Forum, in collaboration with the Government of the United Arab Emirates, will convene the inaugural Annual Meeting of Global Future Leaders in Dubai from 13 to 15 October 2026. Opportunity-driven and future-oriented, the meeting will provide a platform for emerging and established leaders to create new opportunities for all and build resilience amid uncertainty.
More than 500 next-generation leaders and experts, including 15 ministers and nearly 150 CEOs and chairs, will engage in intergenerational dialogue on pressing global challenges and the partnerships needed to address them. Participants will include members and alumni of the Forum’s Young Global Leaders community, alongside select Global Shapers and Social Innovators, as well as leaders from government, business, academia, science, technology and civil society.
Reflecting both the persistent concerns highlighted in the WEF’s Youth Pulse 2026 and the striking optimism young people have expressed in Youth Pulse findings over the past decade, meeting participants will examine how AI and other frontier technologies are reshaping jobs and opportunities. Discussions will also consider economic uncertainty, geopolitical change and climate challenges and explore practical responses in a shifting global and regional landscape.
“The decisions we make today will shape the world the next generation inherits. Emerging leaders should have a voice in those decisions, not just live with their consequences,” said Alois Zwinggi, President and CEO, World Economic Forum and Principal Chairman of the Annual Meeting of Global Future Leaders. “This inaugural meeting will bring different generations and perspectives together to look beyond immediate challenges and work together on practical ideas for the decades ahead.”
“This meeting reflects the strong partnership between the UAE Government and the WEF, and a shared commitment to advancing international cooperation and constructive global dialogue. At a time of rapid technological, economic, and geopolitical transformation, preparing future leaders is more important than ever,” said HE Mohammad Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs of the United Arab Emirates and Principal Chairman of the Annual Meeting of Global Future Leaders. “By bringing together emerging voices from around the world, we aim to equip them with the insights and tools needed to turn challenges into opportunities for innovation, growth, and sustainable development.”
The event will be co-chaired by Milojko Spajić, Prime Minister of Montenegro; Ohood Bint Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Government Development and the Future of the United Arab Emirates; Fadel Adib, Professor and Entrepreneur, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Khalfan Belhoul, Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Future Foundation; and Mirjam Staub Bisang, Chair, BlackRock Switzerland.
The programme will be organized around six strategic themes designed to advance dialogue and joint action across generations. Topics will include geopolitical uncertainty, technological disruption, economic resilience and prosperity, leadership, science and innovation, and climate and nature. Sessions such as Trust Test for Agentic AI, Working the Line: Humans and Machines, Trade in a Changing World and Economics after Certainty will examine issues likely to define the coming decade. Select sessions will be livestreamed here.
The meeting will also launch Future20, bringing together 20 next-generation leaders working across growth, innovation and resilience to create opportunities for current and future generations. New research will include a Leadership Commitment Framework, Middle East and North Africa-focused analysis of AI applications for sustainable development and data-centre infrastructure optimization. Insights from the meeting will inform the Forum’s ongoing work, including the Strategic Intelligence gathering in Geneva and the Annual Meeting 2027 in Davos-Klosters.
About the Annual Meeting of Global Future Leaders 2026
To strengthen intergenerational dialogue and practical collaboration on issues shaping the future, the World Economic Forum will bring together more than 400 leaders and experts in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from 13–15 October 2026 for the inaugural Annual Meeting of Global Future Leaders. Insights from the meeting will inform the Forum’s year-round work and discussions at the Annual Meeting 2027 in Davos-Klosters.