Geneva Trade Week (GTW) was first launched in 2020 by the Geneva Trade Platform after the WTO Public Forum was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the Forum’s absence, GTW stepped in to ensure that Geneva remained a space for global trade dialogue—bringing together policymakers, academics, private sector voices, and civil society at a time when multilateral cooperation was under strain. The first edition was held entirely online, welcoming participants from across the globe.

 

Since then, GTW has returned each year as a complement to the WTO Public Forum. It offers curated sessions, off-program conversations, and informal networking moments that enrich and extend the week’s official agenda. With a mix of public and invitation-only events, GTW creates space for focused dialogue on how trade policy connects to real-world challenges—from sustainability and resilience to innovation and inclusion.