By Tim Binnall
The infamous gathering of global power brokers known as the Bilderberg Meeting is being held this weekend for the first time in three years. The controversial confab has long been the subject of speculation among conspiracy theorists as it is a four-day-long retreat wherein an array of prominent politicians as well as major figures from the worlds of industry, academia, and finance get together under a strict cloak of secrecy to discuss pressing issues facing the planet. Despite its members' collective wealth and power, the Bilderberg Meeting proved to be no match for the pandemic as both the 2020 and 2021 installments of the event wound up being cancelled due to coronavirus concerns, making this weekend's gathering something of a return to form for the group.
While the organization is notoriously secretive about the specifics of what is discussed during the conversations, it is also surprisingly transparent when it comes to who will be in attendance at the event as well as the weekend's agenda. According to a press release issued by the group, this year's Bilderberg Meeting kicked off on Thursday in Washington D.C. and features 120 participants from 20 different countries. Although all of the attendees are significant figures in their respective spheres of influence, most are largely unknown to the general public, which may be to their liking in light of the considerable power that they yield. That said, among the more noteworthy invitees to this year's event are former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, Arizona senator Kyrsten Sinema, and entrepreneur Peter Thiel.
The agenda for the 2022 Bilderberg Meeting consists of 14 "key topics" that the organizers perceive to be "major issues" facing the planet today. Among the subjects set to be explored by the group are "geopolitical realignments, NATO challenges, disruption of the global financial system, and fragmentation of democratic societies." Other areas which will be discussed during the weekend are competition between the United States and China with regards to technology, disinformation, and post-pandemic health concerns. Also understandably 'earning' a spot on the list are Russia and Ukraine.
Since the meetings are held under what is known as Chatham House Rule, wherein "participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s) nor any other participant may be revealed," the precise details of the various conversations that occur over the course of the weekend will likely never be shared with the general public. That said, considering that the attendees consist of a veritable who's who of the world elite, it stands to reason that the event will have a hand in shaping our planet whether we realize it or not, especially since the Bilderberg group may wish to make up for lost time after failing to meet for the last two years.