The World Economic Forum wrapped up last week following a high-profile and unusual visit from President Trump. U.S. presidents have typically avoided the annual gathering of leaders from business, politics, and society who aim to shape global, regional, and industry agendas. This year, hot topics such as blockchain technologies and mental health issues were discussed. Attendees were reportedly unusually optimistic about the global economic outlook following the forum, and the topic of cryptocurrencies was one of the main subjects of discussion.

Peter Laugharn, a Pacific Council Director and CEO of the Hilton Foundation, and Marie Kagaju Laugharn, a Pacific Council member and a board member of the Ihangane Project, attended the forum and discussed their experiences and takeaways from the annual event.

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How was your experience? What were your top takeaways?

Peter: It was as it always is—exhilarating but also exhausting. The Hilton Foundation is largely interested in refugees and the humanitarian system. I think there is progress there, and I think this forum is a really good place for people to come together on the strengthening of the humanitarian system. There were at least six heads of state who spoke during plenaries. President Trump got a lot of attention on the last day, but there was also Narendra Modi, Theresa May, Emmanuel Macron, Angela Merkel, and Justin Trudeau, who was quite good on gender equity. What I noticed more this year than the last was an emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion, and I think that certainly has to do with the #MeToo movement and progressive social agendas.

Marie: Davos was very interesting despite the very cold weather. My biggest takeaway is that a lot was said clearly and loudly about the current divide in the world and there was a call for action now. I hope that it was not just a show.

Was there anything different this year from previous years?

Peter: This was my second year. Last year, the forum took place the same week that President Trump was inaugurated. So I think there was a feeling of a big gap at that point, between the globalist spirit of Davos and the populist spirit of the new administration. Part of the difference this year was Trump’s attendance at the forum, which I think many people had not expected. And it went off pretty well. I don’t know what it means in the long term.

Marie: This year was my first time attending and it was overwhelming. There were so many sessions and so much information to process in such a short period of time.

What sessions did you attend or participate in?

Peter: We attended tons of sessions. A lot of them focused on the humanitarian system and particularly the digital transformation: getting cash to refugees and getting cash to small organizations. We went to a number of sessions on diversity, because that is an interest we have at the Hilton Foundation. And then some on brain science, which they had a very interesting series on. There are about 200 or 300 sessions and 3,000 people in attendance. You spend a lot of time trudging back and forth in the snow. There’s also a lot of time for one-on-ones. It’s a really good networking space. I got to know or got to meet one-on-one with four heads of UN agencies, which is really helpful for us. We were sitting with Gordon and Sarah Brown, who I know from work with the Hilton Foundation. And Kofi Annan just came over and sat down and started talking.

Marie: It was interesting to see that in addition to sessions related to economic policy, development, trade, investment, and so on, the forum managed to allocate space and room for other issues equally important such as: “A day in the life of a refugee,” “Harassment,” “Unleashing the empathy machine,” “Decoding biases,” and “Diversity by design,” among others. I was interested in issues such as diversity, women, peace, and social justice as well as Africa-related topics.

How was Trump’s attendance and speech received?

Peter: It was certainly standing room only in the plenary hall 20 minutes before the president came on to speak. There were a couple of moments where the crowd didn’t react well, such as when the president mentioned ‘fake news’ and went after the media. But otherwise the speech was pretty much like a campaign speech: “This is what my administration has done.” Plus, a little bit of boosterism: “America is open for business. Please come and invest in America.” There was a little bit of reminding people there, the Davos man and the Davos woman, that they are there because of their customers, because of the people whose contributions or whose purchases gave them the place and power that they have. He was mild and he was respectful, but I think that was President Trump reminding the people of Davos that they had their own constituencies they needed to be loyal to.

Marie: As much as people said negative things about President Trump’s policies, many people wanted to see him and went to listen to his speech. Many expected him to be provocative and instead he came out with an almost inspiring speech inviting everyone to come trade and invest in the United States. He conveyed to the world that he is working hard for the poor and for the black and Hispanic communities without supporting his message with any statistics. Everything he read was surprisingly positive until he was invited to speak from his heart and again he started calling the media ‘fake news.’ He claimed that the media used to love him but turned against him as soon as he went to the White House.

What insights were there about automation and what to do about workers and future job losses?

Marie: Technology will continue to dominate and it won’t be stopped. We better find a way to put it to good use while creating some cyber resilience.

What insights were there about Africa?

Peter: There were discussions on the continent’s economic outlook that were pretty positive. President Kagame of Rwanda met with President Trump one-on-one. And Kagame has also become the president of the African Union. His message, certainly, is that developing countries are responsible for their own fates, and should take that responsibility and accept aid when it conforms with what they need, but shouldn’t let themselves be pushed around or get distorted.

Is there anything else you would like to add about your experience there?

Peter: I think that it’s a tremendous place. There is a lot of energy and excitement. I think of a spirit of optimism and pragmatism, and a real possibility of coming up with partnerships that will make a difference. I would encourage people to find their way there.

Marie: One great thing I liked about the Davos formula is the access one can have to a lot of knowledge from different experts who are invited to speak there, as well as the connections that can be made in such a short time.

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The views and opinions expressed here are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Pacific Council.