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Pope Francis urges Davos to fight poverty and injustice; Elton John blasts 'disgraceful' inequality -- as it happened

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 Updated 
until 3.30pm GMT and in Davos now
Mon 22 Jan 2018 17.12 ESTFirst published on Mon 22 Jan 2018 02.42 EST
British musician Sir Elton John delivers a speech during the ceremony for the Crystal Awards on the eve of annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos tonight.
British musician Sir Elton John delivers a speech during the ceremony for the Crystal Awards on the eve of annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos tonight. Photograph: Markus Schreiber/AP
British musician Sir Elton John delivers a speech during the ceremony for the Crystal Awards on the eve of annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos tonight. Photograph: Markus Schreiber/AP

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Attendees take part at a reception event after the Crystal Award ceremony at the World Economic Forum tonight Photograph: Denis Balibouse/Reuters

That’s all for tonight, from a rather cold and snowy Davos. See you in the morning for full coverage of Day 1. GW

Indian Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan tonight. Photograph: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images

Here’s the key message from Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan’s speech to WEF tonight, as he collected his Crystal Award.

“To disfigure a woman by throwing acid on her face is one of the crudest acts of subjugation imaginable. At the source of it lies the view that a woman does not have the right to assert her choice,.

We need to open access for each and every one with a true sense of ourselves, not as more powerful or less privileged but as equals.”

Rukh Khan’s non-profit Meer Foundation provides support to female victims of acid attacks and major burn injuries through medical treatment and legal aid.

The dancing is over, and I’ve hotfooted it across from the Congress Centre to hear from Global Himalayan Expedition, an Indian social enterprise.

GHE have a good story to tell too - they’ve using solar panels and ‘decentralized microgrids’ to bring power to remote communities in India.

We’re watching a video now, about how a village who relied on kerosene lamps now have modern LED lighting.

GHE’s Jaideep Bansal, who is one of WEF’s ‘global shapers’, explains that the children in the village used to trek three miles to school. Now they have an internet connection -- no sooner were they online then they were checking out their own region on Wikipedia. Inspiring stuff. More details here.

Elton John’s attack on inequality will, rightly, provoke reminders that he is himself fabulously wealthy - with an estimated £290m in the bank.

But that’s what happens when you shift a quarter of a billion records over a glittering career. And in his defence, the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) has raised more than $400 million (according to WEF).

From inequality to...ballet!

WEF delegates are now enjoying a performance led by La Scala’s principal dancer étoile Roberto Bolle, which I’m told “fuses the work of Antonio Vivaldi and Astor Piazzolla to explore the fine line between chaos and harmony in our relationship with nature.”

Sir Elton John blasts 'disgraceful' inequality

British musician Elton John delivering his speech after collecting a Crystal Award. Photograph: Markus Schreiber/AP

Finally, Sir Elton John receives his Crystal Award from the World Economic Foundation, for his philanthropic work.

Sir Elton explains that he became a philanthropist because he had “lost who he had become”, adding:

“I wanted to reconnect, i wanted to be a decent person”.

Sir Elton talks about the battle against HIV/AIDS - it was a death sentence 25 years ago, he says, but there are now millions of people on life-saving medicine.

Turns out .@eltonofficial is as inspiring at giving speeches as he is at making music - moving description on what moved him to create .@ejaf and how the spread of HIV/AIDs was caused by the abandonment of our humanity #Davos2018 #HIV #WEF2018

— markmacgann (@markmacgann) January 22, 2018

The musician ends by challenging delegates at Davos to deliver on their mission to improve the state of the world, adding;

The world needs to be changed - the inequality in the world is, to be honest, disgraceful.

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Now, Bollywood star Shar Rukr Khan gives a moving speech about the strength of women, such as those who have suffered acid attacks, and children who are overcoming suffering.

I want to thank my sister, my wife and my daughter for bringing me up well - Shah Rukh Khan
These beautiful words by an incredible actor and humanitarian make me prouder for being his fan.
Congratulations, @iamsrk!
CRYSTAL AWARD FOR SRK pic.twitter.com/DJTGAe9vIQ

— Aishwarya Vasudevan (@Aishu_Vasu) January 22, 2018

Shah Rukh Khan wins the Crystal award for his work with Meer foundation for Children and Women. SRK comes up on stage and asks Sir Elton John and Cate Blanchett before you go can I take a selfie:) #YesBankNDTVAtDavos @Davos @ndtv @iamsrk pic.twitter.com/BckTFUWQYJ

— Amitoj Singh (@JohnnyAmitoj) January 22, 2018

Collecting her WEF crystal award, Cate Blanchett tells the audience that we must rebuild the ‘shared bonds’ between people if we are to tackle the refugee crisis.

The Australian actor laments the lack of empathy and compassion. She explains that if we can drop the ‘loaded label’ of the word ‘refugee’ it is earlier to see the person behind it.

It is “very very easy” to turn your back on those in need, if you don’t think of them as fellow human being, Blanchett says, adding:

Once you’ve born witness you cannot turn away.

Actress Cate Blanchett takes a swipe at Trump in her speech at #Davos . She didn’t mention him by name, but she lamented political rhetoric that “gnaws away at our empathy and compassion” for others, esp. refugees pic.twitter.com/X2kOuivuL9

— Heather Long (@byHeatherLong) January 22, 2018

Pope blasts 'ambition for profit at all costs'

Pope Francis has sent a message to the World Economic Forum, and it’s a stern warning that capitalism is failing to serve the people.

The message is being read by Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson.

In it, the Pope says there is a “moral imperative” to create the conditions needed to allow everyone to live in a dignified manner

He’s urges delegates at WEF to build a better foundation for a just society, that can restore dignity to “those who cannot dream of a better world”.

Pope Francis warns of “growing fragmentation between states and institutions”, with new actors emerging, and new economic competition and regional trade agreements.

In a damning verdict on the world today, the Pope warns that “an ambition for profit at all costs” is driving future fragmentation and individualism, rather than inclusiveness.

He says:

The recurring financial instabilities have brought new problems and serious challenges that governments must confront, such as the growth of unemployment, the increase in various forms of poverty, the widening of the socio-economic gap and new forms of slavery, often rooted in situations of conflict, migration and various social problems.

Ordinary people risk being treated as mere cogs in a machine to be exploited, the Pope continues, adding:

Whenever a human life no longer proves useful for that machine, it is discarded with few qualms.

He also warns that artificial intelligence and robots must be used for the service of humanity, rather than to undermine it.

Economic freedom must not prevail over the freedom of men and women, and their rights, the Pope says, declaring:

We cannot remain silent in the face of the suffering of millions of people whose dignity is wounded, nor can we continue to move forward as if the spread of poverty and injustice has no cause.

He concludes by wishing WEF his best wishes for a successful meeting, and invokes ‘the divine blessings of wisdom and strength” on those attending.

Given the state of the world, I think they may need it..

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Klaus Schwab welcomes delegates to the 48th World Economic Forum.

He calls WEF the “foremost multi-stakeholder group in the world”.

This year’s delegates include politicians, business leaders, the heads of international organisations, charities and trade unions, plus the new generation of young global leaders.

The point behind WEF is is that governments, businesses and civil society cannot solve the world’s problems alone.

He reminds us that WEF’s ambition is to “Improve the state of the world”, and urges delegates to follow three rules:

  • respect human dignity and diversity
  • serve the community
  • be a trustee of the next generation

Davos opening ceremony begins

Photograph: Guardian

Delegates are flooding into the main Congress Hall at the World Economic Forum, as founder Klaus Schwab prepares to open this year’s event.

Despite the disruption caused by today’s snow, the cavernous space is pretty packed.

That may be thanks to the lure of celebrity. Schwab is going to hand over three crystal awards:

  • Cate Blanchett, for her leadership in raising awareness of the refugee crisis
  • Sir Elton John, for his leadership in the fight against HIV/AIDS
  • Shah Rukh Khan, for his leadership in championing children’s and women’s rights in India

UK bosses more upbeat, but job cuts may loom

Just in: Nine out of ten business leaders in Britain are upbeat about the growth prospects for their companies this year despite uncertainty about the impact of Brexit.

That’s according to consultancy firm PwC, which has just released its annual survey of chief executives at a press event in Davos.

PwC found that optimism about the health of the global economy was boosting confidence; 36% of business leaders expected the global economy to strengthen in 2018, up from 17% in 2017.

But, the number of UK business leaders who describe themselves as ‘very confident’ has dipped to 34% from 41% last year.

PwC also uncovered signs that British businesses are reining in their hiring plans.

The number of UK business leaders expecting to increase headcount has fallen slightly to 54% from 63% last year, while 15% expect to reduce headcount, compared to 10% in 2017

More on this story

More on this story

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  • Five things we learned at Davos 2018

  • Donald Trump woos business but attacks media at Davos

  • IMF chief warns Trump's tax cuts could destabilise global economy

  • John McDonnell: I'm in Davos to tell the elite they are held in contempt

  • Davos 2018: Trump puts North Korea high on agenda in 'America first' speech - as it happened

  • Bitcoin won't last in world of finance, warns Nobel-winning economist

  • Paradise Papers: Davos panel calls for global corporate tax reform

  • Theresa May risks unrest by paving way for Donald Trump visit

  • Ghost of general election holds back Theresa May at Davos

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