World leaders will converge on Dubai this weekend to attend the three-day World Government Summit beginning on 12th February, 2017, with 4,000 delegates and 150 speakers from 139 countries attending.

The fifth edition of the summit (WGS 2017), say organisers, is the world’s largest platform for shaping future governments with 114 sessions “making it the largest participation of its kind since the event was first launched in 2013”.

Global luminaries across political, scientific and futurist lines will address the summit, said organisers.

Confirmed speakers include Shinzo Abe, Japanese Prime Minister; Miro Cerar, Slovenian Prime Minister; Tshering TobGay, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bhutan; Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations; and Irina Bokova, Director-General of Unesco.

From fields of business and futurism, other luminaries attending include Jim Yong-kim, president of the World Bank; Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and founder of SpaceX; Christine LaGargde, managing director of the International Monetary Fund; as well as Sir Suma Chakrabarti, president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Mohammad Bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future and Chairman of the WGS Organisation, noted that the UAE, under the leadership of the President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the directives of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has successfully transformed WGS into a global platform.

“The summit’s experience as an international platform that convenes heads of states, government leaders, ministers, officials, scientists, entrepreneurs and leaders of international organisations who help shape future governments has truly reached an advanced stage that focuses on finding balance between technological advancements and achieving the happiness and welfare of the people,” Gergawi said.

“The event will also study how to utilise the technologies of the fourth industrial revolution and turn them into tools that help advance the lives of more than seven billion people.”

New this year will be a pre-summit, invitation-only event on Saturday to explore “happiness” with the help of top speakers, said summit organisers.

“The Global Dialogue for Happiness event will bring together top thinkers, decision makers and experts from around the world to start a global discussion on the importance of happiness and wellbeing, and the imperative role of governments in achieving elevated levels of happiness worldwide,” organisers said.