Today the world economic forum (WEF) unveiled a prototype of its metaverse: “Global Collaboration Village” at their annual meeting in Davos. The initiative was developed in partnership with Accenture and Microsoft to provide a platform for organizations to come together, create solutions and take action on important issues challenging the world. This week there will be a session in the virtual world.

The metaverse currently has 80 “Partners of the people” supporting the initiative, including consultancies and financial groups: JP Morgan Chase, KPMG, EY, and McKinsey, and international organizations: the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, to name a few. “The Village will use the cutting-edge capabilities of the metaverse to find solutions to address the big problems of our time in a more open, inclusive and sustained way,” said Klaus Schwab, founder and CEO of the World Economic Forum.

While the Village does not replace the Forum’s existing in-person activities, it does serve as a virtual collaborative space to complement real-world interactions. Interactive areas in the environment include a town hall with plenary sessions and workshops, collaboration hubs for immersive storytelling, and stakeholder campus for conversations between stakeholders and partners.

Some examples of the interactive spaces include the “Food Innovation Center” where participants can learn and adopt sustainable food production practices. Another is the “Mangrove Forest”, which simulates a mangrove ecosystem to demonstrate its importance to the coastal environment. is built on microsoft mesha mixed reality platform that can be accessed via a VR headset or laptop.

The Village was first announced at the WEF 2022 meeting as a proof of concept. The idea for the initiative had its roots in the pandemic, which fueled the need to connect virtually. The expanded justification is the lower carbon impact as a result of reduced travel. Various international organizations, including Interpol they are embracing the metaverse for community engagement.

While it is a natural extension for those who have access to digital technologies during the pandemic, it is not clear if the equipment required for this purpose would be immediately accessible to all. This raises concerns about a possible digital divide in the future. However, since the metaverse is still in its early stages, companies are collaborating to find solutions to its potential pitfalls. For example, the WEF is working together various organizations to set global governance standards for metaverse projects.