Switzerland offers example how to increase soft power

Once a year, politicians, business gurus, journalists and celebrities from across the world gather at the annual "thought fair" in Davos, Switzerland. This year's annual winter meeting of the World Economic Forum will be held in Davos from Wednesday to Saturday.

Because of the importance of the forum and the huge number of representatives, even some beds in Davos hospitals are said to be "rented out" to delegates during the annual forum. Given the mad rush, I've not been able to book a hotel room in Davos during any of the past six forums, and instead I have had to check into a hotel in a nearby town and commute for an hour by train to and from the forum venue every day. Nevertheless, the forum, thanks to the new ideas, trends, debates and conversations it generates, has been a regular feature on my calendar.

Despite being a small country with a population of only about 8 million, Switzerland has occupied a prominent place in the world of economics and business. Now Davos has a sister gathering-Summer Davos held in Tianjin and Dalian in rotation-in addition to other important regional meetings in Africa, the Middle East and other parts of the world.