The annual World Economic Forum, hosted in the luxury Swiss ski resort of Davos, kicks off this week with government heads such as Donald Trump, Narendra Modi and Theresa May in attendance.

German-born Klaus Schwab, a former professor of Business Policy at the University of Geneva, conceived the idea of the WEF back in 1971. Below, we take a look at nine of the most memorable moments from its 47-year history. 

Greece and Turkey reconcile – 1988

A major breakthrough in Greek-Turkish relations occurred in Davos in 1998, when the former Turkish prime minister Turgut Ozal and Greek prime minister Andreas Papandreou met and reconciled. The discussions were said to have stopped the two countries going to war in the succeeding years. 

Nelson Mandela attends WEF with FW de Klerk – 1992

The recently liberated, anti-apartheid revolutionary Nelson Mandela appeared at the World Economic Forum with South Africa’s then-president Frederik Willem de Klerk in 1992, marking their first joint appearance outside South Africa. It was a defining moment in the country's fight against apartheid.

FW de Klerk was the last president from the era of South Africa's white-minority rule, with Mandela becoming president in 1994.

Israel and Palestine reach agreement on Gaza and Jericho – 1994

In 1994, Israeli foreign minister Shimon Peres and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) chairman Yasser Arafat forged a draft agreement on Gaza and Jericho to advance the peace process. During the annual conference, the pair spontaneously held hands and walked into the Congress Hall to thunderous applause.

Bill Clinton sets precedent by becoming the first US president to attend WEF – 2000

In 2000, Bill Clinton became the first sitting US president to attend Davos. Ronald Reagan had previously joined the conference several times, but only via video link.

While George HW Bush, George W Bush and Barack Obama never visited Davos during their presidencies, Donald Trump is set to attend this year.

WEF moves to New York after 9/11 – 2002

Following the terrorist attacks on September 11, the World Economic Forum relocated to New York as a show of solidarity with the city and the American public. It is the only time the meeting has been held outside Davos.

Who's going to Davos 2018?

Anti-WEF protests held in Switzerland – 2003

The 2003 forum triggered anti-globalisation protests across Switzerland, causing Swiss authorities to call in reinforcements from German police for the first time.

Tear gas and water cannons were used by the security forces to try to control the crowd, but severe damage was caused to buildings in the capital city of Bern.

Smaller-scale protests have taken place again this year, with demonstrators carrying anti-capitalist and anti-Trump posters.

Sharon Stone raises $1m in five minutes for Malaria – 2005

In 2005, during a speech by Tanzanian president Benjamin Mkapa, actress Sharon Stone, who was sitting in the audience, jumped up and reportedly shouted: “I’m sick and tired of talk, talk, talk. Come on, let’s do something. I will pledge $10,000 and I challenge everyone else in the room to join me.” 

Within five minutes, $1m had been raised by audience members to buy bed nets to protect Africans from Malaria.

WEF revokes invitation to North Korea – 2016

In the autumn of 2015, WEF extended an invitation to North Korea "in view of positive signs coming out of the country," organisers said in a statement. The invitation was accepted, but after North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear detonation test in January 2016, WEF revoked the invite. 

Philipp Roesler, a member of the WEF managing board, told reporters: "We decided after the nuclear test that ... there will be no opportunity for an international global dialogue in the spirit of the World Economic Forum."

Xi Jinping becomes first Chinese leader to attend WEF – 2017

President Xi became the first Chinese leader to attend the World Economic Forum, the home of western liberal ideology, where Europeans and Americans have long gathered to set the tone of global affairs.

President Xi used his speech to defend free trade and proclaim himself a defender of globalisation. In what was widely seen as a dig at the newly elected President Trump, a supporter of protectionism, he told audiences: "Some people blame globalisation for the chaos of our world, but our problems are not caused by globalisation. They are caused by war and conflict."